Beer Keg Level Meter

Well they actually do make electric tape measures (using a small laser). Your only issue would be to Find a way to use it with the keg. You'd have to cut a hole in your keg to mount the laser.

I imagine you could do something like they have on propane cylindars--a heat sensitive strip that you pour hot water over: the part that's below the cool beer wouldn't change color.

--NPD

Google is your friend. Search the web.

Actually Google is pretty lame when it comes to design engineering.

Or maybe you have figured out how to get it to design electronic applications.

On Mon, 27 Sep 2004, Bob vociferated:

}On 27 Sep 2004 05:06:23 -0700, "BAD's Revenge" }wrote: } }>> Any ideas? } }>Google is your friend. Search the web. } }Actually Google is pretty lame when it comes to design engineering. } }Or maybe you have figured out how to get it to design electronic }applications.

I still think your best bet is to ask in the brewing newsgroups. Lots of hardcore gadget freaks to be found there, and some of them are engineers, to boot.

Dr H

I took your suggestion and began a thread on the two groups you mentioned.

I have been in draft beer dispensing equipment business for 20 years and have never seen a working keg scale. There were 2 different groups that approched us with prototypes but for soem reason they never went to market. We even had an initial order placed with one guy but never heard back from him.

It was basically a battery operated digital scale that was calibrated to the ounce. Tare weight was included for the empty keg.

We get emails and phone calls all the time from people looking for something like this but have nothing to offer them.

Any engineers /inventors out there want to tackle this?

How about 3 springs that each attach by some kind of clamping mechanism to the bottom of the keg - along the outer circumference on the rail. You would move the springs around until the keg is level.

These springs would have a small pad on the bottom (possibly height adjustable like on washing machines to adjust for length variations in the springs) and a calibration certificate giving the amount of weight needed to effect a given amount of travel for all 3 springs.

You can calibrate the springs yourself if you mount the springs on an empty keg and load it up with known weights, like barbell weights.

As one poster pointed out, you do not need to know the tare weight of the keg to determine the amount of beer left. All you have to assume is the volume is 15.5 gallons or whatever it is advertised to be. After a few kegs you will get used to just how much beer the brewery actually does put in the keg, so this method will work to greater accuracy.

Since you can weigh a known volume of beer on a postal or food scale to good accuracy, you know how much beer you have taken out of the keg by the loss in weight. IOW, you are doing a differential measurement and not an absolute measurement.

I may do this when I find some time. The trick is to locate the springs, but I live in Houston where there are probably a hundred spring distributors.

Try:

That gets you to the web site, but then you get:

"KegWorks.com :: We’re sorry, but we are having a problem helping you find what you are looking for."

So exactly what in Huston is using all of these springs? Is it a mass conspiracy? Is the only reason America hasn't sunk into the ocean yet because of all these springs being secretly distributed from Huston?

That's a very good question, one that deserves a very good answer.

First it must be appreciated that Houston is the western division of The Promised Land. When Christ returns He is going to set up headquarters for the Millennium Kingdom in Houston.

It is the truly the greatest place on Earth (*). It is correctly said that if you cannot make it in Houston, you will not make it anywhere else.

Houston is the center of excellence for oil and gas technology. That makes it a major manufacturing center. It is also the largest port in North America and the 4th largest metro area in the US.

Houston is the location of NASA Mission Control. The first word out of the mouth of the first man to take the first step on the surface of the Moon was "Houston".

Houston is home to the most widely acclaimed medical complex in the entire world.

Over 85% of the gasoline and gasoline additives for use in the US are made in Houston.

Houston is home to the Texans, the greatest new team in the NFL.

So is it any wonder that Houston has all those springs. It keeps people bouncing high around here.

HTH, Bob

(*) However, the weather really sucks about 8 months of the year. Houston has 4 seasons: December, January, February and Summer. Houston has the highest per capita air conditioning use in the world.

Wow, you sound like you work for the travel channel.

No, actually I don't work anymore - just play around and drink beer.

BTW, I forgot to mention the world-class Astros.

One day the Astros wil win the World Series and the Texans will win the Super Bowl. Remember where you heard it first.

Now you know why all us CA-nay-tayves choose to forego life in cactusland. Sure, it's an incredibly expensive choice, but good ain't cheap.

nb

I'd live in Hell before I would among commies.

And his parents remembered that? Jeez, most kids say "mama." But Neil Armstrong said "Houston." The kid was obviously going places. The Moon, for instance.

-- Lew Bryson

"As for talking s*it in this NG, Lew, you're the undisputed king, and that's no S**TE." -- Bob Skilnik, 1/31/02

cactusland.

Move to Cuba and do both.

You can move to Cuba - I'll stay in Houston.

Ah, so you *already* live in Hell.

No, I live in the western division of the Promised Land.

The only commies around here are well contained in the PRA.

If they venture out of there, you can hear chains rattling on the back of pickups for miles around.