Mystery

[ronnyg0891]

Recently I had some issues with CO2 leaks which have been resolved but, there is one thing I still can not figure out.

I had a keg of Southern Tier IPA hooked up with a sankey. Poured fine had no issues at all. After hooking up a home brew and NOT touching the PSI on the CO2 the next day I had the IPA all over the inside of my fridge. My only other thought is that the out line from the IPA was loose on the sankey. I never had an issue until the second keg was hooked up. Anyone ever have this happen to them?

 

[OleGoatBrewing]

Did you have it hooked up to a manifold with a check valve? That would rule out back pressure from the added keg - I think.

 

[ronnyg0891]

Here is the splitter that they recommended at a local store. I am not seeing anything about a check valve in the description. Should I invest in something different?

 

[OleGoatBrewing]

Your homebrew may have had a higher carbonation level and it over pressurized they system.

We're not talking a lot of overpressure but maybe it built up and burped causing the spray.

I'd be interested in what other members say.

As far as a manifold ones with check valves keep everything flowing in one direction.

 

[ronnyg0891]

The homebrew was just being hooked up to begin the carbonation.

 

[day_trippr]

Here is the splitter that they recommended at a local store. I am not seeing anything about a check valve in the description. Should I invest in something different?

I have a wye with shut-off valves that look similar to the ones in the picture, and they do have integrated checks. That said, it's best to ask the question as undoubtedly there are similar appearing valves that don't have the checks...

Cheers!

 

[zachattack]

Do you use MFLs or barbs on the Sankey coupler? It's very possible that you bumped the Sankey coupler or lines while loading the Corny keg, causing the leak. I've moved kegs around before and accidentally loosened an MFL a tiny bit.

 

[ronnyg0891]

Do you use MFLs or barbs on the Sankey coupler? It's very possible that you bumped the Sankey coupler or lines while loading the Corny keg, causing the leak. I've moved kegs around before and accidentally loosened an MFL a tiny bit.

I think you lost me on this one. My homebrew is in a corny with barbed fittings. This was not the beer that I lost. My Southern Tier IPA was the sankey and it has screw on type fittings. We will see what happens. If there is a leak at least I have narrowed it down to that line.

 

[zachattack]

I think you lost me on this one. My homebrew is in a corny with barbed fittings. This was not the beer that I lost. My Southern Tier IPA was the sankey and it has screw on type fittings. We will see what happens. If there is a leak at least I have narrowed it down to that line.

The screw on fittings are MFLs. If you were moving kegs and lines around while you hooked up the keg of homebrew, a little bit of twisting/torque can be enough to loosen the MFLs on the coupler that's on top of the Southern Tier keg.

 

[ronnyg0891]

So after refilling the co2 and hooking everything up (after searching for the leak) again after 2 days I was empty again AND I had beer everywhere. I refilled and decided I would recheck the entire coupler. I left it hooked up this time since there was probably only a pint or so left and found that the leak and spillage came from the area pointed out by the red area in the picture. I ensured that it was locked into place and completely pushed down and secure.

In all of my years of bartending and attending to kegs I have never seen a leak like this. The place that I purchase my stuff through has not bee much help on this. Wondering if anyone has had a similar situation and has come up with a fix other than buying a new one?

 

[zachattack]

Call the manufacturer of the coupler maybe? I've never heard of that either.