Can you overfill a corny?

[butterpants]

Made a batch that just didn't seem to boil off much as I thought and ended up with more brew than could fit in my ball lock corny keg..... so being the beer miser I am, filled the sucker to the brim. The lid was partially submurged when closing!

Any issues cramming this much in there?

 

[duboman]

It's my understanding that it will take a lot longer to properly carbonate since there is almost no head space to receive the CO2.

 

[day_trippr]

The area of head space will definitely affect the carbonation rate to some degree if left undisturbed while carbing. But I'd be much more worried about having beer back up the gas line, perhaps reaching the regulator, if one makes even the slightest mistake (like turning down the pressure with the gas line connected, and no "anti-back-flow" aka check-valve in the gas line).

Be very cautious. And consider getting one of these for future use when you have an extra quart of wort that won't safely fit in a keg...

Cheers!

 

[AnOldUR]

Two things:

Like duboman said, slower carbonation. Carbonation is all about surface area. If your up into the conical area you'll have less.

The other thing is with you gas dip tube in the beer, you'll have the chance of getting beer in your gas line and if you don't have check valves, into your regulator.




edit:
Both in at 5:26. I call that a tie.

 

[passedpawn]

Two things:

Like duboman said, slower carbonation. Carbonation is all about surface area. If your up into the conical area you'll have less.

The other thing is with you gas dip tube in the beer, you'll have the chance of getting beer in your gas line and if you don't have check valves, into your regulator.




edit:
Both in at 5:26. I call that a tie.

Yea, keep the beer line under the gas in tube. It'll take about 100x time to carbonate if you don't.

And OldUR, you lost. Just own it

 

[BeerGrylls]

Yea, keep the beer line under the gas in tube. It'll take about 100x time to carbonate if you don't.

And OldUR, you lost. Just own it

Plus, if the bottom of your gas in tube is submerged, you run the risk of suctioning liquid up your gas lines and potentially into your CO2 tube (unless you have a check valve). Very bad news. I'd empty it out a bit.

 

[day_trippr]

"Plus"?

Two previous mentions wasn't enough, but a third ought to do it, right?

Cheers

 

[Onkel_Udo]

I am told you could suck beer up the gas line but I am sure someone will mention it eventually...

 

[butterpants]

ok thanks boys, emptying out....

 

[passedpawn]

If this place wasn't so damned funny I'd have quit a long time ago.

 

[LovesIPA]

I did this once. I really regretted it because a few hours after I put the overfull keg on the gas, I ran out of CO2. No check valves. Guess where the beer went?

 

[butterpants]

Ok 3 pints out, some headspace in there now.

What are the symptoms of sucking up liquid into your regulator? All appears well, but just wondering

 

[AnOldUR]

I use clear beer line on the gas side so if anything got in there I'd see it.

 

[passedpawn]

Ok 3 pints out, some headspace in there now.

What are the symptoms of sucking up liquid into your regulator? All appears well, but just wondering

Sloshing in your CO2 tank.

But seriously, get a check valve on every gas line. I think they are fairly cheap.

 

[Fordzilla]

Sloshing in your CO2 tank.

But seriously, get a check valve on every gas line. I think they are fairly cheap.

This is why I only use clear lines instead of the red ones. I also have check valves, but still I like to see what's going on.

 

[butterpants]

Can i just splice in mid line to install check valves?

 

[day_trippr]

Can i just splice in mid line to install check valves?

Yup, that's exactly where you'd add one. I'd put the splice closer to the regulator than the QD so the check valve will be less likely to get hit by beer if a backflow tries to happen...

Cheers!

 

[AnOldUR]

Can i just splice in mid line to install check valves?

Most of the better shut-off ball valves have check valves built into them.

 

[JustBrewinAround]

I've had beer run up my gas line twice while force carbing, no big deal, I ran the keg keg out with normal consumption and just disassembled the reg and cleaned it. Unless the CO2 tank is completely empty, there's no way the beer is going to make it to the high side of the reg.

 

[day_trippr]

There are plenty of posts in the forums describing beer flooded regulators because of back flow. Might not have made it past the diaphragm into the high pressure side, but those regs still have to be torn down and cleaned out...

Cheers!

 

[butterpants]

Most of the better shut-off ball valves have check valves built into them.

My regulator is Taprite, not sure of the ball valves but entire rig was purchased from KegConnection. Might have to check with them. If there an external morphology to a valve that would immediately say 'check in place' or do they all look the same?

