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4 head bottle filler for $275

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  • BlackH2O - is this something you'd actually be interested in doing for someone? I've got a brewery down in Peru and am looking to get a better bottling setup and this looks perfect, but I need someone mechanically minded who likes to tinker who could help.

    Originally posted by BlackH2O View Post
    I have built several similar to yours for the nano I have been helping get going and and another local nano that saw the original work. I am in the process of building at least 1 more, possibly 2 and still have several questions.(BTW, I love to tinker and build them for parts cost and beer) I still haven't found a reliable method to balance beer flow to the 4 heads. Sometimes I only get 3 heads working properly and 1 takes forever. I know this is because of liquid flow dynamics, the whole path of least
    resistance thing. I have tried different line sizes and it doesn't seem to matter. I feed the 4 outlet manifold with a 1/2 line from a 5bbl brite. I have tried several different manifolds, 1 specifically meant for beer and a SS radiant heat manifold, the latter seems to work best but still not perfect. How did you over come this? I have a friend that had one of the $1800. morebeer 4 head fillers and he had a nightmare and found it unworkable. As to the filler heads that you use, I have found experience that even with the hand held counter pressure filler, the 3 way valves leak like sieves and don't really last that long so I went with 2 SS mini ball valves.

    I don't have any good pics at the moment, but the other thing I did different was I mounted my heads on a separate piece of PVC board that can slide up or down to allow for different bottle sizes. I modified it on the second one so all I have to do is loosen and slide the lower tee fitting with the pressure relief valve to match the bottle size.

    I will have to thank you for the video, it is what I used to show proof of concept and worked from there. I would appreciate any advice that people have to offer. Right now I am trying to source some inexpensive flow control valves for balancing the beer feed. I will post pics when I get some.

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    • Am I the only one that bottles warm beer? Can these types of systems handle 30psi?

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      • Not the only one...

        But one of only a few. In order to bottle warm, you'd either bottle condition or you'd sell undercarbonated beer. These bottle fillers do not need to handle 30psi because most folks bottle at less than 15psi. That is the pressure rating of most BBTs. And saturation temperature at 13psi for an average 2.65 volumes carbonation level is 38F. So very well within the capacity of modern equipment for well-carbonated beer. These manual fillers work pretty well for what they are. If you are on a very tight budget, or are bottling very little, then it might be the right solution for you. Good luck!
        Phillip Kelm--Palau Brewing Company Manager--

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        • Makes sense. We only brew 1bbl at a time and I am bottling from Corny kegs at 30psi. I think I will put one of these together and see how much beer I can spray in my face
          Anyway, this thread has given me plenty of ideas.

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          • My Version

            Hi everyone!

            I just joined to thank everyone who contributed to this thread. I've read the whole thing probably twice, and some parts four times.

            A few months ago I set out to help a friend of mine by designing and building his company a 4-head filler. His company has been bottling something like 6000 bottles per month with a single beer wand! Unfortunately their company is currently in that purgatory of having more demand than they can fulfill, but not having enough cash to buy any significant equipment, and potential investors are taking their sweet time. I decided this was insanity and that I could use my engineering background as well as my general nerdiness to help them out.

            It could've been a shorter project, but I had to learn a LOT in the process of designing and building it:
            1. I use SolidWorks at work, but I decided to learn how to use Autodesk Fusion360 for this project because it's free and has CAM built-in.
            2. I had to learn how to use CAM software (Computer Aided Manufacturing - basically programming for cnc machines).
            3. I had to learn the in's and out's of my home made cnc router (MPCNC - v1engineering.com).


            The biggest time killer was all the failed parts due to my ignorance when it came to feeds and speeds as they relate to my (read: not-so-rigid) cnc router. But alas, I finished it, and I'm awaiting feedback on how it performs for them.

            The vast majority of the machine is made of HDPE and stainless steel (mostly 316). I designed the head mounts so that they can be tightened on the support tube to varying degrees by a knob on top of each one. This will allow them to rotate, but also stay in the "up" position, ready for one-handed loading of a new bottle. I incorporated a small manifold on the back that will hopefully prevent any beverage flow/starvation issues. The tray can just be lifted out, and the tray supports can be unbolted and moved to (2) alternate positions: one for bombers, and one for regular long neck beer bottles. The top position is for their funky short bottles shown. Fine adjustment for sealing in the bottle bores is made by moving the stopper on the filler head (likely will be kept from sliding with a hose clamp). Also, we realized after this that elbow fittings would be needed on the filler heads to keep them from interfering with each other.

            Anyway, it was a good learning experience, and there are some things I might do differently if I did it all over again, but cross your fingers - hopefully it makes their production less cumbersome!

            Again, thanks to everyone here for all of the information readily shared. It was a huge help.

            Edit for inquiring minds: it ended up being a total of about $750 for all of the hardware and materials (including filler heads). That doesn't include a ton of free labor on my part!
            Attached Files
            Last edited by pjkinsella; 05-18-2019, 07:52 AM.

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            • Hi everyone!

              I seriously plan to built one of these filler for my soon to come installation.
              There's just something I don't get. On every setup I've seen here, it seems a manifold as a buffer tank is a must have. Understandable, without it, you'll lack flow/pressure of fluid. But why every setup comes with a 1/2in tube to the manifold instead of the classic brewer hose (32 or 38mm)?

              Thanks for your enlightenments,
              Guillaume

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