argh...my spigot has a leak!

[johnnyt471]

Bottling was a mess...mostly because my spigot had a leak at the bottom. Is there some way to fix this?????

 

[plaidpaint]

Put a bucket under it?

Did you use a bottling wand, or just turn the spigot off and on with each bottle?

 

[scrambledegg81]

Exact same thing happened when I was helping a friend bottle a jalapeno ale a few months back. Turned out the threads had gotten worn out from removing the spigot to clean it so many times. Since the bucket was toast, I held the spigot on to prevent it from leaking, and my buddy used some expanding quick-dry foam around the edge to seal it off. Worked wonders, considering the situation!

 

[johnnyt471]

Put a bucket under it?

Did you use a bottling wand, or just turn the spigot off and on with each bottle?

I use a bottling wand. It leaks regardless of whether i have the spigot on or off. I can handle it when I'm actually bottling because I have it over the dishwasher. But when I'm racking to the bottling bucket from the fermenter, it creates a big mess. Then i have to move it from the basement up to the kitchen, trailing beer behind me. Then it continues to leak while I'm taking a hydrometer reading, which is unsettling. All in all, it sucks.

 

[bovineblitz]

This happened to me a few batches ago, it threw me off completely and I wound up making a few other stupid mistakes and lost 2 gallons in all. I threw the bucket in the garbage and decided I'm never using a bottling bucket again.

I attach the bottling want to my autosiphon and rack my beer to a clean carboy with my sugar solution then bottle from there. After that one disaster, I won't take another chance at it happening again. Carboys don't leak.

 

[johnnyt471]

This happened to me a few batches ago, it threw me off completely and I wound up making a few other stupid mistakes and lost 2 gallons in all. I threw the bucket in the garbage and decided I'm never using a bottling bucket again.

I attach the bottling want to my autosiphon and rack my beer to a clean carboy with my sugar solution then bottle from there. After that one disaster, I won't take another chance at it happening again. Carboys don't leak.

hm...that's an interesting idea. Maybe I'll try that next time.

 

[Smokeater233]

If it's actually leaking out of the spigot head - versus the assembly itself - most spigot heads can be rotated 360 degrees. When you are not in the process of using the spigot for its intended purpose you could just rotate the head until you are ready to use it.

 

[pd230soi]

I had a problem with the gasket being too tight. I had tried to snug it up, but didn't notice that by cranking down on it I put a little kink in the gasket. It was just dripping, not gushing so I pressed on. I assume I lost about 8-10 oz over the bottling session.

Jon

 

[WrongCoastBrewery]

Thats not too bad considering. You could always move to kegging. Then you can bottle from there with no mess and fuss. BMBF for the win!

 

[brew2enjoy]

I have the same problem with my brand new bottling bucket. While cleaning it I noticed it has a slow leak at the gasket area. I have a few weeks to come up with a solution before I actually have to use it for the first time.

 

[sportscrazed2]

you could try another spigot they are only $1 or so

 

[OHIOSTEVE]

no runs...no drips...no errors

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/hey-revvy-works-197622/

 

[devilishprune]

Are you using a gasket on both the inside and outside of the spigot? The spigots usually only come with one, but I buy an extra one whenever I purchase a spigot.

Another thing to be aware of is overtightening the spigot so that the o-rings bulge out. You want them to be snug, but not so tight that the o-rings deform and let liquid leak out. Something that I've noticed recently is that the little hole on the front of the spigot can leak if you turn it all the way to closed position. There is a sweet spot there that you can leave it at that will allow the spigot to not drain, but also to not shoot beer out of the weep hold in the front.

 

[pd230soi]

Mine came with two (assembled). Hmm, different make perhaps.

I just overtightened it. Its now part of my routine to 1) ensure the valve is closed (duh) and 2) look very carefully for kinks.

 

[Noodle]

you could try another spigot they are only $1 or so

My thought exactly......