CO2 to Two Kegs

[bukwas_brew]

So we have two beers carbing right now. We bought a metal barbed T to split the CO2 but it seems that some beer is coming out of one keg and starting to creep its way into the other keg. Any ideas on how to stop this? Check valve? Let me know!

 

[Hello]

Wait, are you saying that literally you can see beer coming up into the regulator and back down into the other beer? Is it possible that you have your gas in the liquid side of the keg leaking beer?

BTW, turn everything off for now. Beer in a regulator seems like a no-no to me.

 

[insanim8er]

Yes check valves will keep that from happening, but you should check your hoses for leaking. Also if you're doing force carbonation with the "set it forget it" method, you shouldn't be plugged into your liquid side.

If you are on your gas side, you're over filling your kegs. Unless your kegs are a laying on their side I guess. If that's the case, set them up.

 

[bukwas_brew]

No, our regulator is good. The main CO2 hose has a T split so the gas goes evenly to both kegs. However, I notice the beer from both kegs teetering through that T split.

 

[HumulusHead]

So why is there beer coming thru your Co2 line then?

Are the kegs on theirs sides?

What is the gravity set to in your house?


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[HumulusHead]

Unless your kegs are so full that they are reaching the smaller Co2 dip tube... How much beer you got in them kegs


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[mlafnitzegger]

You may not have a check valve on your gas t splitter. I had this issue when I first started and a guy sold me his and it did not have the check valves. Beer would move between the kegs at times or even to the regulator. I replaced with a 4 way splitter that had the valves. If yours are missing the valves you can purchase at your local or online HBS. Here's a picture of the one I use now (actually not this minute as I am refurbishing my keezer).

 

[mlafnitzegger]

or your valves are defective...

 

[mlafnitzegger]

HumulusHead
Would that cause the liquid back flow or just prevent proper carbonation? Sure if he tips or shakes then the liquid could flow. But if untouched would the liquid still be able to flow?

 

[HumulusHead]

Would that cause the liquid back flow or just prevent proper carbonation? Sure if he tips or shakes then the liquid could flow. But if untouched would the liquid still be able to flow?

I agree. Unless this was happening on the moon. I mean the beer shouldn't flow thru the co2 dip tube unless it's up to the dip tube or if it was pressurized enough to push the beer up the tube. I assume the beer ain't floating in your keg


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[mlafnitzegger]

Also a good way to check if valves are working is to disconnect all hoses from t and try blowing through both gas outputs with them in the open position. You shouldn't be able to.

 

[Toga]

You need check valves. As you push liquid from your serving keg the pressure drops in the serving keg. This will cause the greater pressure in the other keg to push gas or if very full liquid as well back into the gas line to equalize the pressure in the serving keg. Some refer to this as "keg talk" and will cause flavors to mix and not so good results in the long run. An inline check valve between your tee and your gas connector for each keg will take care of your issue. Kynar check valves are cheap and will do the trick. You can get them on ebay cheap. I have been using them on my homemade manifold successfully for a couple years thanks to a tip from another forum member.

 

[HumulusHead]

You need check valves. As you push liquid from your serving keg the pressure drops in the serving keg. This will cause the greater pressure in the other keg to push gas or if very full liquid as well back into the gas line to equalize the pressure in the serving keg. Some refer to this as "keg talk" and will cause flavors to mix and not so good results in the long run. An inline check valve between your tee and your gas connector for each keg will take care of your issue. Kynar check valves are cheap and will do the trick. You can get them on ebay cheap. I have been using them on my homemade manifold successfully for a couple years thanks to a tip from another forum member.

Thank you for this explanation. I now understand. I don't think the liquid would be an issue if you only are putting five gallons in the keg. But I never thought about the flavored air moving from one keg to another. Now that I know that, I will be adding check valves into my setup!


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[jbaysurfer]

Thank you for this explanation. I now understand. I don't think the liquid would be an issue if you only are putting five gallons in the keg. But I never thought about the flavored air moving from one keg to another. Now that I know that, I will be adding check valves into my setup!

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Not sure how you're convinced that the "flavored air" moving from one keg to another is a concern, but the beer doing that isn't?

At any rate, if you can see beer moving up into that T, your regulator is at risk of getting beer pushed back into it..which will ruin a much more expensive part. Check valves protect that from happening.

Also, if your gas is hooked to your gas line, the kegs are not tilted, or even put on their side, then the only way beer gets into the gas line is if you've over filled. Look inside an empty keg. The C02 dip tube is VERY short. The liquid level has to cover that opening to be an issue.

 

[HumulusHead]

Not sure how you're convinced that the "flavored air" moving from one keg to another is a concern, but the beer doing that isn't?



At any rate, if you can see beer moving up into that T, your regulator is at risk of getting beer pushed back into it..which will ruin a much more expensive part. Check valves protect that from happening.



