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

[TrainSafe]

Your regulator might be toast if beer was backfed through it. I killed one this way too.

If your keg was pressurized when the Co2 tank ran empty, you would have a brief time when the keg had more pressurized than the tank. Gas would then try to flow in reverse. If beer somehow found a path into the gas inlet (now temporarily an outlet) it would spray out the regulator.

I found that repair kits are difficult to install and costly. I made the choice just to buy a new regulator.

 

[TrainSafe]

I guess I didn't mention that it is good practice to bleed pressurized from the 30psi keg before dialing the pressurized back down to serving psi. That will reduce backfeed situations.

 

[HopHead10]

So what happened was I ran out of gas, left the keg as is for about a week... I opened the keg today (a week later) to replace the o-ring (thinking that is what caused the leak) before pressurizing to 30. I thought that being able to open the keg, there was enough pressure relieved of the existing pressure in there from previous attempts.

I can buy a new regulator tomorrow, probably need a dual gauge anyway and this one is acting funny. What can I do to prevent this from happening again? Is the beer ruined? Anything I should do in the mean time?

 

[TrainSafe]

Check valves are less than ten bucks. They are designed to prevent this. They are installed between the regulator and hose.

 

[HopHead10]

Thanks, I will get a check valve with the regulator. Any word on the beer? LOL this IPA was looking good I hope it's not bad!

 

[TrainSafe]

The beer should be fine. Just don't open the keg and let oxygenation in.

 

[HopHead10]

okay thanks, I opened the keg for about a minute today in order to replace the opening o-ring. Hopefully that didn't screw it up...

I thought this was going to be easy!

 

[mccumath]

Wow, this thread is painful to read... I hope it gets better soon!

 

[mattd2]

HopHead10, you have the posts reversed, as others have mentioned. Disassemble the posts. Pair up the short gas-in dip tube with the post that has the notches at the base. If one side of the rubber part of the keg is stamped "IN", put that post and dip tube there. Pair up the long dip tube with the post that doesn't have the notches, and put it in the other hole. Tighten everything up and lube the o-rings. You should then be able to attach your QDs.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/ball-lock-corny-keg-gas-vs-beer-post-137058/ (very good explanation, with nice clear pictures)

Brew Your Own: The How-To Homebrew Beer Magazine - Techniques - Cleaning the Big Bottle

How to cornelus Keg

Corny Keg Thread Sizes

Hophead10, did you ever do this. It sounds like you are putting the QD on the wrong posts. Can you take another photo?

 

[HopHead10]

I just went and looked at it again... I don't have very good light in there but put a flashlight on it and definitely had the CO2 QD on the beer out line (without the small "notches"). Feel like an idiot...

Realized I just ruined my regulator being a noob. Oh well, gotta think positively - what are the advantages of a dual gauge regulator?

 

[cl330b]

Is this still going on? Wow!

 

[passedpawn]

Without exageration, I think I got my whole setup working in about 30 seconds. In other words, it really shouldn't be this hard.

Hophead, the dual regulator has 2 gauges: 1 always shows the pressure on the low side, that is what's on your beer. The other gauge always shows the pressure in your CO2 tank.

I think at a minimum you should have a dual gauge reg and a check valve on every output (some, like mine, have more than one gas outputs from the regulator).

 

[chumpsteak]

Thought I'd throw in my 2 cents on the QD problem. I recently bought a ball lock keg that I couldn't get the beer side QD on. When I forced it on it actually started leaking beer out the top of the QD. What I found was that the popit valve in the beer side post had been replaced with a universal style that had a spring that was too long for the application. Because of this the spring couldn't compress to allow the plastic post inside the QD to press in far enough for the QD to engage. I pulled the QD off the beer side and pushed in on the popit valve but couldn't even budge it with my finger. I tried another one of my kegs and it pushed in easily. Being impatient and not wanting to wait to contact the place I bought the keg from, I just cut the popit spring down until I could easily push it in with my finger. I was then easily able to connect the beer side QD and beer flowed normally.

In short, if your QD doesn't go on it's possibly the popit valve spring. Get a shorter spring or cut it.

Good luck.

 

[day_trippr]

[...]Hophead, the dual regulator has 2 gauges: 1 always shows the pressure on the low side, that is what's on your beer. The other gauge always shows the pressure in your CO2 tank. [...]

I'm sure that was just a slip o' the fingers but just so the OP isn't even more kerfuffled than he already is: a dual regulator actually has three gauges, one for the tank and two for the regulators...

Cheers!

 

[cwi]

Your regulator isn't ruined, but will need a cleaning to get the beer out. Don't wait much longer, or it will gum up and/or rust badly. There isn't a whole lot going on inside. Depending on the reg, four screws, or turning the whole body, will take it apart and allow cleaning. The gauge may be easier to replace than clean.

Now that I think about it, I am a bit torn whether I should suggest taking the reg apart for cleaning considering what has happened so far. As long as you remove the reg from the gas bottle, you don't have much to lose, except maybe a bottle of CO2 if you forget to turn the gas off first.

Now I see why all consumer IT tech support starts with "find the cord, is it plugged into the outlet?".

 

[billtzk]

Now that I think about it, I am a bit torn whether I should suggest taking the reg apart for cleaning considering what has happened so far. As long as you remove the reg from the gas bottle, you don't have much to lose, except maybe a bottle of CO2 if you forget to turn the gas off first.

