hey, look at me post yet another new thread.

if you had a keg and were going to get the top cut off and have a ball valve assembly mounted to the side, how far off the bottom of the keg would you mount the valve? seems like you'd want it up a bit so you could leave behind some of the crud, but not too high as to leave behind good wort. anybody out there have a formula?

Depends if you're going to install a false bottom or a drain tube. You'll want to balance the loss of wort and the trub issue you bring up. I use a drain tube and it is mounted just above where the bottom begins to go concave.

Measuring up from the bottom on the outside of my converted keg, the center of the hole I drilled is 3.5".

I use a weldless bulkhead fitting, a Bazooka T and the copper fitting designed for it (had I known how simple a piece it was I would have built it for a few cents instead of buying but we live and learn). The bottom of the T rests in the center of the keg, right on the bottom.

I always use some whole hops and between them and the screen they make a pretty good filter. Pellets I always use a hop bag for.

Please bear in mind that this set-up works for me and I'm not trying to persuade you (or anyone else) to try it. I might reconsider and try a separate fitting inside and give the whirlpool technique a shot someday. All in all it really shouldn't matter as you could easily adapt the inside fitting to whatever hole you decide to drill.

I mounted mine as close to the bottom as I could but still having it sit over some smooth steel that was somewhat vertical, IE not over a weld. I use electric heat, so this isn't important to me, but be sure and not put it close to a drain slot at the bottom. The flame (heat) can shoot through there and heat up your ball valve.

Hey Jeff, call Mr C and ask his advice...directly.....or email me. We will walk you thru it baby steps at a time

When I got the last batch cut and welded, I mounted the couplers the length of a Sharpie marker cap since thats what I used to mark the kegs at the shop and the cap made a convenient measuring device to make sure both couplers were mounted at the same height. You will want to have a diptube of some sort on the inside with this configuration. Like TimO said, you can alway call me at work if something strikes you during the day.

And ditto what BB said about not mounting the coupler above a the skirt drains, sometimes the flames will lick ya.