Can someone tell me why i cant connect my kegs? Photos inside

[HopHead10]

I can't get the beer line and co2 line to connect to these kegs. I thought I had ball lock fittings with converted ball lock kegs but I can't get both of these fittings on. Man setting up your first kegerator isn't as easy as I thought!

Thanks in advance....


The locks:




The fittings ( beer line is the black one):

 

[BBL_Brewer]

Not all fittings are created equal. I ordered a few additional used ball lock kegs recently and one of them had a fitting that is not compatible with my beer out QD. It looks the about the same as the others, but won't work. You may need to order new fittings that will work with your QD's.

 

[Hammy71]

You have the right ones. Usually when I can't get my ball lock connectors on, it's because there isn't enough keg lube on the o-rings on the posts on the o-rings are old. Old rings will be stretched and won't allow the bearings in the connectors to push over them. Of course, you may just have the gas and line posts backwards. They usually won't go on the wrong ones.

 

[HopHead10]

Thanks,

What do you think I should do? I'm all ready to rack my beer and force carb but this is holding me up

 

[HopHead10]

I have extra o-rings ... should I replace the ones on the posts?

 

[Mongrat]

Did you try reversing the gas/beer connections? Ive never had problems, sometimes they are a little stiff if there is buildup on the center post pin...

 

[HopHead10]

Reversing? I can get the gray connections on both posts each keg. I can't get the liquid connection on any posts.

 

[Mongrat]

strange... are you able to press the center down on post of the beer out connection, try with a small screwdriver just to make sure the center pin isnt stuck..

 

[HopHead10]

Sorry for the confusion - I am able to put the beer fitting on the beer line but the Gray CO2 fitting won't go on the CO2 in post.

 

[HopHead10]

I was able to test which one was the CO2 post using the depressurizer tool

 

[Yooper]

Take a good look around the base of the posts- one should have "notches". That is the "in" or "gas" post. Maybe you have two "out" posts?

 

[TomSD]

As mentioned previously the posts are different sizes... are you sure you don't have two of the same posts installed on the keg? Also, keg lube works wonders on finicky kegs. Any food grade silicon grease/lube will do it really but I keep a little thing of keg lube in my tool kit.

 

[HopHead10]

Update:

It was the small orings on top of the post. I replaced them and got the disconnects on.

I have star San in the kegs and am trying to pump it through. Have the co2 at 30 psi and all the connections on. Don't hear any leaks but when I pull the tap handle nothing is being pumped.

What am I doing wrong now?

 

[Dan]

Does pressure release from the keg if you push down on the out fitting poppet?

Did you hear CO2 going into the tank as you pressurized it?

Did you open the valve from CO2 manifold to tank?

 

[HopHead10]

Does pressure release from the keg if you push down on the out fitting poppet?
No. The fitting poppet is the same as the disconnect right? This is the co2 gray connection to the co2 post... Remember I have a converted ball lock leg so I don't have a middle pin to release pressure.

Did you hear CO2 going into the tank as you pressurized it?

Not really. At first there were some leaks so I heard that and then tighter up everything and the leaking stopped.

Did you open the valve from CO2 manifold to tank?

Yes.

 

[Yooper]

Is the long diptube on the "out" post? Is the star-san covering the bottom of that long diptube?

 

[Dan]

"Does pressure release from the keg if you push down on the out fitting poppet?
No. The fitting poppet is the same as the disconnect right? This is the co2 gray connection to the co2 post... Remember I have a converted ball lock leg so I don't have a middle pin to release pressure."


Sorry, I wasn't very clear on the poppet. Assuming the tank is pressurized with 30 psi of CO2, you could remove either the grey or black connector and then press down on the poppet on the keg to see if there is actually pressure in there. I'd probably remove the grey one first, press the poppet if no psi comes out that fitting is probably your problem. If pressure comes out then remove the black fitting press on that poppet on the keg and see if anything comes out. If it doesn't then maybe the out tube is plugged. If you have pressure going into the keg and coming out of the keg as verified by pressing and relieving pressure on the out tube, then maybe you have a clog in the beer line going to the tap (unlikely) or maybe the tap is bad. What kind of a tap are you using.

And just saying.. eye protection not a bad idea while doing this

 

[JuanMoore]

No. The fitting poppet is the same as the disconnect right? This is the co2 gray connection to the co2 post... Remember I have a converted ball lock leg so I don't have a middle pin to release pressure.

Not really. At first there were some leaks so I heard that and then tighter up everything and the leaking stopped.

Yes.

The poppet is the round part at the center of the post, not the disconnect. If you press on the gas poppet with a blunt object it should release the pressure from the keg.

If you don't hear gas entering the keg when you connect it, there's a problem. Could be an issue with the gas line (ie check valve installed backwards), a faulty/broken disconnect, or something wrong the gas poppet.

Do you have MFL style disconnects or just the barbed type? If you have the MFL type you could turn the gas off, take the gas line off the disconnect, and then turn the gas back on and see if you have gas getting to the disconnect.

 

[weirdboy]

Also as a sanity check....do you have a check valve on the line going to the tap? Is the check valve turned on to allow liquid to flow?

 

[Dan]

The poppet is the round part at the center of the post, not the disconnect. If you press on the gas poppet with a blunt object it should release the pressure from the keg.

If you don't hear gas entering the keg when you connect it, there's a problem. Could be an issue with the gas line (ie check valve installed backwards), a faulty/broken disconnect, or something wrong the gas poppet.

JuanMoore, thanks for explaining more clearly. You said in a few words what I was trying to say with to many.

