yeah yeah, this is my impatient self at its best. Today I did the "I want a carbed beer right now!" method and when I was rolling my keg I got some beer in my gas line. Never had this happen! Anyways, now I think I have to take it all apart and clean it. Has anyone done this before? What should I do?
How to clean beer in your gas line. Any EASY advice?
- Thread starter HalfPint
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Fingers
Well-Known Member
As a preventative measure you should get a check valve on your line so it doesn't suck back into your regulator. If it's just in your line, go ahead and clean it up. It doesn't take long. The ball lock connectors come apart quite easily.
OP
OP
HalfPint
Well-Known Member
Is this what you're talking about?
http://www.micromatic.com/draft-keg-beer/keg-taps-couplers-pid-102-530.html
What do i do with it lol?
Thanks,
J
kornkob
Resident Crazy Uncle
That is a check valve for a Sankey connector. Not what you need. Keep looking, you'll find it.
Fingers
Well-Known Member
OP
OP
HalfPint
Well-Known Member
Oh, I see. My system has a dual gauge regulator which runs to a "splitter" for two kegs. Do I put that before the dual gauge regulator of before the splitter?
Thanks,
J
Scut_Monkey
Well-Known Member
Most setups I have seen put them downstream of the splitter so you are protecting each line seperately. That means you would need two of them. If you put it upstream of the splitter you are protecting the regulator with only one check valve but you could get some beer from one keg into another keg and dirty both sets of gas lines.
OP
OP
HalfPint
Well-Known Member
Alright, cool. Thanks for the advice. I guess that's one more thing to buy. The list never ends with this stuff.
Do all of you guys use those? I would think that If I'm just very careful I wouldn't need em.
Maybe! But, what if you're quick carbing one beer at 30 psi, and forget to purge it and it backs up into the other line, or into the regulator?
Or, like me, I carb outside of the kegerator sometimes, at room temperature. If I put the keg in the kegerator, it's at 30 psi since it's at room temperature. If I didn't always remember to purge it before putting it in there, I could easily get back-flow. I have check valves, and they are worth it!
bendavanza
Well-Known Member
How often do you want to break down your lines and clean them? The check valve shutoffs are cheap insurance. What you do not want is beer in the regulator.... Clean the line out with water unless it's stubborn and then rinse with starsan or other no rinse sanitizer, flush it out with co2.
JKoravos
Well-Known Member
Check valves don't prevent beer from getting in the gas line if you're rolling the keg with it connected. Most of the time beer won't back into the gas line, but if the keg comes to pressure equilibrium with the gas line and there is no longer gas flowing through the line, the beer will back flow into the gas line just by gravity. That what it sounds like happened to the OP. There's no preventing that, unless you have check valve on the disconnect, but even in that case you can get beer backing up into the disconnect.
GNBrews
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Yep,
As JKoravas said, the check valves only prevent flow when there is a pressure difference between the two. If the line pressure and the keg are in equilibrium, the beer is free to flow into the line if you lift/tip the keg such that it's higher than the hose during your force carbonation dance.
I typically connect my gas line to the *liquid in* post (by using the proper ball lock disconnect), and just rock the keg back and forth in the vertical position. It's more efficient, as the gas stream travels through the entire column of beer, being absorbed more readily with the increased contact time and surface area. ***You do have to be VERY careful to bring the headspace at the top of the keg to low pressure (pull the relief), and make sure that the gas line is pressurized before connecting it though.***
As JKoravas said, the check valves only prevent flow when there is a pressure difference between the two. If the line pressure and the keg are in equilibrium, the beer is free to flow into the line if you lift/tip the keg such that it's higher than the hose during your force carbonation dance.
I typically connect my gas line to the *liquid in* post (by using the proper ball lock disconnect), and just rock the keg back and forth in the vertical position. It's more efficient, as the gas stream travels through the entire column of beer, being absorbed more readily with the increased contact time and surface area. ***You do have to be VERY careful to bring the headspace at the top of the keg to low pressure (pull the relief), and make sure that the gas line is pressurized before connecting it though.***
OP
OP
HalfPint
Well-Known Member
I see. Yeah, I'm just flat out too lazy to connect a different QD for carbing. I think I'll just be more careful next time, but I think the gas post method is prob the best way to go about it. There is no question whether or not the Co2 is being absorbed with that method.
