r/Homebrewing • u/gingerglow • Aug 04 '26
Equipment Spunding valve failure
I've used this spunding valve from kegland for like 5 brews now. I attached this after active fermentation started and the gauge is not reacting. I pulled the pressure release and pressure is definitely building. My last brew the fermentation got too high and got into it. I cleaned and sanitized it the best I could. Anybody dealt with this, can help me troubleshoot? I really don't want to have to buy another one. Thank y'all!
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u/PeripheralSatchmo Aug 04 '26
Would love to know about a reliable one that doesn't cost a mint
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u/texanmason Aug 04 '26
Same. The cheapest one I've seen is the 1.5" from Oak Stills for $150, and that's still not exactly cheap.
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u/hikeandbike33 Aug 05 '26 edited Aug 05 '26
Homebrewerlab sells a high quality spunding valve for $70, it’s called the jellyfish 3.0. Just don’t let krausen get into it because it looks tough to clean. Easy to preset psi and accurate gauge.
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u/texanmason Aug 05 '26
This definitely makes sense if you're using corny kegs - I currently only have sanke kegs, so I'm looking into more tri-clamp based solutions. Will keep this in mind if I upgrade to cornys, though.
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u/United-Attorney-7097 Aug 04 '26 edited Aug 05 '26
I would double check it’s assembled correctly. I have the yellow and red bow tie spunding valve and took it apart to clean. Found out I reassembled it backwards when it wasn’t working.
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u/lauterPope Aug 05 '26
I used to use the bow tie before upgrading. Clean them after every use. Preset your psi for the volume you need in advance (connect the spunding valve to your co2 source with the dial -yellow dial- fully open. Then gradually close the valve until you achieve the set pressure you want.) so you can just attach the valve once you are ready. I typically don’t spund till day 4-5 (use your blow off tube initially for active fermentation) then use the valve.
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u/Cold-Sandwich-34 Aug 04 '26
I will not use a spunding valve during active fermentation. I don't think breweries do that, since I see many using the same closed system blowoff in a bucket like homebrewers do. If I want to maintain pressure I do so after a few days or a week, whenever it's not building.
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u/lauterPope Aug 05 '26
Breweries actually do use them (pro grade). The ones that I have used them. They aren’t as useful once you start getting into 100bbl.
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Aug 04 '26
Normally if you want to ferment under pressure you set the sounding valve after the first day of active fermentation.
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u/Cold-Sandwich-34 Aug 04 '26
Idk how fast your yeast ferments, but that seems very early to me. I don't even do a first dry hop in a NEIPA before day 3.
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Aug 05 '26
Well my yeast ferments at a normal rate but I'm setting the spunding valve after the first 24hrs to ferment under pressure.
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u/Cold-Sandwich-34 Aug 05 '26
I think it can work if you are not tight on headspace and/or use fermcap.
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u/May5ifth Aug 04 '26
I have the blowtie which worked for me consistently and then one day it wouldn’t hold pressure. I made sure everything was installed correctly. I watched the kegland cleaning instructions to make sure it all looked correct. Nothing I could do would fix it. Gave up and bought a metal style spunding valve. Supposedly not as accurate but it works. I just make sure to have a 2L bottle between my fermenter and the spunding valve so it doesn’t get clogged.
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u/Indian_villager Aug 05 '26
Do you have a carbonation cap and a soda bottle to test it? Pressurize your bottle to 5 psig and hook up the spunding valve, does it show pressure? You could just buy the gauge if that is your issue.
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u/echardcore Aug 05 '26
It seems like a well built product and is able to be completely disassembled and cleaned, but I have also had one fail. I bought a second one and haven't used it yet. They are inexpensive enough.
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u/ShanghaiNick Aug 05 '26
What are you brewing? What vessel size are you brewing in? Are you trying to brew in a single container and drop trub then finish under pressure? Give us a process and beer and trying to achieve, WITH HOW YOU ARE TRYING TO PACKAGE, so that we can get you the right equipment for it. Just because you have a failing cheap spunding kit isn't enough.
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u/slofella BJCP Aug 05 '26
I had one crack internally. Only got to use it for one brew. Kegland said to buy another one. No thanks.
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u/EverlongMarigold Aug 05 '26
Is the gauge connected via quick disconnect? I had a similar issue a few months ago. I hadn't assembled it correctly and a few of the QDs weren't seated correctly.
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u/homebrewfinds Blogger - Advanced Aug 05 '26
If it's holding pressure I'm guessing the gauge itself is bad. At 5 brews maybe you're still under warranty? If not, I'd take this chance to upgrade to their digital option https://www.homebrewfinds.com/upgrading-kegland-inline-secondary-regulator-to-digital/
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u/homebrewfinds Blogger - Advanced Aug 05 '26
If it's holding pressure I'm guessing the gauge itself is bad. At 5 brews maybe you're still under warranty? If not, I'd take this chance to upgrade to their digital option https://www.homebrewfinds.com/upgrading-kegland-inline-secondary-regulator-to-digital/
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u/Sluisifer Aug 05 '26
So it's just the gauge that's not working, correct?
Those little cheapo gauges are useful, but definitely aren't precision instruments. They don't register low pressures that well. Tapping on the gauge helps a lot. But I wouldn't depend on it to give any accurate reading at any point, just +/- 5psi or so.
That's really all you need. It should be repeatable/consistent enough to be useful at the homebrew level.
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u/markassed Aug 05 '26
I had this happen to me the pressure gauge is stuck from all the krausen getting into it. I was lucky enough to only need to give it a bit of a wipe down and move the thingy around a bit that reads the prssure. You have to be really gentle with it though.
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u/Totanko Aug 06 '26
I had a similar issue recently. Only I didn't pay attention and hooked up the spunding valve to the keg the wrong way around. Oops! Luckily I discovered the issue about 20hrs after pitching. Enough time for the keg to reach 30psi or so in the meantime.
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u/CasualAction Aug 04 '26
If its the red ones with the yellow handle, those can be completely dissembled for cleaning.
After removing all the screws you can pull the black rubber under the yellow knob and remove the plastic piece below it. You can also pull the gauge out with even, light pressure from a few sides. Soak for a short in pbw (or something similar) and re-assemble after drying. If you have keg silicone you can use it on the rubber.
If it's not, nevermind.