Perlick Faucet Problem

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

bayareabeer

Member
Joined
May 29, 2009
Messages
16
Reaction score
0
Location
San Leandro , Ca
I just picked up a my first Perlick faucet a couple days ago been when I try to connect it to my tower it does not seal properly. When I plug the beer out line into the keg beer will leak from the three holes on the tower where it tightens to the faucet. Is there something defective on my unit or is it just something that i have not done or thought of. Please help I really want to use the new faucet.
 
What kind of shank are you trying to put it on? Some cheaper kegerators such as Danby and Visanni have used nonstandard faucets in some units.
 
which model of perlick do you have? One model won't work on the really short shanks, (like a direct-to-disconnect fitting.)

B
 
"beer will leak from the three holes on the tower where it tightens to the faucet"?

Are you talking about the holes you put the wrench in to tighten the faucet to the shank?
I had one 525 that leaked from this connection, it just needed tightened some more. I took it apart, made sure the oring wasn't messed up, lubed it good and put it back on a second time. Still leaked so I put the wrench on and tightened it slowly till it stopped leaking. Next time I take a faucet off, I will hook up an empty keg with air in it so I know it won't leak beer and make a mess.
 
I finally got fed up and took apart the whole tower and figured out that the teeth on the shank our different than the teeth on the faucet. So I either need a new shank or a new faucet. Thank you everyone for your help.
 
I have the same exact problem with my beer shooting out of the holes that tighten the facet. I have a double tower Summit kegerator please let me know what you did to fix the problem
 
Not trying to be a SA here but what about the rubber washer that seals the shank to the faucet??? It's supposed to go between the two...
 
Yes The rubber washer is in perfect condition and the faucets are brand new. I have tried using lube on the threads and everything but looking through the holes you can see that there is not a complete seal from the faucet to the shank.
 
The problem is that the teeth on the faucet do not fit the shank properly. I had to order a new shank and now everything is flowing properly. I was able to find the proper shank from keg works.
 
Just to revive a dead thread twice (mainly because it comes up on a google search for "perlick faucet leak"), I ran into this same problem today when adding two Perlick 525SS to a stainless 3" double tower. Sprayed beer everywhere when I connected the liquid out.

I found that the Perlick had a smaller o-ring than the standard one. So, I just swapped o-rings and have the ones from the standard faucet in the Perlicks. No more leaking. Too bad I gave the wall so much beer to find this out.
 
Thanks for the post. I haven't even tried to mess with the Perlick faucet due to haveing 2 homebrews currently on tap. It sounds like you found the best way. If you could email me at [email protected] with more detailed instructions on what you did I would very much like that.
 
I had a similar problem with some 525ss faucets and the less expensive plated shanks. I was only able to find one combination of faucet and shank out of the set whose teeth would mate sufficiently well to allow me to get the faucet far enough onto the shank to make a seal. I should note that the teeth seemed to align OK, it's just that they didn't fit together well.

As a first timer, it took me a while to figure that out and to realize that the teeth don't contribute to the seal, they're there to keep the faucet aligned correctly. To fix the leak issue, what I did was take my Dremel and grind down the teeth on the shank a little at a time to reduce their height from the shank body. I didn't grind so much off that the teeth aren't able to do their primary job of keeping things aligned. After a few iterations (grind, try, repeat) I got each of the faucets connected and leak-free.
 
Has anyone actually solved this issue or do you just buy more stuff? I just bought 3 525ss and 2 shanks for my portable kegerator and none of the combinations will seal well enough to prevent a leak. I put one of my older perlicks on the shank and no problems. I don't want to buy more shanks just to fit these taps if I can avoid it. (and I want my money back on the other shanks!)
 
Just ran into this problem yesterday putting a 525SS on my tower. Ended up with beer all over the walls-- very frustrating.

After playing around we determined that the problem is indeed an incompatibility with the teeth preventing it from mounting flush. Tightening it as much as possible did not solve the problem, it still leaked.

Does anyone have the model number of a known good shank for a tower?
 
I found a solution. I was having the same problem, poor fit and spewing through the three tighting holes. I put a second oring inside. The thicker combination worked perfectly. Cheap and effective and now I get to use my new shiny Perlick!
 
