Does priming solution scale linearly?

I'm thinking it does based on fiddling with beer volume in BC's Carbonation tab. Verification would be good because I suspect this could be in play during my next bottling session.

The priming calculator for 5 gallons of beer indicates the desired vols CO2 (2.4) requires 4.4 oz. corn sugar. The sugar is then mixed with 32 oz. of water.
Actual beer volume ends up at 4 gallons (80% of expected), and the difference is not known until completing the transfer from the fermentor to the bottling bucket.

Would the beer get the desired vols CO2 (2.4) in the 4 gallons if using ~25.6 oz. (80% of 32 oz.) of the premixed solution?

 

This isn't really a concern about past inconsistency, as I've had good success doing pretty much as you described; measure by weight, boil the water, dissolve, cool, add to bucket, swirl, bottle. Only one time was there an issue, the cause of which is still unknown to me (likely faulty measuring).

Oxygen is a concern and I'm trying to minimize it in the face of not knowing what the final beer volume will be. Hence, pouring the priming solution in the bottling bucket when I'm unsure of how much beer will make it to the bucket is more than a WAG, it's a SWAG.

When you bottled, according to the order you listed, you probably had a decent guesstimate of how much beer you'd be priming, and your priming solution was boiled, mixed, cooled and ready to go before your beer left the fermentor.
I'm not confident what the final volume will be for this batch and am I'm suspecting this batch will have considerably more loss to trub than any previous.

My potential predicament has me wondering about ways to have my priming solution ready to go. The main difference in your description (and in the way I typically do it) is I won't know the volume until transfer.
If I get the solution ready (knowing I might need to use less) and then transfer, the beer won't be sitting in the bucket waiting for slo-poke riptorn to boil, mix, cool, etc.
Just add to the filled bucket, swirl and bottle away.

 

That was my thinking on the quart as well, especially if this batch cranks out way less beer. I normally put the tag end of the tubing in the bottom and against the wall to create a light whirlpool. Then use 16 oz. of already prepped solution, pour in half when there's about an inch of beer, and the balance when about 3/4 done.....then stir.

I'd expect a more dilute solution to mix better than a thicker one in a nearly full bucket. I'll figure in the extra quart, or whatever it turns out to be, when doing the final calc's.

 

My workaround is to make a 32 oz solution for a 5 gallon batch. I’m confident there will be at least 4 gallons of beer. If my math is correct ~26 oz. (25.6) will be needed for 4 gallons. I’ll measure that out and reserve the remaining 6 oz.

Then I'll go through my normal routine of adding half (13 oz) when there's about an inch of beer in the bucket and add the other half about ¾ way through the transfer.
When the transfer is complete I’ll subtract 4 gallons from the final volume and note the difference in tenths of a gallon.

I've figured I'll need to top off with 0.6 fl oz per 1/10 gallon over 4 gallons. That will come from the reserved 6 ounces. Fortunately, I have a scale that measures fluid ounces in tenths.

There's potential for inaccuracies in a few places (tenths of a gallon in a bucket....what the heck?!?), so I'm not sure how much all of this matters

This will happen tonight. Please point out any potential issues I might be missing.


Afterthought.....depending on how much the shortfall is I might top up to 5 gallons with good water and have a marginally thinner and less flavorful beer.

 

Nah, it’s a breeze now that it's played it out in my minds eye. The glut of words might have made it appear more complicated than it actually will be.

32 ounces, reserve 6, add 26 oz during transfer.
Simple calc for what's needed from the reserved 6 ounces, add it.
Stir, bottle.
Best of all, there's only one math problem in the assignment.

Appreciate the input folks.

 

Thanks for the good wishes.
Deed is done and it's time for a little less thinkin' and a little more drinkin'.