Ongoing foam problem with Nostalgia Kegerator

I don't believe for probably 7-8x 1/6 barrel kegs i've had in this thing have I been able to get it to pour properly unless I have the pressure at about 1-2psi (where it just about trickles out).

I've tried hose lengths from 3ft to 5 ft. did not change. The line looks clear of foam, but the second I start to pour, I get 50+% foam cups just about every time. I've got a feeling its because of the tap fitting

I literally had to heat up and stretch the end of the hose to fit around the fitting on top of my sankey

The tap hole is only about 1/8" wide where I have a 3/8" hose which goes to my sankey which is a 1/4" fitting (gettin 1x 3/8" hose around 2 different sized fittings is very difficult)... Here is the sankey I have with the same fitting

I believe i'm essentially pinching the beer as it goes up the line... What can I do to correct this?

Have you tried depressurizing the keg a few times with that relief valve?

Schumed said:

Have you tried depressurizing the keg a few times with that relief valve?

Click to expand...

yes, I have to do this every time I pour. If I do this every time though, won't this make the beer go flat over an extended period? (like opening up a 2Lt. bottle of soda over and over and over and over)

Either way, I shouldn't have to do this every time.

Are you saying you didn't use a barb and swivel nut for the beer line?

As for the foam...are these commercial beers you're trying to dispense? If so, the run o' the mill BMC beers are typically carbed higher than run o' the mill home brews, and a five foot 3/16" ID line is definitely going to be challenged to contain CO2 break-out as it just doesn't put enough restriction on the flow. And if you're beer line is actually 1/4" ID, you'll never get a good pour with less than around 20 feet of line (probably need even more than that!)

Anyway...I suggest you pick up 12 feet of 3/16" beer line (and not that vinyl crapola from Home Depot or Lowes) and start with the full length in place. Set your gas pressure per this carbonation table using the beer temperature and, say, 3 volumes of CO2, as the indices.

Give that set up time to stabilize and then start pouring!

Cheers!

day_trippr said:

Are you saying you didn't use a barb and swivel nut for the beer line?

As for the foam...are these commercial beers you're trying to dispense? If so, the run o' the mill BMC beers are typically carbed higher than run o' the mill home brews, and a five foot 3/16" ID line is definitely going to be challenged to contain CO2 break-out as it just doesn't put enough restriction on the flow. And if you're beer line is actually 1/4" ID, you'll never get a good pour with less than around 20 feet of line (probably need even more than that!)

Anyway...I suggest you pick up 12 feet of 3/16" beer line (and not that vinyl crapola from Home Depot or Lowes) and start with the full length in place. Set your gas pressure per this carbonation table using the beer temperature and, say, 3 volumes of CO2, as the indices.

Give that set up time to stabilize and then start pouring!

Cheers!

Click to expand...

I have never had a BMC beer in there, all home brewed or bought from a microbrewery. I currently just tapped some Ichabad Pumpkin Ale... The line I have is 3/16's (thought it was 3/8) but it connects to a 3/8" nozzle at the sankey (had to heat and stretch it to fit it) and a 3/16" nozzle at the tap. I will try the longer line, but as it stands I can't get a good pour anything over 2-3

snb778 said:

I have never had a BMC beer in there, all home brewed or bought from a microbrewery. I currently just tapped some Ichabad Pumpkin Ale... The line I have is 3/16's (thought it was 3/8) but it connects to a 3/8" nozzle at the sankey (had to heat and stretch it to fit it) and a 3/16" nozzle at the tap. I will try the longer line, but as it stands I can't get a good pour anything over 2-3

Click to expand...

Pressure, temp, line length, line diameter and line type (barrier tubing has a different line resistance than vinyl) have to be in balance. I run 12 psi at 36ish degrees on 12' of standard 3/16 vinyl lines.
If you are fighting foam, the first thing I'd try is a ridiculous amount of tubing. Maybe 15'. The standard vinyl stuff is pretty cheap.

I think I found my culprit... or at least the main one.... having a 3/8" tube get pinched into 3/16 faucet... as i stated earlier there is no foam in the line as it pours, but it comes out foam, which leads me to believe its foaming as it goes into the faucet

http://postimage.org/image/6xk828od7/ <---- hose fits properly on this, but does not fit onto sankey nozzle.. i had to literally heat and stretch it on
http://postimage.org/image/7u2d3pj4x/
im going to have to get a new tap

It'll foam as it comes out of the faucet if there isn't adequate pressure drop throughout the tubing.

I'd second what others have said: get 15 feet of 3/16" ID tubing and report back.

snb778 said:

The line I have is 3/16's (thought it was 3/8) but it connects to a 3/8"

Click to expand...

snb778 said:

having a 3/8" tube get pinched into 3/16

Click to expand...

So what size line do you have?