Carboy to Corny Keg Pressure transfer takes 1hr/5.5 gallons

[theQ]

I am running into an strange issue when I pressure transfer from carboys to my corny kegs.

Last night decided to do my 3 carboys transfer to 3 corny kegs.

Setup description

Carboy is raised 4 feet from the ground using a regular cap that has 1 gas post mounted to it, and a stainless steel cane thru it. The post is connected to my 5lbs CO2 tank set 1 psi.

The beer line is more like a siphon line to better fit it to the cane. All the connections are tighten with a ring clamp, no leakage. The end of the beer line is a black, liquid post.

That is connected to the corny check that at ground level. The valve is open.


Here is what's happening the beer barely gets in the keg - literally took me 3+ hours to do 3 of them.

Troubleshooting
- if I push the little pin inside the black quick disconnect the beer is coming out.
- if I disconnect the C02, and connect an open ended gas connector the CO2 comes out of the carboy in a hurry.
- i thought there is a counter pressure built up in the keg but the valve is open, the valve works also I did the same test with an unconnected gas connector and there is no counter pressure built into the keg.

This should be gravity feed with a bit of pressure given the 4 feet level difference.

My only conclusion is that the puppets in the liquid post are super strong, however, these are the same kegs I use to dispense the beer. Also tried another black/liquid connector that i used to dispense beer and still the same.

Any wild thing you think I haven't tried yet ?

 

[mongoose33]

I'd guess you're getting trub in the beer and it's clogging the poppets or the plastic poppet in the quick disconnect--or at some other place you're getting a constriction.

I do something similar to you though I don't add pressure. It typically might take 20 or 25 minutes to drain a 5-gallon fermenter through the OUT post using a gravity feed only.

When I've had a slow drain into the keg, sometimes what works is to close then open the spigot again. This usually clears whatever piece of trub might be blocking flow.

 

[thekraken]

I agree it sounds like you're getting a clog. I'd put a filter on the end of the racking cane. Day_trippr has a post on the forum with pics of a good setup. Just take a peice of mesh fabric like from a paint strainer bag and wrap it around the end of the cane with a stainless steel washer or something inside to maximize surface area of the filter, attach it to the cane with a rubber band.

 

[theQ]

If I slightly unscrew the plastic screw that is on top of the black quick connector the beer is coming out. If I push the pin on the black connector beer is coming out.

It for sure post the connector I wonder if my puppets on liquid post got jammed but out the 3 kegs two had saison in then prior to this batch

Thank you for the input. I will try to pop one open. Hopping the condition didn't start...

 

[thekraken]

The dip tube can get clogged too. Doing just as you're doing I once had to take the keg post off and run a dip tube brush all the way through the tube. This was before I started filtering at the racking cane.

I have to ask, did you have a pressure relief valve open on the keg?

 

[theQ]

The dip tube can get clogged too. Doing just as you're doing I once had to take the keg post off and run a dip tube brush all the way through the tube. This was before I started filtering at the racking cane.

I have to ask, did you have a pressure relief valve open on the keg?

Yes, also used a open ended gas connector on the connector post to be sure, here the original paragraph were I mentioned that.

- i thought there is a counter pressure built up in the keg but the valve is open, the valve works also I did the same test with an unconnected gas connector and there is no counter pressure built into the keg.

 

[day_trippr]

fwiw, I use 3/8" tubing to speed up transfers vs 3/16" ID beer line.
The 3/8" fits tight around my SS racking tube and the other end I shove over the threads of the disconnect and stick a worm clamp on it...

Cheers!

 

[theQ]

fwiw, I use 3/8" tubing to speed up transfers vs 3/16" ID beer line.
The 3/8" fits tight around my SS racking tube and the other end I shove over the threads of the disconnect and stick a worm clamp on it...

Cheers!

That's exactly how I have it too, first attempt was with beer line then I when with the siphone tubing.

I can't seem to get it what happened.
I popped the liquid posts out and they were clean, no sign blockage ! wth!

I will have to do a dry run test (water/starsan) once I free up my kegs ...

Cheers !

 

[beersk]

The same thing was happening with a friend of mine who was trying to keg from his brewbucket to the keg through the liquid post and the beer was essentially not flowing. It didn't make a bit of sense. We had the brewbucket elevated above the keg, keg PRV was open, the beer was NOT flowing into the keg. There was no blockage or anything. Gravity should've done the trick. So, if anyone has any other suggestions, I'd be curious to know too, because I'm baffled.

 

[theQ]

If you ask me is the post to quick liquid connector !

I started having issue dispensing the beer from the same kegs I pushed the beer to.

If I unscrew or mess with the top for the quick disconnect post I get some flow if not there is nothing coming out.

My conclusion is that the issue is the liquid quick connect. The spring and the inside "poppet" needs to align properly inside the liquid quick connect (the black connector)

Another think I need to add here is that I use some Indian made corny kegs, maybe their poppets springs are stronger than usual - one thing I can vouch for sure is that if I push the keg post poppet the beer is coming out with a vengeance, clearly there is no blockage at the keg level !!!!