Adding beerline resistance inside the keg.

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Bobby_M

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I've seen the DIY where you put the innards of an epoxy mixing tip inline with your beerline to add enough resistance so you didn't need 10' of line for balance. I just had a little lightbulb over the head moment that I'd like to discuss.

First, everyone knows that the resistance doesn't have to occur outside the keg right? Like if you could turn your dip tube into a 10' length of 3/16" ID crazy straw and put the faucet right on the QD, it would pour slow.

The inside diameter of dip tubes seem to be 1/4" and it's large enough to effectively add no resistance. What if you got that down to 1/8" ID? A 20" section of 1/16" wall Polyethylene shoved down inside the diptube might be able to shorten the serving line by a few feet. Is the sudden change from 1/8" to 3/16" going to be a problem?
 
try it with a piece of silicone airline tubing. tie some thread on a toothpick and drop it through. then tie your tubing to it and lube the bejezus out of it and pull it through.

then try different shortened line lenghts and see how much you can loose.

I think it'd be perfect for a 3 gallon travel keg setup.

B
 
Maybe one could just put the epoxy mixing innards into the dip tube itself. I've got two sizes of innards at home. I'll see if I can find time in the next couple of days to see if one will fit inside.
 
Foxx equipment sells a flow restrictor intended to be inserted in the shank behind the faucet that might work. Bottom left of page 109 Looks like there are 4 different restrictions available for 1/4" diameter. I don't remember what the cost was on them from the last time I had the wholesale catalog in my hands.
 
For my travel keg setups, I just drop the dispensing pressure to 2 PSI. It's just gently pushing the beer out. Then again, this only works for when you expect to consume the keg in a few hours. Then again, if you don't, you can always crank it back up to 12 PSI to recover any lost carbonation for what remains.
 
I've heard of people just adding the extra beer line to the bottom of the dip tube and coiling the 10' or so of tubing inside the keg. That way the resistance is inside the keg and you can run a faucet right off the keg. I've never tried it.
 
It would definitely work from a theoretical perspective but the opening the coil will represent the lowest level of beer you could drain too. You'd have to sanitize the whole thing length inside and out and it would displace a good amount of beer too. I'm going to experiment with 1/8" ID tubing in the diptube.
 
Yeah, I'd like to figure this out as well. I can see the benefit of having no extra line inside the keg, or outside for that matter, and just planting a tap right on the top of the keg. Epoxy mixing device??
 
If you go to lowes in the glue section you'll find one and five minute epoxies where the two elements that must be mixed are expelled via a common plunger. You attach a long tubed tip that has a sort of honeycombed tube inside that causes both parts to mix on the way out. It's about the right size for insertion into a small length of 1/4" ID beerline. It's supposed to work well but I'm a little concerned that it's a source of nucleation more than resistence.
 
I finally got around to a little keg disassembly. I took some photos but haven't gotten them to the computer yet. I bought from McMaster two sizes of epoxy mixers.

74695A58 BAYONET MIXER NOZZLE, 5.3"L, 1/4" BLUNT TIP

4695A56 BAYONET MIXER NOZZLE, 2.9"L, 3/16" BLUNT TIP

I got the idea from the Maltose Falcons DIY flow gate

The insides from the 1/4" one just fits in a dip tube. This therefore might work really well. Multiple mixers could also be inerted to mimic and even longer beer line. My only concern is that it is not quite tight enough and the beer would take the short route and run around the mixer rather than through it. The fit was pretty close, but was loose enough that it could slide up and down the tube, but not so loose that it would rattle around.

I also found that the insides of the 3/16" model will fit snugly inside of a 3/8" beer line (at least Micromatic brand). The fit was quite snug. I was putting it in tubing at the temp of my basement (50F) and it was a bit too snug. I only got it halfway in my tubing test scrap. I had to take it upstairs to the warm to get it back out. The 3/16" mixer is half the length of the 1/4" version. This would simplify the Maltose Falcons version as no splice connections would have to be made. Both mixer inserts don't like to be bent too much and will break if you apply too much force. For this scenario, I'd work with well warmed tubing and maybe add a little soap to help with the insertion.

