How do you replace pressure relief valves?

I am talking about those pressure relief valves on the oval tops on cornie kegs. It looks pretty straight forward - just screw the valve into the collar - right? Well - for some reason I keep cross threading those darn valves and destroying them (at $14 a piece!). I am being very careful - it just gets a few threads in then starts going screwy.

What is the trick to this - or am I just retarded?

The threads on those things don't actually do anything to make the valves hold pressure - they just provide something for the spring which pushes the seal into place to push against.

You might be able to use it even if it's been cross threaded a bit as long as you can crank it down.

Maybe your using the wrong kind of relief? I've never tried swapping them between kegs but I have a few different kegs with different styles, maybe the threads are slightly different.

Unscrew them...

Not sure what the thread is, but if you find out you could use a bolt to "Chase" the thread in the cap. That should clean up the threads well enough. You could take a good pressure relief to a hardware store and try to find a nut that is the same size. Then get a bolt of the same size. Be carefull though they might be pipe thread, although I doubt it since they have an O Ring seal.

Here is a link to a good place for keg parts. Recently found it somewhere in the HBT.

Pull Ring Pressure Relief Valve Pressure Relief Valve [PRValve - GPRing] - $9.99 : CHI Company ball lock kegs for sale, Home brewing and vending, beer kegs, Pepsi vending machines, flavor strips and vending labels

Type of valve would be helpfull...but (if I can Explain this correctly) if you try to relieve the spring
(sometimes there is a way to quarter turn the pull ring or half flip the lever) it may give you some clearance to help you start threading it in.
Hope you can understand that...

dazed said:

Type of valve would be helpfull...but (if I can Explain this correctly) if you try to relieve the spring
(sometimes there is a way to quarter turn the pull ring or half flip the lever) it may give you some clearance to help you start threading it in.
Hope you can understand that...

Click to expand...

I can understand what you are asking. This is a standard Cornilius oval top with a pressure relief valve collar sticking up from this top that is threaded on the inside. I took the relief valve out to clean and sanitize it (I bought this keg used and it still had some cola in it). When I went to replace it, it would go in straight for a few threads then turn cock-eyed in the collar and start cross threading. I tried putting solid downward pressure on the valve as I turned it and could not make it stay straight. I tried lifting the relief ring and "propping" it on the raised section of the top of the valve but that did not help either. I tried with another cornilius valve I bought and it started cross threading also - that is when I stopped.

Now, I realize this is a simple screw in valve and can't be THAT hard to install - but I'll be darned if I can't see what is making it cross thread. So... I figured I'd go ahead and post to see if there was a trick to this. The limited response "probably" means I am just a dufus and can't figure out how to install a simple screw in valve

Maybe I just need to drink a few and try it then LOL.

Thanks,
Dan

I turn the ring 90 degrees from the slot cut in it, this should let you screw it in with no spring load. be gentle you can always try again if the threads are good its not so easy if you cross thread it.

Are you having this problem with all your kegs or just one? If its just one it might be better to just buy a new lid for it. Some pressure relief valves have been discontinued so getting a replacement could be tough. Check out chi I know they have lids there.

http://www.chicompany.net/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=89&zenid=f14a6d70744eeec4af158bc0d75fafb0

jspence1 said:

I turn the ring 90 degrees from the slot cut in it, this should let you screw it in with no spring load. be gentle you can always try again if the threads are good its not so easy if you cross thread it.

Are you having this problem with all your kegs or just one? If its just one it might be better to just buy a new lid for it. Some pressure relief valves have been discontinued so getting a replacement could be tough. Check out chi I know they have lids there.

Lids for Ball Lock Kegs

Click to expand...

Well - to be honest this is the first time I have taken any relief valve off. I only have one other keg and it was purchased new many moons ago - this one was used and dirty so I thought I would give it a good cleaning before pressing it into service. Not sure I will ever take another one out LOL.

There are two types of "Pull ring" pressure relief valves (PRVs); Gray screw in and black screw in. They are not interchangable.

The PR collar that the PRV screws into comes in two styles: One has multi gas holes and the other has only TWO gas holes.
The Multi gas hole uses the GRAY PRV, the two hole uses the BLACK PRV.

The Black PRV in now unavailable, but we are working on having them remanufactured and...hopefully soon, we will have those available again.

I hope this helps,
The CHI Company

Well - I must have been a tard as I got two new ones in over the weekend and they screwed right on with no "drama". Not sure why I had so much trouble with putting the one that was already on the lid back on after cleaning.

Thanks all.