I found a solution. I was having the same problem, poor fit and spewing through the three tighting holes. I put a second oring inside. The thicker combination worked perfectly. Cheap and effective and now I get to use my new shiny Perlick!

Going to try this out!
 
Has anyone actually solved this issue or do you just buy more stuff? I just bought 3 525ss and 2 shanks for my portable kegerator and none of the combinations will seal well enough to prevent a leak. I put one of my older perlicks on the shank and no problems. I don't want to buy more shanks just to fit these taps if I can avoid it. (and I want my money back on the other shanks!)

I'm bumping this thread because this is exactly what happened to me. I built a little faucet through-the-door kegerator. I wanted to change just the faucet and it's a no-go. The regular faucet doesn't leak a bit. The new perlick spews beer out the side, around the collar. I'm really angry! I didn't plan on being forced to buy a new shank.
 
I also had this problem with 2 new 525's replacing el cheapo's that come from the factory. I ended up buying new shanks because i wanted 90 elbows anyway but the new ones still leaked. I thought everything was as tight as possible but was able to give them both maybe an 8th of a turn more and all the leaking stopped. Maybe using 2 rings would work and be easier, but tightening the crap out of them worked for me.
 
I also had this problem with 2 new 525's replacing el cheapo's that come from the factory. I ended up buying new shanks because i wanted 90 elbows anyway but the new ones still leaked. I thought everything was as tight as possible but was able to give them both maybe an 8th of a turn more and all the leaking stopped. Maybe using 2 rings would work and be easier, but tightening the crap out of them worked for me.

In my case, I can't even get the faucet on with one gasket! It's like the "teeth" don't just quite match up. I did get it on once, and beer spewed out the sides of that ring coupler on the shank.

My 425s were a piece of cake to install, so this is more than a little aggravating! I really didn't plan on spending twice as much money as I did- the faucet was expensive enough!
 
Strange, thats exactly where mine were leaking but i dont remember the teeth being that off on my setup. Has anyone contacted Perlick on this problem? They are an expensive faucet and should not be such a headache.
 
Well, I just got two perlick's in from kegcowboy yesterday. I just got them installed and hooked it up to the keg full of sanitizer and beer spewed out the holes everywhere. I think I might be having the same problem with the shank connection. Hard to believe that this seems to happen to a lot of people with these high quality faucets. I ordered my tower and faucets so everything came ready to go...or so I thought. Not sure what to do now.
 
I got four Perlicks and 4 plated shanks and had similar problems with two of them. The other two just didn't want to tighten up. The teeth just fit too tight. I lubed the teeth, gasket, and the threads with keg lube and then tightened them down. Every time the collar got tight, I shook the faucet a bit and the collar would tighten down a bit more. After a few minutes I was able to get all four tightened up and have had no leaks. The keg lube on everything was the key.
 
I had the same problem. I used a small wire brush and file to get some of the chrome off the shank threads. Tighten......hit with rubber mallet......tighten......curse.....hit again.
 
In my case, I can't even get the faucet on with one gasket! It's like the "teeth" don't just quite match up. I did get it on once, and beer spewed out the sides of that ring coupler on the shank.

My 425s were a piece of cake to install, so this is more than a little aggravating! I really didn't plan on spending twice as much money as I did- the faucet was expensive enough!

Does anyone have a vendor/model for a known-good shank that will fit the 525SS?

I wouldn't mind buying new tower shanks if I could be assured that they would fit.
 
A friend of mine was having this issue with one of his perlick 525s I informed him that it was the shank, he bought the same shank I have from our LHBS and it still didn't fit, he had to test fit a perlick onto several shanks before he found one that fit perfectly, all of the shanks were the same part number too. The LHBS ended sending back 10 of the 20 they had in stock because they wouldnt fit the faucets.
 
I had the same problem. I used a small wire brush and file to get some of the chrome off the shank threads. Tighten......hit with rubber mallet......tighten......curse.....hit again.

I did some beating with a rubber mallet and a lot of squeezing/tightening and I too threw in some cursing...finally no leaks!!
 
