Meheen users unite!

[hillseythekiwi]

The Meheen will not function properly without adequate air flow. Until you find the right compressor, here are some things that you can do to help:
1. If your compressor is some distance away from the filler, you can add a ballast tank right at your Meheen. We use an air compressor tank mounted directly below the bottle deck. This provides air quickly at times during the cycle when it needs air, like when the filling and capping heads are in motion; but allows your compressor to keep filling the tank when it is not requiring air, like when the bottles are filling.
2. Oversize your lines. Make sure you have 3/4" (20mm) or wider lines running from your compressor to the ballast tank and from the ballast tank in to your machine. Also, make the lines as short as possible and remove any restrictions.
3. Run your compressor at it's maximum PSI and don't regulate the pressure down to the required delivery pressure until it reaches the machine. This will increase flow.
4. Use a high-flow regulator. it should have at least 12mm inlet and outlet size and exceed the airflow required by the filler.

While the above two fixes will provide air more quickly when it is needed, it will not increase the over all air production of your compressor. You can run your filler more slowly by restricting the speed valve, giving your compressor more time to build up air pressure. You can also increase the amount of air flow by adding a second or even third compressor to the same line.
I have done the above things to my Meheen, not because my air was inadequate but because I want to fill as quickly as possible. I have also shortened the cycle time by adding a ballast tank for the CO2. There is a 12mm line running from the CO2 tank to the machine. We are able to run 1800 355ml bottles per hour through our 2001 six-head.
Hope this helps.
buena suerte!
Joe

Thanks Joe some great ideas, I appreciate you taking the time!!!

[turk5830]

Timing out...

Guys,

Have gotten a lot of good info off this thread over the last couple of years. Need some help with a problem that I can't figure out. Our machine, a 6-head 2010 M_Series, keeps timing out randomly throughout bottle runs. It is almost as if the fill valve isn't told to close, and beer just overflows from the bottle out of the speed valve tubing. I have done all I really know to do on this....

-changing Product Manifold
-changing fill sensors
-no leaks anywhere
-fill valve works fine on manual override, solenoid works
-broke down all valves on Meheen, all look fine
-does it on both manual and auto
-adjust "low pressure" trying to find a happy medium.

This is the first time I can't figure out what is going on. I contacted Meheen, and they didn't seem to know exactly what was happening, saying it sounded like a sensor issue.

Fills are fine, everything else works well. Just can't figure this out. Cheers.

[Meheen]

Filling time out

This happens when the computer does not detect the bottles full after a period of time. Most common cause is liquid in the bottle side sensor line or sensor. It can also be caused by mold in the sensor itself or a fill detection number too high for the conditions. First step is to unplug the bottle side sensor hose form the panel and using the CO2 Pulse valve manual override, blow the line clear of any liquid. Next remove the fitting from the bottom of the panel and using a squirt bottle with alcohol flush out the sensor. Next roll the corner of a paper towel to a point and make sure you can get it all the way up inside the tiny orifice of the sensor to make sure it is clean and dry. You can also perform a leak test to make sure the system is sealed. Fill detection operates on small changes of pressure over short periods of time, so any fouling or liquid in the system can alter proper fill detection.

If the problem persists and you suspect it is a damaged sensor, you can swap the liquid and bottle sensors since they are identical units.

[turk5830]

This happens when the computer does not detect the bottles full after a period of time. Most common cause is liquid in the bottle side sensor line or sensor. It can also be caused by mold in the sensor itself or a fill detection number too high for the conditions. First step is to unplug the bottle side sensor hose form the panel and using the CO2 Pulse valve manual override, blow the line clear of any liquid. Next remove the fitting from the bottom of the panel and using a squirt bottle with alcohol flush out the sensor. Next roll the corner of a paper towel to a point and make sure you can get it all the way up inside the tiny orifice of the sensor to make sure it is clean and dry. You can also perform a leak test to make sure the system is sealed. Fill detection operates on small changes of pressure over short periods of time, so any fouling or liquid in the system can alter proper fill detection.

If the problem persists and you suspect it is a damaged sensor, you can swap the liquid and bottle sensors since they are identical units.

Thanks for the response! We have done this on numerous occasions with no changes. We even went to change out the sensors. The bottle side line and sensor are clean, no liquid present. it is completely random when it happens, usually occurring first within 20 minutes of starting. When it first began, I noticed a tiny hole in the bottle sensor line, which has since been replaced. I have performed numerous leak test, with no leaks. It will run fine for a couple or more cycles, then do this for a couple of rows. Thanks for the help!

