Beer in gas line

[Henmack]

I am fairly new to kegging & the first two times I did not have problems. Yesterday I did something different and filled the keg and sealed it and hooked the gas line up but did not turn on the gas. Then i put it all in the refrigerator to get it to a cooler temperature. This morning I see that there's gas in the line but it did not make it up to the regulator. Please advise on what I did wrong and suggestions on what to do next. Thanks.

 

[SEndorf]

If you hook up a gas line to a full keg with no pressure, the beer will bleed out the hose a little bit. Won't cause any problems unless it's enough to reach the regulator. Rarely happens.
To keep your gas line clear, don't attach the gas line until you're ready to turn it on.

 

[day_trippr]

The gas dip tube on a stock ball lock keg (and perhaps pin locks as well) extends below the keg crown by a good inch or so. Filling above the top of the keg sidewall can submerge the end of that gas tube and if one doesn't maintain positive CO2 pressure at all times - and doesn't have a back-flow preventing "check valve" somewhere in the path from reg to keg - there's the risk of beer backing up the gas line all the way to the low pressure side of the regulator.

Bad juju.

The gas dip tube can be shortened - I've cut all 16 of mine to a scant 1/2" to increase the margin for over-fill error. Or just avoid over-filling: since I started filling my kegs on a digital scale to a calculated 5 gallon weight including FG effects I've held the critical line...

Cheers!

 

[ba-brewer]

I think if you have a check valve between the regulator and the keg that should keep beer from coming up the gas tube.

 

[Henmack]

If you hook up a gas line to a full keg with no pressure, the beer will bleed out the hose a little bit. Won't cause any problems unless it's enough to reach the regulator. Rarely happens.
To keep your gas line clear, don't attach the gas line until you're ready to turn it on.

Many thanks. I mistakenly said in my message "gas in the line" but meant beer in the gas line. But I think all figured out what I meant. My next step will be to clean out the gas line, reconnect and set the psi and start to carbonate. Cheers.

 

[Nicegirl]

Had something similar happen to me, but in my case the beer made it all the way back to the regulator and into it creating quite a mess. After learning this lesson the hard way, I added an in-line check valve to the connection between the ball valve fitting and the gas line thereby eliminating this problem. Been using it successfully for over 4 years now.

 

[bleme]

I've found 2 different types of check valve.
One that connects on the regulator side: https://www.williamsbrewing.com/BRASS-CHECK-VALVE-P2368.aspx

And one that connects on the QD side: https://www.williamsbrewing.com/DISCONNECT-CHECK-VALVE-P3658.aspx

The regulator side type is a lot cheaper but will it keep beer out of the line or only out of the regulator?

 

[day_trippr]

If it works it may allow a small amount of beer to back into the line as gas is compressible. But unless you're running incredibly short gas lines there should be ample cushion to prevent the beer from getting anywhere near the regulator...

Cheers!

 

[Nicegirl]

I've found 2 different types of check valve.
One that connects on the regulator side: https://www.williamsbrewing.com/BRASS-CHECK-VALVE-P2368.aspx

And one that connects on the QD side: https://www.williamsbrewing.com/DISCONNECT-CHECK-VALVE-P3658.aspx

The regulator side type is a lot cheaper but will it keep beer out of the line or only out of the regulator?

The following is a link to the one I use. Very easy to install & use.
https://www.austinhomebrew.com/Gas-Disconnect-Check-Valve-14-FFL-x-14-MFL_p_6952.html

 

[Henmack]

The gas dip tube on a stock ball lock keg (and perhaps pin locks as well) extends below the keg crown by a good inch or so. Filling above the top of the keg sidewall can submerge the end of that gas tube and if one doesn't maintain positive CO2 pressure at all times - and doesn't have a back-flow preventing "check valve" somewhere in the path from reg to keg - there's the risk of beer backing up the gas line all the way to the low pressure side of the regulator.

Bad juju.

The gas dip tube can be shortened - I've cut all 16 of mine to a scant 1/2" to increase the margin for over-fill error. Or just avoid over-filling: since I started filling my kegs on a digital scale to a calculated 5 gallon weight including FG effects I've held the critical line...

Cheers!

You we're absolutely correct. The beer was up too high and was getting into the tip tube. I removed enough to lower it below the stem and everything seems to be working okay now. The gas has been on for about 2 weeks with a slow carbonation. I tried it last night and the oatmeal stout still seems to be a little bitter. I will give it a couple more weeks. Thanks for your advice.