This seems like poor quality on the 525 models. I've tried one on two different shanks (a ss one and a plated one) and neither would work with the new 525. I ordered more of the little orings that seal it and doubled them up and still got beer shooting everywhere. I guess the only thing left for me is to beat it into submission or grind it down with a dremel. I'm highly disappointed in Perlick for these. I have an older brass perlick and a cheapo faucet that I've never had a problem with, but that shiny new 525 just seems to be poor quality control.
 
Anyone have these problems with the 575 creamer faucets? Are people having better luck with SS shanks? I plan on setting up a collared keezer with 4 inch SS shanks and the 575 faucets
 
Do not buy these Perlick faucets unless you know they fit your shank. I sent in both my faucets after speaking to one of their head guys who claimed that their faucets should fit any and all beer shanks and it must be a manufacturing defect. I sent them in and after they tested them they states that they were both fine and sorry that they wouldn't work and sent them back to me without any offering of getting new shanks for my kegerator or replacing the taps with an older Perlick model. I even had to pay shipping! Don't take the risk unless you know they will fit! You won't receive any help from the manufacturer.
 
This seems like poor quality on the 525 models. I've tried one on two different shanks (a ss one and a plated one) and neither would work with the new 525. I ordered more of the little orings that seal it and doubled them up and still got beer shooting everywhere. I guess the only thing left for me is to beat it into submission or grind it down with a dremel. I'm highly disappointed in Perlick for these. I have an older brass perlick and a cheapo faucet that I've never had a problem with, but that shiny new 525 just seems to be poor quality control.

Brewmaster's Warehouse has been great- they offered to have me send my shank to them and try a faucet on that would work, and/or to just return the faucet. Since I don't want to leave a hole in my fridge, and I have a faucet already on it (just not a perlick), I've sent the faucet back.

I'm really disgusted by Perlick and their quality control. My 425s are awesome, and I'm a big fan of the style. But this 525 definitely feels "cheaper" and has been a headache.
 
I just had this happen on the long draw tap system I just put together, all it took to fix it was tightening the three holed ring with my hands, I need to order a spanning wrench.
 
I have 3 of the creamer faucets. 575's I believe? not one problem. Love them
 
I too am having problems with one of my Perlick 525's. I drilled all my holes in the fridge, installed the shanks and lines, then started installing the faucets. First two were perfect then the third one wouldn't go on all the way and leaked. I ended up mixing and matching my three shanks with the three faucets and it is definitely the one faucet. Like a couple other posters stated the faucet just fits too tight on the shank for the collar to be able to tighten it down enough for the o ring to engage and seal. I tried tightening the collar then smacking the shank with a plastic hammer to try to draw the faucet onto the shank to no avail. I got the faucets used so I don't have the option of returning the problem one. Guess I'll try the Dremel option and see how that goes. So beware of the 525's and if you're having problems with them sealing it is more than likely the faucet and not the shank. Nice looking faucet and great design but pretty piss poor quality control.
 
The problem is not the shanks or the faucets. The problam is tolerance stack-up between the two. Any beer equipment manufacturer will guarantee a fit between his parts but "all bets are off" when you start mixing manufacturers.
 
Bumping this thread. I just attempted installing new 525ss on a new tower shank this weekend, and they leaked.

I'm going to get with the store I bought them from and attempt to work something out.
 
thesanch said:
Bumping this thread. I just attempted installing new 525ss on a new tower shank this weekend, and they leaked.

I'm going to get with the store I bought them from and attempt to work something out.

Did you try keg lubricant and do you use the wrench that is made for the perlick faucets?
 
I found a solution. I was having the same problem, poor fit and spewing through the three tighting holes. I put a second oring inside. The thicker combination worked perfectly. Cheap and effective and now I get to use my new shiny Perlick!
Sorry to revive such an old thread but do you know what o-ring you used to seal this? My brand new perlick is leaking when I connected it to a brand new Krome dispense shank. Same perlick does not leak on my kegerator, just on this new shank. I"m reading there are some incompatibilities, just wondering what O-ring you purchased, specs?

Would something like this work? Amazon.com: Beer Gaskets,50 Pieces Keg Tap Line Washer Black Rubber Coupling Gasket for Beer Seal?1/8 inch Thickness ?: Home & Kitchen
 
Back
Top