 

[Soulrebel]

Pictures may help.

http://www.dresselbrew.com/Keg_Info.htm

 

[HopHead10]

 

[HopHead10]

Am able to push down on the center but no gas releases. Is this because I released all the pressure in order to open the corny keg for cleaning?

 

[boo boo]

Don't look like you have the QD's in place properly on the posts. Did you press them down to lock them in place?
The Qd's look skewed on top of the posts.

 

[TomSD]

Don't look like you have the QD's in place properly on the posts. Did you press them down to lock them in place?
The Qd's look skewed on top of the posts.

I was about to post the exact same thing.

 

[Golddiggie]

If you have the liquid dip tube in the liquid out post, then putting some liquid into the keg, along with some pressure (10psi would be a good test) should get it to come out of the liquid side. At the very least you should see fluid going into the beer line once you pressurize the keg.

I usually run at least some StarSan through the liquid side of the keg before filling it with beer.

If you didn't get the QD's brand new, take them apart to make sure there's nothing blocking the flow inside.

 

[day_trippr]

I totally agree, none of those QDs are properly connected. I doubt the poppet release pins are even touching the poppets...

Cheers!

 

[HopHead10]

I totally agree, none of those QDs are properly connected. I doubt the poppet release pins are even touching the poppets...

Cheers!

I think this is the issue but do not know how to fix it. I can't see to connect these things properly and don't know why

 

[JuanMoore]

You do realize you need to slide the bottom part of the QD up as you push it down onto the post right?

 

[boo boo]

I think this is the issue but do not know how to fix it. I can't see to connect these things properly and don't know why

The big ring at the bottom of the QD.... lift it up ( like it is spring loaded ) and place the QD directly over the post. Push the qd down on the post and then release the bottom ring. The QD shouldn't be able to come off the post without
lifting the big ring again and then lifting the QD off the post

 

[TrainSafe]

You do realize you need to slide the bottom part of the QD up as you push it down onto the post right?

Think of it like attaching a socket to a ratchet. If you don't press the little release button on the ratchet, the socket won't go on or off. These are the same way. Pulling the sliding collars up allow it to fully seat on the post.

 

[day_trippr]

I think this is the issue but do not know how to fix it. I can't see to connect these things properly and don't know why

Try wetting the O-rings around the top of the posts. Then, as already said, position the QD over the proper post (Gray = Gas = IN, Black = Beer = OUT), lift the locking ring while pushing down on the QD body. You can try rocking or twisting to get the QD to engage the O-ring at the top of the post.

Once the QD body passes over the O-ring it should slide the rest of the way fairly easily. Make sure the body "bottoms out" on the post then release the ring. It should snap into place, which you can test by pulling up on the QD body without touching the ring. If it feels like it's lifting off the post, push down on the body with a little more force then push the locking ring down.

I suspect once you get one QD locked down properly you'll get the drift and the rest will be easy...

Cheers!

 

[HopHead10]

Did not know that. Tried pullin up on the bottom of the QD then pushing down on the knob. Heard the gas. However I can't seem to get these on correctly. I hear a pop when I let go and it sounds like it locks in place but the beer doesn't come out and I can still pull the whole QD off without pulling up from the bottom and pushing down from the top. As depicted in the diagram above

 

[day_trippr]

Did not know that. Tried pullin up on the bottom of the QD then pushing down on the knob. Heard the gas. However I can't seem to get these on correctly. I hear a pop when I let go and it sounds like it locks in place but the beer doesn't come out and I can still pull the whole QD off without pulling up from the bottom and pushing down from the top. As depicted in the diagram above

You're getting closer. Just push down harder, and add some slight twisting. You just haven't bottomed out the QD.

Don't be afraid of breaking anything - the posts and QDs are pretty tough.

Cheers!

 

[TrainSafe]

Did not know that. Tried pullin up on the bottom of the QD then pushing down on the knob. Heard the gas. However I can't seem to get these on correctly. I hear a pop when I let go and it sounds like it locks in place but the beer doesn't come out and I can still pull the whole QD off without pulling up from the bottom and pushing down from the top. As depicted in the diagram above

Does the gas qd still come off too, or just the beer line? If you are hearing gas, then you should have it on.

With some of my kegs, I have to lean on it with body weight to get it to lock.

 

[HopHead10]

I only hear the gas when I put on the gray QD , sounds more like a relief than injection. Pushing till my hands hurt and still can't get the effing on there and the kegerator working.

 

[HopHead10]

Thank you all for your help by the way

 

[f-nritedog]

.

 

[JuanMoore]

I only hear the gas when I put on the gray QD , sounds more like a relief than injection. Pushing till my hands hurt and still can't get the effing on there and the kegerator working.

Looking closer at your pics, it seems to me that you are trying to put the QD's on the wrong posts. As Yooper already mentioned, the post that has the notches in the base is the gas post (grey QD), and the one without the notches is the liquid post (black QD). In the pic below, I can just make out the notches on the post in the backround, and the post in the foreground appears to be notch free.

Once you're sure you're putting the correct QD's on the correct posts, make sure you pull the lock ring all the way up, and keep it pulled up as you push the body of the QD firmly down onto the post. Without any keg lube on the post o-rings, it can take a surprising amount of force to get them on. Once it pops into place, you can let the lock ring slide back down.

 

[day_trippr]

Looking closer at your pics, it seems to me that you are trying to put the QD's on the wrong posts.[...]

Yup. That's a good catch. You definitely have better eyes than I do

Cheers!