Kegerator pour issue

[jimhenning]

I'm sorry if this has been covered somewhere else but I just got 2 used Pin lock kegs, cleaned, sanitized, put in beer fridge, connected to 2 way CO2 regulator, put at about 15 PSI to carbonate for a few days and just to check pressure, the one keg pours great, the other seems to just spit foam and air. That one has a black IPA in it that I just dry hopped a few days ago (not in the keg obviously) so I thought it might be a hop pellet blockage issue...took the pin lock off, checked the keg line metal straw dinker and it was clear, checked the poppet and it was good...repressurized, got a little liquid but then back to foam and air...what is going on? I've been kegging on and off for 5 years, never got this problem before, usually just a blockage...is the metal straw too long/need snipped?

 

[day_trippr]

At least a few possibilities: the small o-ring under the long dip tube flange may be damaged or outright missing; the beer disconnect may be plugged up; the post poppet, or the disconnect plunger, or both - isn't opening fully; or the beer was over-carbonated...

Cheers!

 

[jimhenning]

When i cleaned and sanitized i pressurized the keg with sanitized water and pumped out sanitized fluid, and it was fine so i don't think its the pourer (its a plastic outflow) i will check the long dip tube flange (not missing)...it was having an issue threading the post back on (got stuck on the dip tube) so maybe have an issue there) Thanks for the pointers, got a few more things i can track down.

 

[hotwatermusic]

bump. Having a similar problem. I'm getting a sputter or two from a particular tap. Not major but I'd like to diagnose it. In my case the most likely culprit is the beer out fitting. If I detach it, beer fizzles out from the poppet seem (?,WTF). Hard to explain that. This happened from the last keg that came from that line/fitting as well. Both kegs had been fine in the past. I will replace the red beer out fitting next trip to the lhbs and report back. Hope that helps and would appreciate any other ideas. In your case I wonder if you seem to be going thru cylinders faster? Is the gas going out into the atmosphere? The faucets aren't meant to be gas tight just liquid tight. I haven't recognized the problem here long enough to measure my cylinder refills. I also have a home made hop screen at the bottom of my dip tube making things more complicated on my end, It's a IIPA with 4oz. of Citra in dry because I wanted to keep the beer as clear as possible. These things are never simple are they?

 

[jimhenning]

I was unaware of those beer spigots not being designed to be gas tight, i just figured they were...yes this cylinder was just filled and its 3/4 full now off of just 2 5 gallon kegs...looks like that may be the issue might have to get a better connector. still no answer on the sputtering, been busy building a shed this week and work...will report back

bump. Having a similar problem. I'm getting a sputter or two from a particular tap. Not major but I'd like to diagnose it. In my case the most likely culprit is the beer out fitting. If I detach it, beer fizzles out from the poppet seem (?,WTF). Hard to explain that. This happened from the last keg that came from that line/fitting as well. Both kegs had been fine in the past. I will replace the red beer out fitting next trip to the lhbs and report back. Hope that helps and would appreciate any other ideas. In your case I wonder if you seem to be going thru cylinders faster? Is the gas going out into the atmosphere? The faucets aren't meant to be gas tight just liquid tight. I haven't recognized the problem here long enough to measure my cylinder refills. I also have a home made hop screen at the bottom of my dip tube making things more complicated on my end, It's a IIPA with 4oz. of Citra in dry because I wanted to keep the beer as clear as possible. These things are never simple are they?

 

[day_trippr]

I don't know anyone that puts say 11 psi of CO2 on an empty beer line on purpose, but I can say I have ended up in that situation countless times.

It happens every time I kick a keg, but by some miracle the CO2 system on my keezer doesn't spew its guts when that happens.

[Crosses self just in case ^that^ was a jinx ]

Anyway...a leaky poppet won't cause "sputtering". After all, you could literally depressurize a keg, remove the Out post poppet, lock on a beer disconnect, then re-pressurize the keg, and nobody would be the wiser (at least until some poor unsuspecting bastid removes that Out disconnect )

Otoh, if a poppet is wedged or in some way not moving freely when mated up with a disconnect, there's always the chance that the resulting connection will be restricted, and restrictions are pretty much antithetical to a good pour..

Cheers!

 

[jimhenning]

Not on an empty line but rather i think what he's saying is the plastic beer dispensers that are meant for like picnics that i have connected for a long term pouring solution might lead to a leak...that doesn't account for the pour, but rather the secondary issue of leaking CO2...still trying to figure out how I messed up the connect for the pour...will give it a go Friday when i have some free time
and please, if you have any more ideas, advice, pass it on...i got lucky when i was in england and had no issues with my UK kegerator...

 

[day_trippr]

I've had a picnic tap plugged on a wheat beer in my cold-carbonation/conditioning fridge for a couple of weeks. It pours fine, and afaict doesn't leak anything. Even a picnic tap will be practically gas tight up to around 30 psi - right before it leaks like a rocket nozzle

Cheers!

 

[jimhenning]

first time using these things...so trying to figure out any and all weak links, hopefully will solve all issues this weekend, if not, will just have to pour all the beer directly from keg to mouth

 

[jimhenning]

was a 2 issue problem...liquid tube too long and touching and there were dry hop particulates at bottom clogging it in the very small opening...cut 1/4 inch off the tube, re-filtered the beer...problem solved.