GNBrews
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Halfpint,
Actually, that's the beauty of injecting the gas through the liquid out post. If the gas wasn't being absorbed, the bubbles would reach the top and pressurize the inside of the keg so that it matches the line pressure. Once the inside of the keg was the same pressure as the line, there wouldn't be any reason for the gas to continue flowing into the keg. If you can hear bubbling, the gas is being absorbed by the beer.
In fact, many guys modify their corny lids to add a second gas in post, and then run a hose to the bottom of the keg attached to a stainless aeration stone. The finer bubbles of the aeration stone are certainly more efficient yet, but my method serves a similar purpose without needing a $70 modified lid.
..But, I understand the hesitation. Being lazy is why we all decide to keg instead of bottle.
Actually, that's the beauty of injecting the gas through the liquid out post. If the gas wasn't being absorbed, the bubbles would reach the top and pressurize the inside of the keg so that it matches the line pressure. Once the inside of the keg was the same pressure as the line, there wouldn't be any reason for the gas to continue flowing into the keg. If you can hear bubbling, the gas is being absorbed by the beer.
In fact, many guys modify their corny lids to add a second gas in post, and then run a hose to the bottom of the keg attached to a stainless aeration stone. The finer bubbles of the aeration stone are certainly more efficient yet, but my method serves a similar purpose without needing a $70 modified lid.
..But, I understand the hesitation. Being lazy is why we all decide to keg instead of bottle.
I had a co2 tank run out of gas on me while I was carbing a keg at 12psi through the out-post. I had a check valve on the gas line and it stopped beer from going all the way up the line to my regulator. Is that check valve only good for one stop, because now it will not let any gas through anymore. I got mine from Homebrew Heaven it was ten bucks halfway down on this page...
http://homebrewheaven.com/beer-kegs--kegging.htm
http://homebrewheaven.com/beer-kegs--kegging.htm
OP
OP
HalfPint
Well-Known Member
Ok. Thanks man.
Yeah, I guess this is another thing I probably should eventually get.
Could it have gotten beer in it where you installed it? The valve could have just gotten stuck. A soak in hot water may be all it takes.
bendavanza
Well-Known Member
+1 hot water, then try raising the pressure to get it to clear.
sorry I meant the out post
Necro-Post
I have a problem also.
I suspect that I have beer in my gas line. can I run hot water water through the entire CO2 manifold and regulator bodies without damaging them?? I got some advice to open the faucets and let CO2 blow out any residual beer (this would of course require a bone-dry keg) then let them air dry and try again the next day to see if things are working.
My symptom is that the secondary regulators show certain pressure, but the pressure the keg is receiving is not what is shown on the regulator dial. The beer will not carbonate and pour correctly.
I have since bought check-valve gas-in connections for the kegs - this seemed the easiest solution. I got them at William's Brewing.
Please post any advice if you've been there, done that.
TD
edit - after spending the last hour mucking around my system I discovered my problem. The integrated gas-check ball lock gas-in connectors (http://www.williamsbrewing.com/GAS-BALL-LOCK-FITTING-WITH-CHECK-VALVE-P3358.aspx) were defective. 2 out of 6, and one was very bad. This had been connected to the fresh beer I was trying to carbonate. I am not sure if it would be fine for regular dispensing, but I did contact Williams Brewing, and as usual, top notch Customer Service. They are going back to get replacements.
This is a much better problem to have than beer in the gas lines as I had feared!
TD
I have a problem also.
I suspect that I have beer in my gas line. can I run hot water water through the entire CO2 manifold and regulator bodies without damaging them?? I got some advice to open the faucets and let CO2 blow out any residual beer (this would of course require a bone-dry keg) then let them air dry and try again the next day to see if things are working.
My symptom is that the secondary regulators show certain pressure, but the pressure the keg is receiving is not what is shown on the regulator dial. The beer will not carbonate and pour correctly.
I have since bought check-valve gas-in connections for the kegs - this seemed the easiest solution. I got them at William's Brewing.
Please post any advice if you've been there, done that.
TD
edit - after spending the last hour mucking around my system I discovered my problem. The integrated gas-check ball lock gas-in connectors (http://www.williamsbrewing.com/GAS-BALL-LOCK-FITTING-WITH-CHECK-VALVE-P3358.aspx) were defective. 2 out of 6, and one was very bad. This had been connected to the fresh beer I was trying to carbonate. I am not sure if it would be fine for regular dispensing, but I did contact Williams Brewing, and as usual, top notch Customer Service. They are going back to get replacements.
This is a much better problem to have than beer in the gas lines as I had feared!
TD
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