Corny Keg Post Question

[Brew18]

Hey guys,

I just kegged a dry-hopped SMASH yesterday only to come down and find a small puddle of beer next to my keg in the morning. Turns out there was a small leak coming from the poppet of the liquid out side. I depressurized the keg and grabbed a 12-point gas post (which is all I had on hand), purged the keg with CO2, and there appear to be no leaks coming out of the gas post that's on the out side. I understand the posts (Gas-in and Liquid out) are different on corny kegs, but for the sake of not exposing my beer to any more oxygen, can I just serve this keg out using a gas quick disconnect on the out side until I empty it? Are there any issues with leakage of CO2 (I would imagine not. I sprayed the liquid out side with star san and didn't notice any bubbling. I'm hoping I can just serve this keg out the way it is and fix the issue later. I know using a liquid QD on a gas post can be a b* to get on and off, so I was just thinking of using a gas QD on the liquid out side (again just until I serve this keg out) Thoughts?

 

[mac_1103]

I don't think your beer will care that it's flowing through a gas post and QD, and it seems like a much better idea than putting a liquid QD onto a gas post.

 

[Brew18]

I don't think your beer will care that it's flowing through a gas post and QD, and it seems like a much better idea than putting a liquid QD onto a gas post.

Thanks, somewhere I read that reversing the posts and QDs may lead gas leakage given the slightly different size/fit, but I figured no harm (technically) if you are using Gas post w/ a gas QD.

 

[mac_1103]

If it's not leaking then it's not leaking. If you happen to have a spare, then you can transfer the beer to another keg for serving (when it's finished dry hopping but before you carbonate it). Might be worth doing that just to put the QD confusion to rest as soon as you can.

 

[day_trippr]

I recommend not doing an extra transfer due to the potential for O2 pickup in the offing. Bad juju.
Otoh, there's no harm nor foul enjoying that keg through its unconventional hookup.
Stick a tag on the keg so its current condition does not go unaddressed when the keg is emptied...

Cheers!

 

[mac_1103]

I recommend not doing an extra transfer due to the potential for O2 pickup in the offing. Bad juju.

Purged keg to purged keg doesn't seem like all that much bad juju to me.

 

[day_trippr]

Even if one was assiduous about purging the recipient keg it won't be "zero ppm O2" so there shall be O2 pickup.
And to what end? All just so the dispensing keg sports the proper posts and QDs?
Nope. Stay the course, deal with it later...

Cheers!

 

[mac_1103]

All I'm saying is that if you're worried a keg isn't going to last as long as the beer in it without developing a leak then a closed transfer to a sound (and purged) second keg might not be the worst course of action, since it seems a lot more likely that you'll introduce large amounts of oxygen trying to fix a leak than by doing a closed transfer. Then again, I'm not sure why OP should be worried about this keg developing a leak.

 

[day_trippr]

Yes, I noticed that thought line as well. Made me think maybe the gas post has some wiggle on the threaded beer out riser - which could happen because many kegs have different threads between gas and beer. But perhaps that's not the case, and the OP is simply nudgy because of the non-standard keg post configuration...

Cheers!

 

[Brew18]

All good recommendations and food for thought. I just ended up leaving the keg as is with the gas post and will sort it all out once I go through this batch. On a side note, does anyone have any experience with torpedo kegs? My diptube on the out side seems to have dropped down into the keg and there is a little convex washer that sat in between the O-ring and the post. I wonder if that O-ring was also pressure fitted onto the dip tube and holding it flush with the out side opening.

 

[Broken Crow]

I think I'm missing something;

Turns out there was a small leak coming from the poppet of the liquid out side.

Did you try just changing the poppet? What is wrong with the post?

 

[Brew18]

I think I'm missing something;

Did you try just changing the poppet? What is wrong with the post?

Yes, I just took it off to clean it and the dip tube dropped into the out post a bit. It hasn't fallen completely into the keg (because it bottoms out before it can do that), but I was just wondering where this little washer goes and if that diptube needs to come up a bit

 

[Broken Crow]

I don't think that's a washer... I think it's broken off. Here's a pic of a torpedo keg diptube from morebeer:

 

[Brew18]

I don't think that's a washer... I think it's broken off. Here's a pic of a torpedo keg diptube from morebeer:
View attachment 843328

Yeah, it looks like you're right. There is a little notch that goes around the neck of the diptube and this ring just clears it now. I'm guessing it probably popped off from the pressure of the out post bearing down on it over the years. Dumb design. I'm not sure why they just wouldn't flare the end like on a traditional corny keg.

