Beer Faucet: How much wobble is normal?

[DaveLinger]

Hey guys,

I just recently got my first kegerator (used), and there is a little bit of left-to-right wiggle room on my faucet handle. I took the faucet apart for cleaning and everything seemed to be okay, but now that I have a big full-size commercial tap handle on it, the wobble is exaggerated - I'm afraid of it leaking or something. How much wobble is normal? None? Do I just have a cheap, crappy faucet?

I haven't put a keg on it yet, so I definitely would hate to do so and have the faucet be leaky. I guess I'll try and pressure test it a bit somehow.

If necessary I can take a video.

I was considering replacing it with this, but if a little wobble is normal I probably won't bother.

 

[deadfall]

Are you saying just the handle is moving side to side, Or is the whole faucet and handle moving? I don't have any side to side movement on any of my faucets.

 

[DaveLinger]

The handle is securely fastened to the threads on the faucet. It's the actual faucet works wobbling. It wobbles without a handle installed.

Video: [ame]http://youtu.be/o5hdI_xV9Mw[/ame]

 

[deadfall]

I thought somebody else would have given you a better answer by now. I think those faucets have a plunger with an o-ring. I'd think that side to side movement would be normal or at least acceptable. I doubt it would leak because of the side to side movement. I'd get some use out of it before you change it. That being said it yours and you need to be comfortable with it. If I was going to go through ordering a faucet I'd get longer beer lines also. There are thread after thread on here about too much foam. I'd guess 90% of them are because of short beer lines. I put 18 feet on mine and so far I'm pretty happy. Just a suggestion. I ordered all my part through these two companies and couldn't be happier with their service.

http://www.kegconnection.com/metal/

http://www.birdmanbrewing.com/categories/Faucets/

Hope this helps.

 

[bmeulebroeck]

What serving psi are you using with 18' lines? Seems like a lot of length. I have 6' 3/16" lines and can usually balance it out so I get good pours at around 10 psi.

But to the original poster....sounds like you are missing o-rings (I couldn't load the video on my phone). Most lhbs should have replacements.

 

[deadfall]

What serving psi are you using with 18' lines? Seems like a lot of length. I have 6' 3/16" lines and can usually balance it out so I get good pours at around 10 psi.

But to the original poster....sounds like you are missing o-rings (I couldn't load the video on my phone). Most lhbs should have replacements.

I'm running 10-11 psi. I know that's long. I did want to have to start a thread saying I have too much foam what do I do. I figured I could always cut them down. 8 second pours are just fine with me.

 

[poislb]

i think the solution is get a bigger tap handle.....lol, but yeah thats half the problem my friend. it would be less pronounced if the handle was smaller. but yeah they all wobble, even my perlicks have a little play. just an fyi on the large handle, the life of the faucet will be less with such a large handle. perlick actually discontinued the 525 cause of that. bars would use such large handles they eventually leak..

 

[billl]

It's fine. It's just part of the faucet design. There is a rectangular head on the faucet lever. It fits into a rectangular hole in the plunger assembly. The other end of the plunger is round and that is the thing that is goes back into the collar and actually stops the flow of beer.

You can minimize the "wobble" by tightening down the part underneath the handle that attaches to the faucet.

 

[ClaudiusB]

The handle is securely fastened to the threads on the faucet. It's the actual faucet works wobbling. It wobbles without a handle installed.

I checked all my faucets (7) and all are solid as a rock.
Change the cone shape seal below the nut if applicable.

Cheers,
ClaudiusB