how to combine two half filled carbed corny kegs

[CobraVin]

I have a 4 keg kegerator and need room for another beer waiting to be kegged. Two of the carbed and cold existing kegs are the same batch split with different yeast and are both half full. I want to combine them. Should I just drop the pressure in one or just raise the pressure in the other. I am trying to avoid making a foam mess. Thanks Vin Giglio

 

[GoodTruble]

Do you have a spunding valve?

I have not done this before, but my first thought would be put spunding valve on gas post of receiving keg set to same pressure as current kegs. Then run liquid post to liquid post and then attached CO2 to gas post of emptying keg (set at same pressure as everything else). Then just very lightly loosen the spunding valve so that gas very slowly gets out (as filling keg very slowly fills).

If you don't have a spunding valve, I would just disconnect both kegs, pull the pressure release pins let the pressure out, wait an hour, all the pins again, wait another hour, attach liquid post to liquid post, attach CO2 tank to emptying keg, and then have a gas out connector with a blow off tube to attach to the receiving keg. Then just slowly turn the CO2 on to begin a slow transfer.

 

[CobraVin]

thanks for the reply, I think I do have one somewhere i have never used. Would I even need it though? I guess I am wondering why I would have to lower the pressures? Is it to stop foaming? I would have assumed as long as one is lower than the other the beer would flow to the lower pressure keg. Kinda like when I pressure transfer from my conicals.

Vin G

 

[day_trippr]

The idea of using a spunding valve on the gas post of the receiving keg has merit, as it would allow applying enough CO2 pressure to the sending keg to motivate the beer to move without then causing a large pressure drop that would in turn cause dissolved CO2 to leap out of solution. It's pretty much the same paradigm as a counter-pressure bottle filler...

Cheers!

 

[GoodTruble]

Yes, liquid will travel from higher pressure container to lower pressure container. But with carbed beer, you want to transfer slowly and smoothly to try to control foam. One way to do that is to keep the pressure difference very small so the liquid moved slowly while under pressure.

 

[Biggz1313]

Do you have a spunding valve?

I have not done this before, but my first thought would be put spunding valve on gas post of receiving keg set to same pressure as current kegs. Then run liquid post to liquid post and then attached CO2 to gas post of emptying keg (set at same pressure as everything else). Then just very lightly loosen the spunding valve so that gas very slowly gets out (as filling keg very slowly fills).

If you don't have a spunding valve, I would just disconnect both kegs, pull the pressure release pins let the pressure out, wait an hour, all the pins again, wait another hour, attach liquid post to liquid post, attach CO2 tank to emptying keg, and then have a gas out connector with a blow off tube to attach to the receiving keg. Then just slowly turn the CO2 on to begin a slow transfer.

Couldn't have said it better myself.