 

[Broken Crow]

Maybe a good time to swap out for a floating diptube? If you're dry-hopping in a keg, heck..excuse for an 'upgrade'.

 

[Brew18]

Maybe a good time to swap out for a floating diptube? If you're dry-hopping in a keg, heck..excuse for an 'upgrade'.

Very true!

 

[Bobby_M]

It is a washer. The torpedo kegs use that design. It's a very slight flare on the end of the diptube and that washer just barely slides on the diptube but gets cause on the slight flare. It's a manufacturing shortcut because flaring hard stainless is pretty difficult.

 

[Bobby_M]

Note that a poppet can leak temporarily if a little chunk of debris lands between the post and the poppet oring. It's a good idea to just cycle the QD on and off and see if it stops before tearing things apart.

 

[Brew18]

Note that a poppet can leak temporarily if a little chunk of debris lands between the post and the poppet oring. It's a good idea to just cycle the QD on and off and see if it stops before tearing things apart.

That's a great point, but in this case, I'm fairly certain it is just the threading that's off. When I looked at the leaky post, it was seated slightly crooked on the out side, but when I put the gas post from my other keg (which is identical to this one and original came with the keg), it is now seated properly. May need to just go back to my LHBS and buy a post that fits correctly with this keg.

 

[Broken Crow]

It is a washer. The torpedo kegs use that design. It's a very slight flare on the end of the diptube and that washer just barely slides on the diptube but gets cause on the slight flare. It's a manufacturing shortcut because flaring hard stainless is pretty difficult.

Thanks! Not to distract from this thread, but adjacent to it; Every time I face repairing anything, I try to figure out what the designer had in mind and as often happens, this is one of those "What was in their head?..why mess with an established and proven method?" I've had very poor luck in the past with flaring SS, as to me it seems the only way to get a good larger flare is with heat which will of course require passivation, but that just makes it impractical for one-off's such as repairs. I just can't grok why a manufacturer who seems to spare no expense in high-grade SS for kegs that look as solid as a tank, would cheap out in the diptube. Is there any parctical reason other than cost-savings to make a diptube like that?
Ok..that's my pondering out of the way...
Can you simply drop in a standard short diptube for a floating diptube setup, or does the post/poppet in any way require that 'floating flare'?

 

[mac_1103]

Can you simply drop in a standard short diptube for a floating diptube setup, or does the post/poppet in any way require that 'floating flare'?

The photos aren't great, but the Torpedo Keg Buoy floating dip tube looks like it has a standard flare on the short SS piece, so I'm guessing any old floating dip tube will work.

 

[Brew18]

The photos aren't great, but the Torpedo Keg Buoy floating dip tube looks like it has a standard flare on the short SS piece, so I'm guessing any old floating dip tube will work.

I guessed the same thing but would not want to drop one in only to find out the hard way that it doesn't work. Not sure how the treading, size, or shape of the male end of the OP matches up with a traditional Corny. The stupidity behind this design is beyond comprehension and to BC's point above, why spare no expense on other portions of the keg and design that looks aesthetically pleasing only to cheap out on one of the most critical components???

The part of the floating diptube I'm not a fan of is the silicone tubing. I feel you'd need to swap that out every few batches.

 

[mac_1103]

Not sure how the treading, size, or shape of the male end of the OP matches up with a traditional Corny

The only thing that matters is if the post compresses the dip tube o-ring enough to make it seal. And obviously you can test for leaks without risking beer.

The part of the floating diptube I'm not a fan of is the silicone tubing. I feel you'd need to swap that out every few batches.

Why? It'll be beer-colored after use, but so what? The heat-resistance of silicone makes sanitation pretty simple.

 

[Brew18]

The only thing that matters is if the post compresses the dip tube o-ring enough to make it seal. And obviously you can test for leaks without risking beer.

Why? It'll be beer-colored after use, but so what? The heat-resistance of silicone makes sanitation pretty simple.

True. I may try just getting a flared end dip tube and cutting it down to size. What's the harm? As for the silicone, you're probably right. I just remember doing Belgians and pumpkin ales early on in my brewing days and not being able to get the smell out of the fermenter bucket. Silicone is a little different though since you can boil it...you're right.