Clog. What should I have in my toolbox?

[AlexKay]

So, two of the faucets on my keezer are dispensing really, really slowly. Searching the forums tells me this is probably a clog in the liquid out post. My question is, what tools and spares should I have on hand when it's time to take these apart and fix them?

Do I need special wrenches, or is a big adjustable ok? A dip-tube brush? A spare poppet? (and if so, what kind?) A spare post? Anything else that could be going wrong in there where I should have a back-up or specialized tool? I'm only going to take these apart when I'm right about to fill them, so I'd like to be prepared.

Thanks!

 

[Knightshade]

If it is a corny, a 17mm wrench should fit right over the post and allow you to disconnect it w/o incident. At least that is what I use on mine. Spare o-rings are never a bad thing to have on hand regardless. Some keg lube to keep those o-rings healthy probably wouldn't hurt either.

Spare poppet..springs...I guess that depends on what kind of post you have as they're not one size fits all..but those things look fairly hardy unless your keg is well loved/used.

Dip tube brush..yeah, for sure. I usually use a beer faucet brush to clean the posts, springs, etc.

 

[day_trippr]

fyi, wrt cornelius style keg posts there are two major post wrench sizes - 11/16, and 7/8. Of the latter, there are 6 and 12 point posts...

Cheers!

 

[passedpawn]

So, two of the faucets on my keezer are dispensing really, really slowly. Searching the forums tells me this is probably a clog in the liquid out post. My question is, what tools and spares should I have on hand when it's time to take these apart and fix them?

Do I need special wrenches, or is a big adjustable ok? A dip-tube brush? A spare poppet? (and if so, what kind?) A spare post? Anything else that could be going wrong in there where I should have a back-up or specialized tool? I'm only going to take these apart when I'm right about to fill them, so I'd like to be prepared.

Thanks!

This one tool will open every corny keg in existence. Buy it you must.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SQYNKHQ/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_8ENBFbJDXV99W

 

[passedpawn]

So, two of the faucets on my keezer are dispensing really, really slowly. Searching the forums tells me this is probably a clog in the liquid out post. My question is, what tools and spares should I have on hand when it's time to take these apart and fix them?

Do I need special wrenches, or is a big adjustable ok? A dip-tube brush? A spare poppet? (and if so, what kind?) A spare post? Anything else that could be going wrong in there where I should have a back-up or specialized tool? I'm only going to take these apart when I'm right about to fill them, so I'd like to be prepared.

Thanks!

Do you have flow control taps? IOW, the type with a lever on the side that lets you control the rate of flow?

 

[AlexKay]

Do you have flow control taps? IOW, the type with a lever on the side that lets you control the rate of flow?

Nope, regular old Intertaps.

 

[bracconiere]

as far as the posts, i just use these.....

https://www.walmart.com/ip/STANLEY-...zXXYsvkRv-csi_WkrzOGF2ab2oGfseRoaAiG3EALw_wcB
o-rings i bought like a pack of 20 sets.....

 

[day_trippr]

Heathen!

 

[NitrogenWidget]

I lean towards pin-locks so I have one slotted socket to rule them all.
crescent wrench for ball locks because i have two sizes.
though i like to save the ball locks up for mass soaking. then i'll break out my deep well set.

but, 100% of the time my liquid side clogs it's because of hops or berries that got through the siphon and muslin bag somehow.

the poppet spring is usually a solid mass at that point.

I've learned the easiest but messiest way to deal with this is just take the liquid connector off and let all the crap bubble out with some low pressure applied then carefully put it back in my keggorator.
then hose off the patio.
tired of the clearing then having to do it multiple times.
9/10 times if i'm careful nothing will end up near the dip tube until it's pretty much empty.

though the most recent problem was blueberry puree.
i use hop tubes or bags to dry hop and now i've started making hop tea in my french press to "dry hop" or just toss hops in at flame out and let them steep while the wort chiller does it's thing.

 

[bracconiere]

Heathen!

one wrench to rule them all! lol

two pin locks to fit under the control panel in back of the fridge, 3 ball locks with hex posts, one ball lock with some weird thing, and the pliers work on all of them....

 

[AlexKay]

I'm not sure why I'm having this problem: no fruit, and never any dry-hopping. I probably transfer a little bit of trub from the fermenter, but not too much. I guess I'll see when I take the liquid post apart!

 

[govner1]

In the future consider shortening your dip tube by about 1/2” and put a SS mesh screen over the end. This will help prevent trub, etc. from plugging up your poppet.
As an alternative you can add a Clear Beer Draught System to your keg(s). The floating pickup helps prevent picking up any residue and has a SS filter built in.

 

[Yooper]

I'm not sure why I'm having this problem: no fruit, and never any dry-hopping. I probably transfer a little bit of trub from the fermenter, but not too much. I guess I'll see when I take the liquid post apart!

I have a keg now that had some hops debris/trub and clogged the poppet.

Make sure you relieve ALL of the pressure (unless you want to clean beer off of your ceiling.............) remove the post and diptube and clean them out.

Do you clean the kegs/posts well after every beer is gone? I was chatting here with someone who never had even taken the post off, just ran sanitizer through it after each batch was gone. Once he took off the post, took it apart, and looked he was totally grossed out. I also "eyeball" the diptube and use a long diptube brush to clean it out. Remember, you can't sanitize something that is dirty!

 

[S-Met]

Not saying it isn't a keg issue, but fixed my friends kegerator with similar by realizing that one of the liquid lines was close or touching the cooling element and had about a 50-60% block from an in-line beer-sickle.

 

[AlexKay]

Do you clean the kegs/posts well after every beer is gone? I was chatting here with someone who never had even taken the post off, just ran sanitizer through it after each batch was gone.

Er, um, it’s possible that ... a friend of mine does the same thing.

 

[Yooper]

Er, um, it’s possible that ... a friend of mine does the same thing.

When your friend finally does remove the posts and "eyeball" the long diptube, they may be surprised that it's not as clean as expected. The poppets can be clogged with debris. You can let them know that it may not be as bad as mine (I make more very hoppy beers) but they should do it anyway.

But removing the post and long diptube on the "out" line would be enough for now. And of course, take apart the quick disconnect on the liquid line while you're at it. Those can also hold a ton of debris and cause problems.