Cleaning Intertap Flow Control Faucets

[brew703]

Does anyone know if there is a you tube video on how to disassemble these faucets? I'm having major foaming issues with one faucet- I took this faucet apart except for the guts, soaked in hot PBW, cleaned the lines and still foaming.
I'm thinking there is something in the actual guts of the faucet that is causing the foaming.

The liquid post is clear so it isn't that. I use Bev Seal ultra tubing, which gets cleaned after each keg kicks. Only think I can think would be the guts of the faucet.

 

[brew703]

I got the faucet taken apart-there was some crud inside the faucet but it wasn't bad.
I've had my keezer for a year now and never had foaming issues like I am having now.
Could a little crud be the cause of the foaming issues or could it be something else?

 

[IslandLizard]

Is the cleaned faucet still misbehaving?
Have you checked your actual keg pressure?

If the keg pressure is correct, switch the line to one of your well working taps and see if the foaming persists. That would indicate a problem with that one faucet.
Otherwise the problem lies in a different area, most likely the keg/beer, possibly the line.

 

[brew703]

Is the cleaned faucet still misbehaving?
Have you checked your actual keg pressure?

If the keg pressure is correct, switch the line to one of your well working taps and see if the foaming persists. That would indicate a problem with that one faucet.
Otherwise the problem lies in a different area, most likely the keg/beer, possibly the line.

I'm in the process of putting it back together- the keg PSI is 12 so it should not be causing any foam.

 

[brew703]

The faucet doesn't appear to be the problem. Still pouring foam. It's not a silent/smooth pour. Just doesn't sound right when pouring. The only other thing it could be is the dip tube or liquid post- I'll take apart the liquid post tomorrow and see if there is anything in there causing the issue. I think i have a spare dip tube so may try and swap that out. Outside of that I have no clue.

 

[IslandLizard]

You could clean the dip tube if you suspect it got clogged somehow. Also check your QD, maybe something got stuck in the post or QD springs. I've had threads from a Starsaned cloth in there a few times... The Starsan disintegrates fabric over time.

Have you checked the line for kinks or pinches?

Do you use JG adapters on your line?

 

[brew703]

So I've switched out the dip tube, liquid post and disconnect and still foaming. Outside of changing out the line, I have no clue what could be causing the foam. Since I am using Bev Flex ultra tubing (15'), no way this stuff can kink. And I am using JG fittings and those have been cleaned as well. I cleaned the tubing yesterday with BLC, then rinsed with hot water then Starsan so I'm 100% sure that is nothing in the line that could be causing the issue. At least from a visual inspection.
I do have another 15-20' of Bev Flex ultra I guess I could try but I really do no think that's the issue.
Could it be something with the keg itself or the faucet?
Any other suggestions?

 

[IslandLizard]

Not sure how the flow is controlled (restricted) in those faucets, I only have good old SS 525s, but if there's something wrong with that mechanism, it surely can create foaming, as you already suspected.

I use the same line, it's indeed hard to deform, but it could happen, like a sharp bend somewhere.

Do you see any foaming in the line?
Did you inspect the JG fittings? Maybe an seal got loose and sticks out in the beer path? Grasping at straws, of course.

You said it doesn't sound normal, that's probably from the area that causes the foaming, such as the flow control. It does something to reduce flow, which can cause foaming if it doesn't work right, or something disturbs it. It is sucking (outside) air perhaps?

 

[brew703]

Thanks for the replies Island. Frustrating trying to diagnose the problem.

I do kinda see some bubbles in the line- never really noticed that before. But the sound I mentioned could be some air or something but have no clue what could cause that.
As for as the JG fittings, I inspected when I changed out everything and I didn't see any issues.
I pulled apart the entire faucet, seals and all. the inner seal had some crud so I cleaned it. After cleaning the faucet, lines and fittings I didn't see anything that could be causing an issue.
If there is air getting in the line, what could that be from? As for the line, it's neatly coiled up and I didn't see anything inside the line that would possible cause an issue.
I guess I could switch the line from my other tap and see if that solves the issue. If it doesn't, then I must be the faucet right?