[turk5830]

Thanks for the response! We have done this on numerous occasions with no changes. We even went to change out the sensors. The bottle side line and sensor are clean, no liquid present. it is completely random when it happens, usually occurring first within 20 minutes of starting. When it first began, I noticed a tiny hole in the bottle sensor line, which has since been replaced. I have performed numerous leak test, with no leaks. It will run fine for a couple or more cycles, then do this for a couple of rows. Thanks for the help!

there also seems to be some beer coming out of the top "T" on the fill carriage, sitting in the hose left of the "T" on the pulse valve side. don't know if that's contributing to the problem or not. Cheers.

[Brewin_Bob]

Cap Santization

We use a 22oz 6Head Maheen Bottling line.
We were told not to soak the caps in sanitizer due to them not dispensing properly and/or rusting/molding over time.
Anyone have suggestions on how they are sanitizing their caps prior to use?
We were thinking of a freeze or CO2 purge before hand.
Cheers.

[GlennL]

We use a 22oz 6Head Maheen Bottling line.
We were told not to soak the caps in sanitizer due to them not dispensing properly and/or rusting/molding over time.
Anyone have suggestions on how they are sanitizing their caps prior to use?
We were thinking of a freeze or CO2 purge before hand.
Cheers.

Still not sure the best way to sani caps, we just try to store them in sealed containers when not in use and keep them as clean as possible - we've had no issues this way. However, I can personally attest to the failure of the cap dispensers when they're wet or even dry but have been sanitized. the sani eats a protective varnish that's on the caps and keeps them slippery and allows them to slide properly. The lack of this varnish causes them to stick, as can even a slight bit of water/liquid. The surface tension is enough to delay the cap drop sufficiently that they don't make it under the crowning bar before it starts down.

We thought we knew better and tried to sanitize the caps. we had a successful capping rate of less than 25% - a total disaster. Dry clean caps yield i would guess a 99% successful capping rate - ie, we have no capping issues now. Would be interested if you come up with a good solution, but definitely do not soak them to sanitize them.

Glenn Lewis
Kane Brewing Co
Ocean, NJ

[Brewin_Bob]

Still not sure the best way to sani caps, we just try to store them in sealed containers when not in use and keep them as clean as possible - we've had no issues this way. However, I can personally attest to the failure of the cap dispensers when they're wet or even dry but have been sanitized. the sani eats a protective varnish that's on the caps and keeps them slippery and allows them to slide properly. The lack of this varnish causes them to stick, as can even a slight bit of water/liquid. The surface tension is enough to delay the cap drop sufficiently that they don't make it under the crowning bar before it starts down.

We thought we knew better and tried to sanitize the caps. we had a successful capping rate of less than 25% - a total disaster. Dry clean caps yield i would guess a 99% successful capping rate - ie, we have no capping issues now. Would be interested if you come up with a good solution, but definitely do not soak them to sanitize them.

Glenn Lewis
Kane Brewing Co
Ocean, NJ

We found the same results.
We just keep the lids sealed, and for extra precaution we are starting to try freezing and purging the caps with co2 the day before.
Thanks for the input!

[GoodBeerNut]

I don't think most larger breweries sanitize caps or bottles. Don't bottles just get rinsed with filtered water. Can lids definitely don't get sanitized. And cans may or may not get a water rinse based on what I've seen from the wild Goose line.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

[Ben_tbk]

Indexing issues

Can you guys chime in and tell me what you guys are doing to keep the bottle ramp lubed up? Are you guys using a lubricant, or just applying water to the ramp during use? We have been having some issues with bottles sticking to the ramp and causing a mis index and broken bottles. Just looking for some pointers to help us out? Thanks in advance.

Ben
The Brew Kettle

[lhall]

Ben,

the best thing is to clean the ramp every day with hot water and PBW or the like (never caustic, keep that away from a Meheen). You can also get food-grade silicone spray from places like Grainger. Make sure your machine is level and that there are no burrs or cuts in the ramp and the side guides.

Can you guys chime in and tell me what you guys are doing to keep the bottle ramp lubed up? Are you guys using a lubricant, or just applying water to the ramp during use? We have been having some issues with bottles sticking to the ramp and causing a mis index and broken bottles. Just looking for some pointers to help us out? Thanks in advance.

Ben
The Brew Kettle

[JBedry]

Crowning Issues

Hello. Sorry for the lengthy post, but nearly at my wits end with this. Any help is greatly appreciated.