Also, if your gas is hooked to your gas line, the kegs are not tilted, or even put on their side, then the only way beer gets into the gas line is if you've over filled. Look inside an empty keg. The C02 dip tube is VERY short. The liquid level has to cover that opening to be an issue.

I'm just saying the beer shouldn't be going thru the line and never does or will in my system due to I never fill to the dip tube.

I'm saying the flavored air would be my only reason to add the valves, if any reason




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[jbaysurfer]

I'm just saying the beer shouldn't be going thru the line and never does or will in my system due to I never fill to the dip tube.

I'm saying the flavored air would be my only reason to add the valves, if any reason




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But you said straight up that you saw beer going through that T? Anyway, maybe I'm misunderstanding...

"Flavored Air" is 12 of 50 pts on a BJCP score card...I would take the idea of my IIPA aroma getting into my Scotch Ale pretty seriously..but that's just me.

Check valves are safety devices. Just like backflow preventers are required in commercial construction to prevent water from a commercial building from backflowing into the municipal system (even though on the surface the pressure runs the other way, so there wouldn't be any need). How you protect your regulator from a mishap is up to you though, I'm just trying to help out. If you're new to kegging, there are some mistakes you can make that will cost you money. Not double checking for gas leaks is one, not using a check valve to protect your regulator is the other. This little device keeps the right beer and aroma in the right keg, and keeps both from getting in your regulator:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/360480523879?lpid=82

A "T" is a shortcut, and it's cheaper, but it's not the right way to do it. I keep one of those splitters w/ check valves on my 3rd accesory tank even. If you're going to continue kegging and maybe increasing your number of taps...you'll never regret spending the $25.

Edit: I'll leave the above since I went to such great lengths to explain but I apologize Humulus Head, I thought you were the OP and was getting multiple posters and their comments mixed up.

 

[HumulusHead]

No prob jbaysurfer I get what you are saying anyways, I got a little confused about that too is all.

Thanks for the link tho I think I will also look into getting that


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[HumulusHead]

What if I have T valve on my out port from two different kegs with two different beers? I've always been a fan of DQ twist cones

Couldn't help myself sorry


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[jbaysurfer]

What if I have T valve on my out port from two different kegs with two different beers? I've always been a fan of DQ twist cones

Couldn't help myself sorry


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LOL...one of the greatest privileges of being a kegging homebrewer, I've found, is the creativity doesn't stop at recipe formulation, it extends right to the blend of beers I put into my glass.

One of my favorites to date was to blend my American Barley Wine with my RIS. Especially shortly after dryhopping the barleywine. Delicious!

 

[bukwas_brew]

Yeah we definitely need a check valve. The reason we didn't get a splitter with valves is because they were almost $70 for a two way. The guy at the HB store said "Just get this T and hook it to your gas line and you'll be good. Nope, I'm not. I think we need to snag a splitter with the check valves and just use that so we don't have that "keg talk" and a ruined product since the T has no way of stopping beer from running from one keg air line to the other.

 

[jbaysurfer]

Yeah we definitely need a check valve. The reason we didn't get a splitter with valves is because they were almost $70 for a two way. The guy at the HB store said "Just get this T and hook it to your gas line and you'll be good. Nope, I'm not. I think we need to snag a splitter with the check valves and just use that so we don't have that "keg talk" and a ruined product since the T has no way of stopping beer from running from one keg air line to the other.

Be sure to check that link I gave above. You can get them so much cheaper then that. Less then half price even. I strongly prefer buying locally, but when retailers do stuff like mark up specialty parts 200% I consider that a compelling reason to buy off the net.

 

[Toga]

Yeah we definitely need a check valve. The reason we didn't get a splitter with valves is because they were almost $70 for a two way. The guy at the HB store said "Just get this T and hook it to your gas line and you'll be good. Nope, I'm not. I think we need to snag a splitter with the check valves and just use that so we don't have that "keg talk" and a ruined product since the T has no way of stopping beer from running from one keg air line to the other.

Get a couple inline check valves. Even if you find a manifold for $40 you can build you own with 3 or 4 way splitters, tubing, stainless steel hose clamps, and inline kynar check valves at a fraction of the price and it will take a little as 10 minutes to build while watching TV. I built mine for around $12 to use with 3 kegs. I can add as many additional gas lines as needed with check valves for about $3 per line. This of course is not including the cost of gas line connector for the keg which will be purchased separately regardless of what you use for a manifold. The only down side to the DIY manifold is you do not have separate shut off valves for each keg as you do with a traditional manifold to shut off gas to the other kegs when force carbing a keg................so you have to disconnect the gas line from a couple kegs when carbing

 

[bukwas_brew]

We got a 3 way check valve manifold for pretty cheap so we're gonna use that now obviously. That way we have our solution to the beer going from tube to tube and we have room to expand! Problem solved! Here's to great brew and all your helpful suggestions!