Basic stupid faucet question

[petemoss]

Hey gang,

I have a elementary question about faucets. I have just decided to get into kegging. I have bought my kegs and stuff, but I don't have them filled yet. I started looking at faucets. I have noticed that they make adjustable flow faucets. I guess I always assumed that all faucets were variable flow based on how far you pull the handle. Is that not true, are they more of an on/off switch?

Thanks,
Petemoss

 

[jschein]

If you can afford them then Perlicks are the way to go.

 

[day_trippr]

Faucets are closer to on/off than not. "Flow control" faucets have an additional lever to adjust a variable constrictor to compensate for too-short beer lines, but the faucet lever is still a binary device...

Cheers!

 

[passedpawn]

On/Off. I find that if you go in between on and off, you get a lot of foam (some kind of venturi effect at the nozzle).

The best way to control the flow rate is just use a lot more 3/16 beer line. I'd suggest coiling 15' of tubing per fauce with tie wraps inside your keezer. That sounds like a lot, but believe me you'll probably need at least 10. It's far better to have a slow pour than a fast one. If it's too painfully slow, keep shortening it until you get where it's right. So many guys put 3' of line on there then wonder why they are getting foamy pours.

(btw, I have 10' on each faucet, and that might be the perfect length for you, but it's easier to just use too much and cut it down than to go the other way.)

 

[seven9st_surfer]

Agreed on the 10' lines (at least) to start out with. All mine are 10' and it's the perfect length for me. I also started with the cheap chrome plated faucets and had some bad sticking issues, then I upgraded to 4 all stainless Perlicks and love them. So x2 on starting out with the Perlicks, preferably SS.

 

[passedpawn]

Oh yea, I should have mentioned, I have Perlick 525SS x 4. Mine are outdoors in hot/humid FL weather all year long. If they can survive in that, they are money.