2001 Meheen Merlin, confidently used above and beyond its limits.

It started with our old crowner bar picking up all 4 bottles and then violently ejecting when the next row made contact.
- adjusted rails
- smoothed out any possible burs on bottle locater (which is nearly new)
- sprayed deck with silicone spray
- swapped out crowns for an older batch number
- adjusted bottle indexing
- added food grade lubricant to bores of crowner bar
- swapped mac valves for both the crowning cylinders and the ejection cylinders
- used last 2 seal kits to reseal crowning cylinders
- removed mufflers on air intake manifold
- changed air filter and moisture trap

At this point I went ahead and asked Meheen to fabricate a new crowner bar. When that arrived, and was installed, the bottles would no longer be picked up, but instead, the crowner bar would hesitate when the bottles were about 1/4" in, a loud snap would sound, and the bottles would crown, however, the crowns themselves would be stripped of paint all around the edges. Go/No Go fit easily on both sides (to my understanding, it shouldn't). Every 4 rows or so, one bottle seemed to smash when the crowner bar rose back up. I tried the following to fix that
- lubed new crowner bar with food grade lubricant
- cleaned and exchanged crowning cylinder barrels (an older pair)
- bought and installed 4 new standard sized seals (100mm) for crowning cylinders
- replaced oil seals and wipers
- increased psi to the machine (sorry Dave)
- added inline gauge to top port of crowning cylinders, gauge would hover around 90 and drop to 80 when bar was travelling downward
- increased size of hose to meheen air intake
- replaced regulator
- found a leak in the bottle indexing cylinder, took it out of the air circuit to run tests, unchanged functionality
- changed mac valves again
- removed air line oiler
- added airline oil directly to crowning cylinder line
- inserted 1.6mm shims under crowner bar
- bypassed meheen air intake, went straight from regulator to crowning cylinders, still, the crowning would function improperly
- had 2 mechanical engineers, 2 pnematic specialists, and a machinist in. Their opinions were, that our air flow and pressure was fine, the crowning cylinder bores were a bit scratched, but not enough to cause much loss of functionality, and it was recommended by two of them that perhaps the taper on the crowner bar could be eased back a bit, and did so
- placed a row of bottles that had previously crowner properly under crowner bar, no change

About to try a box of caps from the local homebrew shop (ours are not made in Greece, by the way) to check once again, that they are not the issue. Also, an automation expert is on his way to asses. If anyone has anything at all, please feel free to offer tips. I am sure I missed a dozen or so other things, on this list, that we have tried.

[BrewinLou]

Hey there,
One the old crowner bar, did you try swapping one of the bottle ejection cylinders out with one that the bottles were dropping out of correctly?

On the new crowner bar, sounds like it is not quite the same bar. Did you compare all hole distances old bar to new bar with a caliper? Not out of the realm of possibility you received the wrong bar. In all the years of having the line did you ever change bottle mold or bottle supplier? These machines have very tight tolerances on bottle molds. Your old bar may be worn enough that it could take a bit of a different size.
Ours has always had a small hesitation before the loud snap. I have heard of some problems with the Greek crowns. Our crowner bar is about the only part we have not replaced on our 05'. All else fails go back to start, line up 3 or 4 rows of bottles over ride the index ram and push them forward over ride the fill head make sure they are all in alignment, over ride the crown head make sure they are all in alignment. I would look very closely at the new crowner bar hole alignment, compare it to the old one very closely.

[ColdFusion]

If your old crowner bar was getting caps crimped enough that the go side of your gauge worked then I'd put that back on. Wear shouldn't contribute to holding bottles, which was your original problem. Holding bottles indicates an issue with the ejection cylinders. Either they aren't getting pressure, or the exhaust isn't clear.

You've obviously tried several things to solve this but IMO you are currently working with a more difficult problem than you started with. Caps passing on the 'no go' side points to the machining being too tight; that seems odd though. You could certainly try loosening the bore but I'd go back to the original crowning bar, as long as the caps pass your gauge.

Once you go back to the original bar (and I'm sure this is repeating stuff you've already done):
Check the solenoid in the control panel to make sure it's triggering properly
Check your pneumatic lines and fittings to the ejection cylinders for obstruction (or just replace them)
Check the cylinders themselves for operation and for clear exhausting
If all else fails, try a replacement ejection cylinder to see if that has any effect.

I feel like this won't be much help... good luck!

[BrewinLou]

Great point CF, The mufflers on those eject cylinders get jacked up too.