Leaky Kegs

[jimmer]

Okay, I'm new to this and learning fast. When the guy with used kegs said they had been out back behind a closed bar he bought, I didn't connect the dots that they might have frozen. I took them home, stripped and cleaned everything and rebuilt them.

I put them away pressurized, but when I went to grab some for a batch there were two that had no pressure. I rebuilt the nipples again and water tested them— the dreaded bubbles!

Leaks were coming from seemingly small scratches on the side of one tank, and from the top of the plastic bumper on the bottom of another, at the end of a dent.


Can anything be done, or did I just pay a high price for scrap stainless?

 

[cod3ck]

Are these standard 5 gallon ball locks? Maybe this'll help? http://www.williamsbrewing.com/mobile/OVERSIZE-KEG-LID-SEALING-O-RING-P58.aspx

 

[jddevinn]

scratches on the side? Sounds like thermal expansion from freezing may have broken the walls

 

[day_trippr]

Yeah, it sounds like the OP is describing freeze-burst kegs.
Unless one has a friend skilled in sanitary welding on wicked thin stainless and in awkward positions who would patch the splits for beer, I'd say they're scrap.

I'd definitely take them back to the seller and get that money back.
It'd be total BS to have to eat this deal...

Cheers!

 

[cod3ck]

scratches on the side? Sounds like thermal expansion from freezing may have broken the walls

Whoops, missed the comment regarding the sides busted... Yup, sounds like they're jacked. Get your money back

 

[jddevinn]

Unless one has a friend skilled in sanitary welding on wicked thin stainless and in awkward positions who would patch the splits for beer, I'd say they're scrap.

Cheers!

Already scrap, it's a very bad idea to weld repair a pressure vessel (no matter how small the pressure rating is)