I was thinking about installing two of the 3/16" ones in one of my beer lines right inside where it connects to the keg disconnect and have this be my dedicated tap for high carb beers. I might instead go with the 1/4" mixer in the dip tube. I've got a new regulator coming so I can serve beers at two pressures. I think when I get that set up I'll try the 1/4" mixer with a Saison I'm currently serving at the same pressure as my stout. :( The 1/4" mixer in the diptube (if it works) might be better as it would be easy to take in and out and I could easily install it in any keg prior to filling it up. Plus I could use any of my four taps and not have to dedicate one to higher carb beers (or just deal with the slower pour for regularly carbed beers).

Hopefully this weekend I'll get the second CO2 pressure line rigged. I'll have to drill another hole in the side of my fridge (Tank is outside). I'll time a pour before inserting the mixer, and then after - at the same pressure. If it is working, it should take longer to pour.
 
This would be great if it works without causing more foaming than without. I've wanted to buy some of the same tubing Kal uses (Pet lined barrier tubing) but only comes in 1/4" This way I could use that line without having 20ft or more for each tap. (Heck would even be nice to have 3 ft 3/16" lines)
 
When I take my kegs on the road, I inject CO2 with this:

S65.JPG


It's easy enough to regulate... I have hooked up a cobra tap with about a foot and a half of tube on the other end.

I did just get one of these:

Q79.jpg


to attach a faucet to a pin lock. Will test it out at the end of February.
 
Maybe one could just put the epoxy mixing innards into the dip tube itself. I've got two sizes of innards at home. I'll see if I can find time in the next couple of days to see if one will fit inside.

Quoting myself, I found the time and it works!!!!! I posted the details in a new thread so as not to be buried

It works!!!!!!
 
I just tried this out with an empty filled with water. I know, not the same, but the beer's not ready yet. And flow rate of a liquid compared to itself shouldn't really matter. Anyway, I had some 1/4" OD 1/8"ID harder plastic tubing at my disposal. It fit firmly in the diptube. Without the addition and a 3' picnic tap (stock), i filled my jar in 5 seconds. After pushing the new tube into the dip tube, the jar filled in 35 seconds. Same pressure both times. Tried it with the tap right on top (no hose) and it was a hair faster (30 sec). I'll need to try this with beer for foaming issues, but I have high hopes for this. Mine is closer to the original post, but I really like pjj2ba's test results.
 
Yes, but that might be too slow. It was about 24" . I tried with a 12" piece (placed into the top of the tube) and it was too fast. So, I see a trial and error period next week when my beer gets carbed up. And my pressure was constant at 12 PSI
 
This could be really handy as I've looked at those ball lock faucet adaptors but thought, man that's a pain in the arse to keep fiddling with low PSI levels. If you had a solution that just plain worked, a predictable on the road dispensing kit would be sweet. I take a 5 gallon keg to a motorcycle rally every year and it lasts the weekend, this way I could set my PSI to maintain carbonation and forget about it.
 
OK, first trial with real beer with the faucet adapter and QD right on the keg (no hose), extra line in the dip tube (24" worth of 1/8 id 1/4od). 38*, 12psi.

Nice, easy pour, no foam. Now, I did a light force carb on this beer and it does bubble in the glass, so foam could be present. I will continue to monitor the behavior of this setup until the beer is gone, but I'm very optimistic.

No hose, no foam. Just had to repeat.
 
Just a followup. My beer is carbed very well. I have had wonderful pours from my setup. My buddy was also impressed with the easy pour. If you've got some rigid tubing, I highly recommend it and will be installing this is all the diptubes. I'll vary the amount to figure out a balance with shorter serving hoses (I only have one qd faucet). I found nearly identical line at usplastics. hdpe line. 100 foot rolls should last a while.
Good luck.