 

[IslandLizard]

Yup^
Isolate the culprit.

Air can be sucked in anywhere, bad connection on the JG, faucet connection, flow control lever/assembly, etc.
Have you checked your QD, is the cap screwed down tight with the rubber o-ring in place?

 

[brew703]

Yep- checked the QD, even replaced it with a spare I had. the FC lever is tight and appears to be sealed well.
I'm gonna switch out the line today and see if that helps. All tubing is set in the JG fitting as tight as it could go.
If the tubing doesn't solve the issue, then I'll have to lean towards the faucet but I don't see how all of a sudden I could be having issues. These faucets are just over a year old.
The disconnects get cleaned whenever I keg new beer, as does all equipment.

 

[brew703]

I do see some bubbles in the beer line- should there be any if how would you determine if it's air or co2?

 

[mongoose33]

A few thoughts:

1. You say the keg pressure is 12psi, but is that an actual measured pressure or is that what the regulator reads?

Do you have a picnic tap? If so, put that on there and see what you get for beer/foam. If the picnic tap pours fine, then the carbonation level is also fine.

2. I went back and re-read the thread looking for the post that says you swapped the line (QD) to a different keg to see if it was the keg or the line/faucet. Couldn't see anything that says you did. Did you do that?

3. Here's a way you could get foaming, though I think it's unlikely: suppose there's a pinhole in your dip tube somewhere, say, 2/3 of the way up from the bottom. When the beer level falls below that pinhole, drawing beer from that keg will get beer....and CO2 from the headspace.

I say this because there are other places a seal would not be perfect and may admit CO2 to the beer stream and cause foaming.

******

So, diagnostically, the name of the game is to isolate components. If you swap the line to another keg and the problem goes away, it's something in the keg. If not, it's something in the line or faucet or connectors. Keep doing that until you isolate the problem.

 

[IslandLizard]

I do see some bubbles in the beer line- should there be any if how would you determine if it's air or co2?

A few bubbles aren't detrimental, but many of them means something is definitely wrong.

CO2 can be redissolved, air cannot. Not easy to tell what it is, the cause, or what's happening, just an indication something is not quite right.

 

[Pintabone]

I have a similar issue with two Intertap flow control faucets. I don't know what the issue is but it pours entirely foam and makes a hissing sound as it pours. Very frustrating. I do see some bubbles in the line and replaced the diptube gasket but haven't had any luck.

 

[IslandLizard]

I have a similar issue with two Intertap flow control faucets. I don't know what the issue is but it pours entirely foam and makes a hissing sound as it pours. Very frustrating. I do see some bubbles in the line and replaced the diptube gasket but haven't had any luck.

Have you switched those lines to the good taps to see if it fixes the foaming? That would surely point toward a foaming problem with those taps.

 

[brew703]

I have a similar issue with two Intertap flow control faucets. I don't know what the issue is but it pours entirely foam and makes a hissing sound as it pours. Very frustrating. I do see some bubbles in the line and replaced the diptube gasket but haven't had any luck.

Exact same issue I am having. I'm at a loss of what could be causing the issue. I find it hard to believe it's the faucet since it's just a year old. I already took the one I was having issues with and broke it down, soaked it in PBW along with the shank. It had a little build up of crud but I don't think it was enough to cause an issue.

I did replace the liquid post and the poppit inside this post is bad but I'm still having issues with the replacement one. I haven't replaced the line yet- will do that today. I really don't want to replace the faucet but I'm getting really frustrated trying to figure out the cause.

 

[brew703]

I also noticed the lines are not completely filled with liquid. Never really noticed that before and not sure if that is supposed to be like that. Not sure how air could be getting into the lines as nothing appears to be leaking.
Looking at the lines when I open the tap, I can see voids of beer from the keg to the tap and that seems to be the hissing sound as Pintabone mentioned. It's never done that until recently. My keezer temp is set at 35 with a 2 degree swing- Beer pours at 38-40 degrees. PSI is set at 13.
Since kegs are sealed how can air get into a line? Doesn't make sense to me but I'm no scientist. If my tubing and JG fitting isn't sealing correctly, shouldn't there be leaking beer someplace?