Scale on variable capacity tanks?

[eightysixCJ]

Greetings all,

Made the switch to VCT from glass. I have Marchisio 150L and 100L tall tanks. Can I use the sticker scale on the tanks to measure the volume of wine? What is the scale measuring/how is it graduated? How far below the rim is the 150/100L level?

Thanks,

Tom

 

[cmason1957]

I would suggest that you calculate the area of the container, them can multiply by the height and determine the volume in liters, that will tell you how far off the measurements are on the side of it. Should be pretty straightforward to do.

 

[eightysixCJ]

Greetings all,

Made the switch to VCT from glass. I have Marchisio 150L and 100L tall tanks. Can I use the sticker scale on the tanks to measure the volume of wine? What is the scale measuring/how is it graduated? How far below the rim is the 150/100L level?

Thanks,

Tom

Greetings all,

Sorry for the delay in posting. Did the math and checked when racked. The large lines mark 10-liter increments and the full/100L level is the upper/last line (10th line from the bottom on the 100L tank) about 5-inches below the rim of the tank.

Tom

 

[Ignoble Grape]

TY for this post - very timely.
Just made the switch, too. Got 3 variable capacity 200L marchisio tanks from a local salsa company. They're gorgeous. I'm making spicey wines this fall!

 

[JohnT]

for mine ( I have 200l, 300l, and 500l tanks) made dip stick out of PVC pipe. That scale on the outside is not only inaccurate, but also useless because it is on the OUTSIDE of the tank.

It is easy to calc the volume. 3.14 x diameter X length = volume.

 

[sour_grapes]

is easy to calc the volume. 3.14 x diameter X length = volume.

That is not the correct formula for the volume. (That gives you the surface area of the tank wall.)

Vol = 3.14 * (diameter/2)^2 * length

 

[Ignoble Grape]

for mine ( I have 200l, 300l, and 500l tanks) made dip stick out of PVC pipe. That scale on the outside is not only inaccurate, but also useless because it is on the OUTSIDE of the tank.

It is easy to calc the volume. 3.14 x diameter X length = volume.

@JohnT : Questions for you. My new tanks didn't come with the inflatable bladders. I bought new ones and tested them out overnight. The next day, the lid was halfway down the tank. Not sure if you have these types of tanks or others, but will ask anyways: What pressure are you pumping the tubes to? Does diurnal temperature fluctuation play a role? Do you use argon or some other intert gas between the lid and wine?

TX!

 

[JohnT]

That is not the correct formula for the volume. (That gives you the surface area of the tank wall.)

Vol = 3.14 * (diameter/2)^2 * length

WOOOPS! Sorry! Pi X diameter = the circumference of a circle, Pi X Radius Squared = the area of a circle.
This stupid brain of mine farted again!

 

[JohnT]

@JohnT : Questions for you. My new tanks didn't come with the inflatable bladders. I bought new ones and tested them out overnight. The next day, the lid was halfway down the tank. Not sure if you have these types of tanks or others, but will ask anyways: What pressure are you pumping the tubes to? Does diurnal temperature fluctuation play a role? Do you use argon or some other intert gas between the lid and wine?

TX!

I do not spurge. I simply position the lid to the surface of the wine to minimize the amount of air in the tank. if your wine is stable (PH and SO2 Levels are balanced) then the little bit of air is never a problem.

To be honest, I do not know for sure the exact pressure I pump up to. I believe that it is just under 1 bar (14.5 psi). The pumps I use have a pressure gauge with a green "zone" of where the pressure should be. The tanks do need pumping up from time to time, but this is usually on a monthly basis. The pressure will fluctuate due to temp or barometric pressure, but only a little.

I believe that you gaskets may have been leaking?

Are you using vinyl or rubber gaskets? If you are using vinyl, then you should soak the gasket in hot water to soften it prior to installing it onto your lid, otherwise the gasket could tear.

When I suspect a leak, I will squirt a little k-meta onto the area where the gasket meets the side of the tank, then look for bubbles. If there are any, I then replace the gasket. There are repair kit available, but I would rather have the confidence of a new one.

 

[Rocky]

WOOOPS! Sorry! Pi X diameter = the circumference of a circle, Pi X Radius Squared = the area of a circle.
This stupid brain of mine farted again!

JohnT, I have the same problem with that formula, Pi R Squared. It is so confusing because, pie are round! Cake are square!

 

[sour_grapes]

 

[Rice_Guy]

Do you use argon or some other intert gas between the lid and wine?

at Winemaker conference last year a UC Davis presenter noted their VCT have leakage issues and what the do at their pilot plant is pump up the bladder as normal and then put a secondary plastic over the top and flood the in between with nitrogen

 

[Ignoble Grape]

at Winemaker conference last year a UC Davis presenter noted their VCT have leakage issues and what the do at their pilot plant is pump up the bladder as normal and then put a secondary plastic over the top and flood the in between with nitrogen

Thanks for letting me know @Rice_Guy - I'm not alone here.

So I filled it up with water and have had it on the back porch for a week. It's leaking slowly, and out the 'green' range on the gauge, but it's still sealed. After it loses the seal, I'm going to re-do the experiment. I've got a little under 2 months to figure this out. I'm never gone for more than a week at a time, so I can live with a 1 week+ leak process. I was thinking about getting nitrogen and actually flodding the inside prior to filling with wine so that there's a layer between the wine and the top, much like you would on a keg, and much like you mention above. I don't have nitrogen right now, so that would be something I need to figure out. Maybe a next year purchase.

What is this winemaker conference? And are they going to put it online this year??

 

[Ignoble Grape]

I do not spurge. I simply position the lid to the surface of the wine to minimize the amount of air in the tank. if your wine is stable (PH and SO2 Levels are balanced) then the little bit of air is never a problem.

To be honest, I do not know for sure the exact pressure I pump up to. I believe that it is just under 1 bar (14.5 psi). The pumps I use have a pressure gauge with a green "zone" of where the pressure should be. The tanks do need pumping up from time to time, but this is usually on a monthly basis. The pressure will fluctuate due to temp or barometric pressure, but only a little.

I believe that you gaskets may have been leaking?

Are you using vinyl or rubber gaskets? If you are using vinyl, then you should soak the gasket in hot water to soften it prior to installing it onto your lid, otherwise the gasket could tear.

When I suspect a leak, I will squirt a little k-meta onto the area where the gasket meets the side of the tank, then look for bubbles. If there are any, I then replace the gasket. There are repair kit available, but I would rather have the confidence of a new one.

I love the idea of soaking in hot water to get a better fit. Will try this next as I experiment with it over the next month. I bought new gaskets, so I'm good there. They're slowly deflating, but haven't lost the seal yet. So far, so good.

 

[Rice_Guy]

the comment was part of a QA led by the retired pilot plant manager, ,,, he would have a secondary plastic cover above the floating cover, and gas that space as leak protection.

was thinking about getting nitrogen and actually flodding the inside prior to filling with wine . . I don't have nitrogen right now, so that would be something I need to figure out. . .
What is this winemaker conference? And are they going to put it online this year??

Winemaker Magazine canceled the 2020 meeting in California. Parts of 2019 were recorded and are available. Have not found a 2019 schedule, but from memory this session was led by Chick Berman at 9:30 on Friday morning.