Now I see why all consumer IT tech support starts with "find the cord, is it plugged into the outlet?".

Oh, now that was cruel.

 

[cwi]

Oh, now that was cruel.

I don't think there is much harm done. He doesn't seem to read the posts as much as just post progress:

My QDs won't fit.
-Make sure they are on the right posts
My hand hurts from pushing. Look at it.
-Check to make sure grey is on gas in.
I finally mashed the gas one on, but can't get the beer out to work.
-Check the posts to make sure which is which.
Beer is puking out my regulator somehow.

Not far to go now. He seems to be almost to the point of asking why his pour is so foamy. And he thought getting the QDs was challenging.

 

[billtzk]

Not far to go now. He seems to be almost to the point of asking why his pour is so foamy. And he thought getting the QDs was challenging.

Stop it! I can't bear the thought. You're tearing me up, man!

 

[HopHead10]

I don't think there is much harm done. He doesn't seem to read the posts as much as just post progress:

My QDs won't fit.
-Make sure they are on the right posts
My hand hurts from pushing. Look at it.
-Check to make sure grey is on gas in.
I finally mashed the gas one on, but can't get the beer out to work.
-Check the posts to make sure which is which.
Beer is puking out my regulator somehow.

Not far to go now. He seems to be almost to the point of asking why his pour is so foamy. And he thought getting the QDs was challenging.

Damn man, you e-punked me!

I don't really care how much of a noob I am. It's about the beer. I'm almost there and I'm determined to get this all straightened out.

Thanks everyone for all your help. I've learned a lot and will be helping a couple of friends set up their systems from what I've picked up here!

 

[day_trippr]

[...]I've learned a lot and will be helping a couple of friends set up their systems from what I've picked up here!

Things That Make You Go "Hmmmm"....

Cheers

 

[cwi]

I'm almost there and I'm determined to get this all straightened out.

Determination has gotten you this far, but you will need to add some rage to finish the task. That, and a bigger hammer.

All kidding aside. No one cares how much of a noob you are, we were just a little amused by how many times it was suggested that you had the QDs on the wrong post, but you kept soldiering on seemingly oblivious to the advice.

You seem like a "trial and error" type. If you follow this paradigm for balancing your system, once you get beer to come out the right hole that is, don't expect to enjoy much of your first keg. Slowing down and reading up on the basics of balancing a draught system will get you 'there' quicker.

 

[HopHead10]

Determination has gotten you this far, but you will need to add some rage to finish the task. That, and a bigger hammer.

All kidding aside. No one cares how much of a noob you are, we were just a little amused by how many times it was suggested that you had the QDs on the wrong post, but you kept soldiering on seemingly oblivious to the advice.

You seem like a "trial and error" type. If you follow this paradigm for balancing your system, once you get beer to come out the right hole that is, don't expect to enjoy much of your first keg. Slowing down and reading up on the basics of balancing a draught system will get you 'there' quicker.

Thanks, do you have any links to referenced "balancing" strategy?

 

[cwi]

Thanks, do you have any links to referenced "balancing" strategy?

I haven't checked if the info has been consolidated in a wiki, but that would be a good place to start, and also trying the search function for "balancing a draught (draft) system".

The system (simplified) amounts to 3 variables- pressure, temperature, and line length. You want to 'balance' the system so that there is just enough pressure left after the resistance of the beer line that the beer 'falls' out of the faucet. Shooting for ~1psi at the faucet is a starting point.

Since carb level and serving temp are set by style (see carb charts), ideally this would be done by choosing the correct line length for the carb level and serving temp of the beer. You can play tricks like lowering the temp and pressure (see carb charts, again) to make due with a short line. Lowering the temp can also help with warm faucet induced foaming issues if your keezer is in a hot environment like a garage the southern US.

Other things to watch out for are line restrictions and joints that can cause nucleation (foaming) within the lines.

 

[HopHead10]

Thanks, sounds too complicated...

Got a new regulator,





hooked it up, and connected the QD on the correct post. Turned on the gas and heard a "hiss" sound around the QD. Sprayed with star San and it was bubbling below the QD and where the knob lock is:





Still think these kegs are messed up.

 

[HopHead10]

If you look close enough at the bottom picture you can see a big bubble from the lock on the qd

 

[JuanMoore]

Still think these kegs are messed up.

Could be, but it's more likely that your QD's are jacked up from all of your monkeying with the wrong posts, not pulling the sleeve up, etc. It's hard to tell from your description and the small pic, but it sounds like the leak location confirms this.

 

[HopHead10]

It is under the qd between the QD and the gas post more so than pnthe actual QD. But there are bubbles in both locations...

 

[Stevo2569]

Try and take the QD apart with a flat tip and lube and re-seat the o-ring inside.

 

[Dan]

Thanks, do you have any links to referenced "balancing" strategy?

click on the below link and then go half way down the page and click on

>> Click Here To Proceed To Link Destination <<

Good information here

Crockett Brewing Keg System Balancing

 

[mattd2]

Could be, but it's more likely that your QD's are jacked up from all of your monkeying with the wrong posts, not pulling the sleeve up, etc. It's hard to tell from your description and the small pic, but it sounds like the leak location confirms this.

Or the post o-ring could be magled from that moneking around. Check it is still in good condition and not all split, twisted, cut... and even then it could just be old.