Beer backed up into Secondary Regulator

[Stevorino]

I have a 5-way secondary regulator in my kegerator. There was a leak somewhere in my system which leaked out all of my CO2. As a result, the beer in one of my kegs backed up through the entire secondary reg and into the tubing connecting my primary regulator and secondary regulator (although it didn't get to my primary).

I'm assuming this is a huge sanitization issue. Any ideas on how I can sanitize/clean out this tubing and regulator easily?

 

[david_42]

Easily? No. You will have to remove all of the lines, then clean, sanitize and dry them. You will also have to dismantle the regulator to clean it.

 

[Stevorino]

.....hmmm....that doesn't sound like fun.

 

[Spyd3r]

This can't happen with Corny kegs right?

 

[Stevorino]

This can't happen with Corny kegs right?

Yes -- that's what I'm using.

 

[sjlammer]

This is a perfect opportunity to discuss the benefits of check valves, or quarter turn valves that have the check feature. They work well.

Sorry to hear about your "sticky situation"

 

[Spyd3r]

Yes -- that's what I'm using.

How is it possible? Do you have a long in tube?

 

[Stevorino]

Anyone have a suggestion on where to get check valves?


For Spyd3r - Beer had more pressure than empty CO2 canister -- backflowed up and into regulator.

 

[elmetal]

checkvalves can be gotten anywhere really.

I recommend kegconnection.com

 

[Stevorino]

Just shot some starsan through my regulator
and a little gunk came out
other than that, it looked good to go -- do I still have to take this sucker apart?

 

[Munsoned]

Same thing happened to me the other day. I just "blew" it out as best I could with CO. Taking the whole thing apart would be more than a royal pain in the @ss due to my setup, so I've decided just to risk it and see what happens. Just a calculated decision. If my regulator freezes up, I'll just have to get a new one.

After my dilemma, I picked up some pretty inexpensive check valves at US plastics. Shipped right away, arrived in two days.

 

[JKoravos]

This can't happen with Corny kegs right?

Your keg has to be REALLY full, or super foamy to get beer backing up in a normal gas tube.

 

[MarkSheffield]

If you connect your gas to your beer-out and pressurize the keg (with all the gurgling) this can happen - I've done it before. There may have been a few other steps afterward, like dropping the pressure before I straightened it out or switching off the gas or something like that, but connecting to the wrong side was the first of a few "wrong things to do". In my case, the beer didn't make it all the way up, just most of the way.

 

[Stevorino]

Same thing happened to me the other day. I just "blew" it out as best I could with CO. Taking the whole thing apart would be more than a royal pain in the @ss due to my setup, so I've decided just to risk it and see what happens. Just a calculated decision. If my regulator freezes up, I'll just have to get a new one.

After my dilemma, I picked up some pretty inexpensive check valves at US plastics. Shipped right away, arrived in two days.

Sweet - that makes me feel better. I ran about 3 gallons of starsan through it, and it was coming through fine after about 1/8 of a gallon.

Baddies can't live in Pure CO2 -- so I'd figure if it's not clogged up, it should be fine.

 

[chuggs]

Anyone have a suggestion on where to get check valves?

Here's a simple check valve:

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.aspx?ProdID=4193

Shutoff version w/thread:

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.aspx?ProdID=4196

Shutoff version w/barb:

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.aspx?ProdID=4195
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.aspx?ProdID=7100

They have the little ball inside. I bought a bunch of them for my secondary/manifold setup.

I'd probably just replace the tubing...leave the stuff you remove for other uses around the brewery. I'd at least open the face of the regulator. That way you can swab around nooks and crannies with a q-tip wetted with Vodka or something.

You might want to cut a little bit off the diptube on the gas side...or not fill your kegs quite as full too...just in case.

 

[Stevorino]

Here's a simple check valve:

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.aspx?ProdID=4193

Shutoff version w/thread:

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.aspx?ProdID=4196

Shutoff version w/barb:

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.aspx?ProdID=4195
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.aspx?ProdID=7100

They have the little ball inside. I bought a bunch of them for my secondary/manifold setup.

I'd probably just replace the tubing...leave the stuff you remove for other uses around the brewery. I'd at least open the face of the regulator. That way you can swab around nooks and crannies with a q-tip wetted with Vodka or something.

You might want to cut a little bit off the diptube on the gas side...or not fill your kegs quite as full too...just in case.

Definitely replaced all of my tubing last night -- that was my main concern.

The line that backed up was where I was carbing something (beer in connector). I need to order some check valves for sure. Thanks for the links!

 

[jar1087]

So, like an idiot, I did the same thing while fast force carbonating my beer (too eager to drink it). Anyway, I'm looking at my regulator now and I can't tell if any beer actually got into it. Is there an easy way to tell if the shut-off valve has a check valve?

 

[beerthirty]

Remove it and try to blow backward through it. They are simple ball and spring devices, they only flow one way. Or take the reg apart and see if beer got into it past the valve.

 

[chuggs]

So, like an idiot, I did the same thing while fast force carbonating my beer (too eager to drink it). Anyway, I'm looking at my regulator now and I can't tell if any beer actually got into it. Is there an easy way to tell if the shut-off valve has a check valve?

An easy way would be...

With the shutoff valve in the OPEN position

1) turn off the CO2 valve on the tank.
2) take your wrench and remove the regulator from the tank. (careful for the escaping CO2 from the regulator body and connection manifold.)

examine...

(you may have to dial up the set screw on the regulator to unseat the valve in the reg. but I don't think it will be necessary)

If the gas goes whish and the HP and LP gauges go to zero...and the gas noise stops...You've got a check valve...

If you don't have a check valve...the LP gauge will go to zero over a longer period of time...and the gas noise will whish longer as the gas in your keg is allowed to escape.

3) just to make sure...you can disconnect the gas connector on the keg...and depress the little poppet valve on the keg. If you still have CO2 in the keg...it's there because the check valve was working.