System Balancing Q

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hammer one

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I just hooked up faucets on a new kegerator and all I get is a glass of foam. Here's what I got CO2 pressure at 10psi, height from middle of keg to faucet 2ft. 5ft of 3 16th beer line. Temp 40deg. I did the math and I should only need 3.5ft of beer line. If I put a picknick tap on with 3ft of line it works perfect. I have the CO2 tank inside the kegerator, are the gauges reading correct?
 
Bleed pressure off the keg. Wait a bit and see if it pours without CO2 applied from your CO2 bottle/regulator assembly. If not then you can add 6 lbs and see if it pours. Normally if the keg is around 38F you can use 9 to 10 LBS CO2 pressure and it will be good. Look at a pressure chart to see what pressure you should use for different temperatures.

Carbonation Chart: http://www.angelfire.com/cantina/carbonation/Carbonation Chart.xls
 
OK I did like you said and still got a good 2in of foam..... an inprovement. Should I add more beer line?
 
I just installed 3 faucets in my new beer fridge. With picnic taps and 12 psi I was getting lots of foam. With the new faucets I used 8 foot lines with 12 psi and I'm somewhere around 38-40 degrees. It pours perfect now.
 
I just installed 3 faucets in my new beer fridge. With picnic taps and 12 psi I was getting lots of foam. With the new faucets I used 8 foot lines with 12 psi and I'm somewhere around 38-40 degrees. It pours perfect now.

I also calced per the charts and got foam. Finally went to 8 foot lines on everything, 12-13 psig, 37º and the pours are perfect.

I can't explain why the charts, calcs are off.

My advice to all new keggers, start at 8 to 10 foot 3/16" ID lines. You can always up the PSI temporarily if your pours are weak.
 
It's not always a pressure problem. My brewing friend gave me a call once because he had lots of foam and I went over there and bled off the pressure and then opened the tap and nothing came out so I left the tap open and sure enough in about 20 seconds it started but still had gobs of foam and it was 36 degrees F. I finally found the problem as it had a slight vinegar taste. He told me he had fermented to warm. Both kegs from that batch had the same problem, FOAM. No matter what we did this beer was doomed. A few days later it tasted really bad.

Any time you lower pressure to "0" that should take care of the foam if the beer is not infected. I have found the chart to be accurate if the beer is actually the temperature the guage says it is and the CO2 has saturated at that pressure for over 10 days. Place a lab thermometer in the glass you pour and have the glass the same temperature too. I use 8 feet of 3/16 line on all my taps and have never had a problem.
 
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