Ball lock disconnect clogging during transfer

[gotbags-10]

Trying to do a closed transfer from my primary to keg but my ball lock disconnect going to the keg always seems to clog up right where it connects to the keg and I end pulling it off and running the hose into an open keg. Kinda defeats the whole purpose. Anything I can try? Hoping to transfer a batch tonight

 

[friarsmith]

If you use an auto-siphon, do you keep the cap on during transfer? This helps a lot. Do you have a clip to hold the racking cane or siphon just above the level of the yeast cake? This helps too.

My method is a bit of a compromise between what you're trying and dropping the tube in the keg lid. I've done your method many, many times and find it to be slow and prone to clogging. It does work, yes, but can be a hassle.

I purge the keg with CO2, release the pressure, then remove the beer "out" post on the keg, then lift the dip tube up about a 1/2" and use a small worm clamp to connect the end of the siphon tube. Then siphon, replace the post, and purge. I usually wear latex gloves (available at any hardware store in the paint or cleaning section) dipped in sani. Works great.

If you have an extra dip tube, I suppose you could have a dedicated tube affixed to your siphon and plop it down into each keg from the "out" hole. Remember to keep the release valve "on" or you'll be waiting a long time for the transfer

 

[brewmeister13]

Is your dip tube in the primary keg shortened? Unless you are dry hopping in the primary keg, the only way I would see it plugging up would be to have the dip tube down in the yeast cake.

 

[gotbags-10]

It's clogging from the primary carboy going into the keg at the ball lock disconnect.

 

[day_trippr]

fwiw, when I do a CO2-push from fermentor to keg (or fermentor to fermentor) I sanitized a square of nylon paint strainer bag, a rubber band, and a large SS washer, then rubber-band the square to the dip tube with the washer inside.

The bag keeps hop fragments out of the transfer and the washer keeps the bag from collapsing...

Cheers!

 

[friarsmith]

Very clever. Nice!

 

[Little_Lebowski]

I tried the bag method myself once but without the washer and it was a major fail. I was conjuring up another idea I wanted to share to see if anyone has any thoughts or experience with this method.

I was thinking about removing the insides of the ball lock and also temporarily removing the poppet and spring from the post on the keg. This way there should theoretically be a nice wide open space in case any sediment or hop material came up through the transfer.

My only concerns with this method, without a trial run at this point, would be a liquid tight seal without having springs in either the disconnect or the post.

 

[day_trippr]

As poppets and plungers have nothing to do with sealing a disconnect to a post (that job belongs to the post O-ring) you shouldn't have any problems with leaks at the interface...

Cheers!

 

[Little_Lebowski]

Just seems to me like the counteracting springs on both sides would keep things tight against the o-rings though. So I wouldn't necessarily say they have nothing to do with it I'll have to test it out and repost

 

[hobomoto]

I ran into problems transfering this way the one time I didn't cold crash before hand. If you cold crash, and don't stir the hops back up, and have that little red tip thing on your racking cane, you should be good.

 

[hobomoto]

Also depending on how bad the clog is... I got it to flow again by just disconnecting and reconnecting the qd so don't give up if it clog just a bit.

 

[day_trippr]

Just seems to me like the counteracting springs on both sides would keep things tight against the o-rings though. So I wouldn't necessarily say they have nothing to do with it I'll have to test it out and repost

They don't.
What keeps the disconnect seated is the latching mechanism (ie: the balls)...

Cheers!

 

[Little_Lebowski]

I ran into problems transfering this way the one time I didn't cold crash before hand. If you cold crash, and don't stir the hops back up, and have that little red tip thing on your racking cane, you should be good.

With my ipas I barely crash at all. Less than a day before I transfer i lower the temp about 5-10 degrees to help the glob of hops floating on top to settle but there's still a nice hazy mess of goodness in suspension (hop oil / protein / yeast compounds) that I intentionally want to transfer over. This can get a bit backed up in the ball lock disconnect

 

[Carlscan26]

I tried the bag method myself once but without the washer and it was a major fail. I was conjuring up another idea I wanted to share to see if anyone has any thoughts or experience with this method.

I was thinking about removing the insides of the ball lock and also temporarily removing the poppet and spring from the post on the keg. This way there should theoretically be a nice wide open space in case any sediment or hop material came up through the transfer.

My only concerns with this method, without a trial run at this point, would be a liquid tight seal without having springs in either the disconnect or the post.

I've done this and it works fine. Good luck!

 

[hobomoto]

With my ipas I barely crash at all. Less than a day before I transfer i lower the temp about 5-10 degrees to help the glob of hops floating on top to settle but there's still a nice hazy mess of goodness in suspension (hop oil / protein / yeast compounds) that I intentionally want to transfer over. This can get a bit backed up in the ball lock disconnect

Interesting. I figure whatever settles after a 24hr cold crash was just going to settle to the bottom of my keg anyway in the first 24 hrs I spend carbing up... so if you think about it, you actually aren't drinking that "goodness," unless you are purposely swirling your keg and re-suspending it every day.

Just food for thought. Cheers!

 

[Little_Lebowski]

I'd rather have it in the keg then in the drain. To each his own.

 

[hobomoto]

For sure, do whatever you like. It could be making a flavor contribution even if its settled to the bottom of the keg. Or swirl it back up in suspension if thats what you are going for.

 

[hobomoto]

If you want an easier closed transfer though and don't want a bunch of yeast and hop particulate in the bottom of your keg, just cold crash it.

I know from experience that I like my beer more after it settles for a bit.