Clogged dip tube

[Rob2010SS]

How do you fix a clogged dip tube on a keg after you just transferred a fresh batch to it? I thought about hooking up the co2 to the out post on the keg and blasting it but don't want to cause any oxidation issues...

 

[McKnuckle]

Sometimes the poppet is clogged rather than the dip tube itself. Pull the release valve to vent any head space pressure. Then unscrew the post and examine the poppet and spring. You might be done at that point.

If not, then a blast of CO2 is not going to oxidize the beer. It’s not oxygen! But it might not be enough depending on how badly clogged the tube is.

If all else fails, remove the entire dip tube and just plug or cover the post opening while you work on it. Purge the keg of O2 when it’s all re-installed.

Your only other choice is to not drink the beer so might as well suck it up and try these options! Good luck.

 

[Rob2010SS]

Sometimes the poppet is clogged rather than the dip tube itself. Pull the release valve to vent any head space pressure. Then unscrew the post and examine the poppet and spring. You might be done at that point.

If not, then a blast of CO2 is not going to oxidize the beer. It’s not oxygen! But it might not be enough depending on how badly clogged the tube is.

If all else fails, remove the entire dip tube and just plug or cover the post opening while you work on it. Purge the keg of O2 when it’s all re-installed.

Your only other choice is to not drink the beer so might as well suck it up and try these options! Good luck.

Thanks man. Appreciate the help. Never taken apart the posts on the keg. Is it as simple as it looks - unscrew it from the top of the keg and pull it right off?

I have another keg. If all else fails, i could just swap the dip tubes too at that point.

 

[McKnuckle]

If you have another keg that’s empty, practice on that. It will only be a mystery til the first time you do it.

It’s as easy as unscrewing the post, BUT hold a finger under it when you liberate it so the poppet and spring don’t fall out and disappear.

I could try to explain in words how it’s constructed, but Google will probably help more.

 

[BrewingAroundtheRrealm]

I've run in to this problem. I have a video on how to set up a ball lock keg for first use. Including removing the posts.

 

[Rob2010SS]

If you have another keg that’s empty, practice on that. It will only be a mystery til the first time you do it.

It’s as easy as unscrewing the post, BUT hold a finger under it when you liberate it so the poppet and spring don’t fall out and disappear.

I could try to explain in words how it’s constructed, but Google will probably help more.

Good advice, thanks man. I took the post off and it wasn't the problem. I pushed co2 through the dip tube and it seemed to fix it. For now anyway

 

[Rob2010SS]

I've run in to this problem. I have a video on how to set up a ball lock keg for first use. Including removing the posts.

Awesome! I'l check out that video! I still need to figure out how to pull out the dip tube so that will help.

 

[gnef]

Depending on how large the particulate matter is that is clogging, something I've done is to depressurize the keg, remove the post, remove the poppet from the post, and reinstall the post. Yes, it will have a big open hole right now. Then I take my disconnect, take it apart, and remove its poppet, and then attach that to the keg post.

This has worked well for me to get the gunk out, as long as it is smaller than the opening of the dip tube and the opening of the poppet. If you do this, you need to remember, because if you take off the disconnect while the keg is still pressurized, you will quickly get a shower in beer. You have to depressurize the keg again, and follow the same steps to reinstall the poppet to get it to seal up again.