Beer flow issue

[xuthundercats]

I just constructed a new tower and I'm having issues with my lines. I have my psi at 25 with 2 kegs hooked up to one co2. The co2 lines are the same length. One beer line is about a foot longer than the other one. The longer beer line has a fast flow, but the shorter line is very slow. I have way too much head on the faster flow. If I turn down the co2 I get nothing out of each line. Help!!

 

[HappyDrunk]

How many feet are the lines and what is the outside and inside diameter? BTW: I have the same mugs, lol.

 

[xuthundercats]

Beer line 1 is 6.5ish ft 7/16" OD and co2 line 3.5 ft. Beer line 3.5 ft 7/16" OF and co2 line 2 ft

 

[xuthundercats]

Beer line 2 has flow. Beer line 1 drips

 

[HappyDrunk]

Hmmm ... the inside diameters are more important. What are those? The length seems fine, probably a little short for the second one. Also, what's the inside diameter of the CO2 line? I don't think your lines are actually the problem. I'm more inclined to lean towards the splitter on the CO2. I assume you have two seperate regulators? I am by far no expert on the subject just so you know, but I have a kegerator that works perfectly. Just tryin' to help.

 

[xuthundercats]

The I'D for the beer line is 3/16". I'm not sure what the I'D for the Co2 is. It isn't marked on the line. It is the red co2 line that came with my kegerater years ago.

I only have one regulator.

 

[Raenon]

There is no way you should need 25 psi with lines that long, unless the inner diameter is positively tiny. 8-10 psi would probably still foam on me if my lines were that short.

Either you have a kink, obstruction, or the CO2 system isn't regulating properly and evenly.

 

[dcott]

What is the ambient temp surrounding your lines? If you go from cold beer to hot line, you can end up with some foam. Are the lines insulated in some way?

 

[HappyDrunk]

What is the ambient temp surrounding your lines? If you go from cold beer to hot line, you can end up with some foam. Are the lines insulated in some way?

^ excellent point.

Just throwing a guess out there, but I still think it has something to do with running two kegs with one reg. and different length lines. What happens when you just hook one up?

 

[xuthundercats]

I just hooked one up and lost all flow all together. I checked all my lines and I have no chinks.

 

[HappyDrunk]

Post a picture of the tank, regulator, and splitter when you get a chance.

 

[xuthundercats]

Here is the tank, and splitter.

 

[HappyDrunk]

Ok man, I'm just trying to help, but it's difficult not being there. This should not be a complicated problem. Maybe Raenon was right and your regulator is just screwed up. In my thinking, if you're sending out 25psi through the regulator, you should be getting roughly 12.5 through both lines, and that should be fine. What's so weird is that you said when you hooked up just one you got NOTHING?!?! How did you hook the one up? Did you just pull the other line off, or bypass the splitter entirely? If you just pulled off the one line, the CO2 obviously just leaked out the unhooked line. Is this a set-up that worked fine with one keg, and the problems occurred once you went to two?

I want to help you so bad because I'll be doing the same thing soon, I just can't imagine so many problems with such a simple setup! Unhook the splitter, and just go straight to one keg. If that doesn't work you've got some other kind of problem. Bad regulator, leak, etc. We'll get this thing figured out, it's just difficult over the internet. If I was there, I'd have things fixed in no time! A way to check your regulator is to turn off the tank, wait an hour, and see if the pressure held on the regulator gauge. If it doesn't, then the problem is obviously a leak.

 

[chickypad]

In my thinking, if you're sending out 25psi through the regulator, you should be getting roughly 12.5 through both lines, and that should be fine.

The pressure doesn't get divided between the 2 kegs. If all your lines are open the pressure in the whole system should be 25psi. So is that T just an open channel - no valves or anything?
I agree with Happy, try hooking up just one keg without the splitter. There's got to be resistance somewhere or a leak. The kegs are cold, right? I have my regulator set at 14 psi, kegs at 39 degrees, and need 8 ft of high resistance beer line to get balance. 25 psi is way more than you should need and is going to give you overcarbed beer if those kegs are cold.

 

[xuthundercats]

I'll give that a go tonight. I'll fill a keg with hot water and attempt to flush the lines if there is anything in there. I appreciate your help a lot.

 

[xuthundercats]

The kegs are cold. I'm going to blow co2 thru the beer line tonight to see if there is a clot.

 

[xuthundercats]

I just flushed both faucets with hot water without any issues. Hopefully, all will be solved when I connect everything back together. I'm trying one keg first...

 

[xuthundercats]

Still nothing. Something has to be wrong with one of my kegs. I'm siphoning my beer into the keg that had the water and I'm going to try again.

 

[xuthundercats]

Wow!!! That was an adventure. Flushed both kegs and lines and I'm in business.

 

[HappyDrunk]

So is the problem fixed? What was the issue?

 

[xuthundercats]

I think I had a sediment build up in the straws in both kegs. I blew
Co2 thru both lines and then ran very hot water thru both. Have you ever had issues with sediment clogging your lines?

 

[HappyDrunk]

No, but I'll be on the lookout! Crazy that it was in BOTH tubes. Glad it's fixed man. What are you putting your pressure at now?

 

[xuthundercats]

It is set at 10 now and both lines are flowing nicely. I will start siphoning from my stock pot. I purchased an automatic siphon started last week with a sediment filter. Im sure it will be worth the $10. I have a Indian Pale Ale that should be ready at the end of the week.

 

[chickypad]