FYI I've got no symptoms and other than jacking the sucker full of delicious brew didn't do any of the other retarded things listed, so i might be ok.....

 

[day_trippr]

Was it their single body Premium kit?

From the Kegconnection site, the only shut-off with integrated check valve they list is this one, so if yours looks like this it should have the check inside.

[edit] That said, check valves can fail (I had one on a six way manifold decide to stick open) so it's wise to never fill above the gas in dip tube mouth.
Also, you can fit an extra quart in a corny keg by cutting the gas dip tube short. It really only needs to be about a half inch total length to do its job...

Cheers!

 

[passedpawn]

Also, you can fit an extra quart in a corny keg by cutting the gas dip tube short. It really only needs to be about a half inch total length to do its job...

Cheers!

I need to do this. Thanks for the idea.

 

[uatuba]

It seemed like everyone has missed the obvious potential issue: you're at risk for sucking beer into the gas line and then into your regulator. They make this piece of hardware that only allows CO2 and anything else to flow one direction...can't think of the name but you can probably find it if you search the board.

I can't believe you guys missed that.

 

[day_trippr]

 

[day_trippr]

I need to do this. Thanks for the idea.

Be sure to use a pristine blade or disk, to avoid contaminating the stainless steel. I used a Dremel with a fresh cutting disk...

Cheers!

 

[passedpawn]

Be sure to use a pristine blade or disk, to avoid contaminating the stainless steel. I used a Dremel with a fresh cutting disk...

Cheers!

angle grinder. disks are non-ferrous.

 

[day_trippr]

angle grinder. disks are non-ferrous.

Ah, ok. You're going with the tactical thermonuclear option
Be careful you don't send the poor little dip tube flying across the shop!

Cheers!

 

[passedpawn]

Ah, ok. You're going with the tactical thermonuclear option
Be careful you don't send the poor little dip tube flying across the shop!

Cheers!

Heh, don't worry, I have a large record vise on my workbench. It's lined with wood and will hold these guys just fine. If I ever get around to actually doing it instead of just taking about it.

 

[butterpants]

Was it their single body Premium kit?

From the Kegconnection site, the only shut-off with integrated check valve they list is this one, so if yours looks like this it should have the check inside.

[edit] That said, check valves can fail (I had one on a six way manifold decide to stick open) so it's wise to never fill above the gas in dip tube mouth.
Also, you can fit an extra quart in a corny keg by cutting the gas dip tube short. It really only needs to be about a half inch total length to do its job...

Cheers!

Dual body... 2 faucet fridge kit I added upgrades to..... kind of looks like it

 

[day_trippr]

Can't quite make out the flare end of those shutoff. Their valve with the integrated check shown here has two pieces to the valve housing. If yours doesn't have that threaded piece to the right, I'm going to guess it doesn't have the check...

Cheers!

 

[AnOldUR]

angle grinder. disks are non-ferrous.

Hope I'm not continuing to repeat the obvious, but if you previously ground carbon steel, it can be embedded in the wheel and be transfered to the tube. Cross contamination can cause rust on stainless.

 

[brew_ny]

angle grinder. disks are non-ferrous.

tube cutter works fine I have pin locks so I cut mine short so I can purge with a poppet depressor

 

[dyqik]

The correct solution to too much beer for a keg would seem to be to fill a couple of bottles with the extra. It's always good to have a couple of bottles around for trips/competitions/tasting once the keg is done/sending to HBT members who give you helpful advice.

 

[Fordzilla]

Since this thread took off so much, I'll share a funny little anecdote here, at my own expense. When I first started kegging, I was doing some research. I came across a guy who posted that he "cut his dip tubes short because he needs that extra volume". With no experience kegging, I thought this guy must be Captain Anal, as the dip tubes take up enough volume for about 5 drops of beer.

This thread made me recall that post and now I realize exactly why one would cut dip tubes for "that extra volume! "

 

[butterpants]

Can't quite make out the flare end of those shutoff. Their valve with the integrated check shown here has two pieces to the valve housing. If yours doesn't have that threaded piece to the right, I'm going to guess it doesn't have the check...

Cheers!

Just checked again, the body is 2 piece and appears to have a check.

 

[butterpants]

This thread made me recall that post and now I realize exactly why one would cut dip tubes for "that extra volume! "

I'm going to be pissed when I have my. last pull off the keg and it's super tasty in 2 months... but I know there could have been 3 more glasses!! OH THE HORROR