Edit: Here is what I did, pictorially.

Flush mounted thick wall tubing. **need to flame that burr or you'll get lots of foam**
007-2.jpg


QD Faucet and PSI reading
009-1.jpg


Pouring
010.jpg
 
A few batches later.... If you've got anything floating around in your beer, like hops or orange peel, this smaller hole will get plugged up. I got a tiny piece of orange in my tube last batch, and the beer came out as a trickle. I have tried this with the larger diameter tubing (smaller wall thickness) and with lower pressure (8psi), it's fast but not too fast. Just be sure that your tubing has no burrs on it before you add it to the diptube. I found that out the hard way, great flow of foam. I just licked the ends with a lighter to pretty it up and that seems to be working well.
 
A few batches later.... If you've got anything floating around in your beer, like hops or orange peel, this smaller hole will get plugged up. I got a tiny piece of orange in my tube last batch, and the beer came out as a trickle. I have tried this with the larger diameter tubing (smaller wall thickness) and with lower pressure (8psi), it's fast but not too fast. Just be sure that your tubing has no burrs on it before you add it to the diptube. I found that out the hard way, great flow of foam. I just licked the ends with a lighter to pretty it up and that seems to be working well.

Where did you get the tubing? Home depot, Lowes?
 
No, my buddy gets it thru work. But USPlastic has it in 100 foot rolls. 1/4"OD HDPE tubing. There are 2 wall thicknesses. Your results may vary. I'm deciding between the two at the moment. And currently have the thinner wall in , with PSI around 9. 3-5 foot beer hose(3/16th id). Fortunately I get to play around with this on his dime.
 
thanks please post your fine tuning efforts... I have had a heck of a time with foam, I have a two tower keg and am in the proccess of upgrading to two triple towers ( single towers for sale now) and only one regultaor so far. Those buggers are expensive...
 
thanks please post your fine tuning efforts... I have had a heck of a time with foam, I have a two tower keg and am in the proccess of upgrading to two triple towers ( single towers for sale now) and only one regultaor so far. Those buggers are expensive...

You may want to check out this thread: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/cure-your-short-hose-troubles-100151/

I just invested in this solution (and I mean its an $8 investment after shipping), and thus far it has worked out very well for me. So read that thread and check it out!
 
I'm very sorry to zombify this thread (we really need an emoticon for that), but since there's so much good stuff here, and my issue is exactly the same, I thought I'd post here.

I'm just wondering if a.) after two years, are any of you still using this trick, and b.) is THIS about the same thing as the OP used?

I just got a keg faucet today like the OP had (pics are still in his gallery despite broken links in this thread) and the beer came out mostly foam. The link to Lowes says that the tubing is Polyethylene, but not if it's HDPE or LDPE -- does that matter?

Thanks in advance.
 
Just a followup. My beer is carbed very well. I have had wonderful pours from my setup. My buddy was also impressed with the easy pour. If you've got some rigid tubing, I highly recommend it and will be installing this is all the diptubes. I'll vary the amount to figure out a balance with shorter serving hoses (I only have one qd faucet). I found nearly identical line at usplastics. hdpe line. 100 foot rolls should last a while.
Good luck.

Edit: Here is what I did, pictorially.

Flush mounted thick wall tubing. **need to flame that burr or you'll get lots of foam**
007-2.jpg


QD Faucet and PSI reading
009-1.jpg


Pouring
010.jpg

your pictures are gone, what did you mean by flame the outside?
 
sorry. My old computer crashed, I'll try to get them back up.

Flamed. I simply used a lighter to melt the ends. like a little smoothing up process. Be gentle, you don't want to create a lip or anything.

Also, I have 480 extra feet of tubing if anyone wants a hunk. just throwing it out there.
 
Not to bring this thread back from the dead again but wouldn't this work in a shank as well? I'm thinking for standard kegs...
 
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