Self-closing Perlick?

[day_trippr]

Are those springs pictured actual Intertap springs? Seem much beefier than I remember - I have a six pack of first-generation 525SS faucets screwed into generic shanks and added the Intertap springs when they first came out. Love 'em!

Cheers!

 

[Jayjay1976]

For the record, I use Krome brand stainless shanks, intertap springs fit without any issues.

 

[MikeCo]

I just bought a couple Intertap springs from Brew Hardware to try with my Perlick 630SS faucets. They fit in the faucet, but do not compress enough when the faucet is assembled to apply enough force to close it. The springs and shanks look like those in @Imhoppy 's photos. For those that have gotten these to work in Perlicks, any suggestions? I might be able to put some kind of spacer in the shank to force the spring to compress more. Or I could get Intertap faucets.

 

[day_trippr]

You need to adjust your Perls because those springs have no problems snapping my 525SS faucets tight...

Cheers!

 

[MikeCo]

You need to adjust your Perls because those springs have no problems snapping my 525SS faucets tight...

Cheers!

I've never had to adjust them, or realized anything was adjustable. How do you do it?

 

[MikeCo]

I've never had to adjust them, or realized anything was adjustable. How do you do it?

I think I found your reply in a thread that explains it.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/thread...ss-faucets-to-provide-more-resistance.496055/

 

[MikeCo]

With the bonnet (2) removed the spring doesn't apply enough force to keep the ball seated. My faucet handles feel like they have a pretty tight fit on that ball & socket - 5A. I added a little keg lube to the surface on 5A and it helped but not enough. Adding a tap handle makes it feel even weaker. And when I tighten the crown even a little, the spring goes back to doing almost nothing.

 

[MikeCo]

After adding CO2/beer pressure they work much better, but I need to leave the bonnet so it's barely tightened.

 

[scrap iron]

I recently bought some Intertap taps after having retired my Ventmatics after 10+ years.
I got the stainless taps at good price from Ritebrew. I paired them with Krome shanks and got the springs. The springs worked with the shanks and the auto-close is nice. I've only had them for a few weeks, but they seem to work fine and don't leak. I also got the growler attachment but haven't used it yet.
I was very pleased with my old Ventmatics but you can't find replacement O-rings or seals anywhere as far as I know.

 

[MikeCo]

I'd still like more closing force. I may try to stretch one of the springs a bit to see if it helps.

 

[MikeCo]

I stretched the springs about a half inch each, and now they work much better.

 

[Brooothru]

FWIW, I had leaking problems because of the "wrecking ball" and floating forward o-ring in the Perlick even without a spring. I switched to the Intertap and much prefer the shuttle design; positive seal every time. The spring works great.

I gotta' admit, I'm with ya' there. I've used Perlick flow control taps almost exclusively until about a year or two ago. I had two originals and 2 replacements, and eventually I started having leaking issues with all of them. I was able to find parts, and the refurbishment worked.

But in the time it took to have the kegerator out of service (Covid supply chain issues) I bought one of the then-new Nukataps. Couldn't get a flow-control one, but figured the base model would do for an interim replacement.

Fell in love with the Nukatap, and I don't need (or want) the flow control model. I've got the Nuk on one tap and an FC Perlick on the other, with 3 spare Perlicks on hand. Time will tell how durable the Nuks are, but I'm very pleased with the performance.