First pour foamy

[bracconiere]

So i recently upgraded my lines from 12' 1/4" ID, to 10' 3/16" ID.


now i'm assuming the reason my first pour is foamy is line temp is warmer then the keg? do you agree? what gives me doubt though, is it comes out like the PSI is set to 25 or something. would that be normal for a warm draft line?

i would have thought the flow would be the same rate just foamy?

Thanks!

 

[marc1]

Pour a second one!
That'll find out if it's a line temp issue.

Maybe it's not actually 3/16"?

 

[bracconiere]

Pour a second one!

well this a reacurring thing with the new line. and i'm allready up to 4, it's almost noon for god sake....and yeah i'm just wondering why it would pour faster and not just foamy....it's hard to believe that the line would hold the pressure without equilizing with the keg pressure?

 

[bracconiere]

or would be a matter of friction? hmmm? because the first pour is like 3-4 seconds then the subsaquent ones are 8-9.....

 

[marc1]

Are the other parts the same? This is very strange.

Haven't changed CO2 pressure?

What's the sun doing now?

 

[bracconiere]

What's the sun doing now?

it's just coming up! that's why it's my first pour! but on a serious note, this isn't a weight issue.

 

[Cool_Hand_Luke]

or would be a matter of friction? hmmm? because the first pour is like 3-4 seconds then the subsaquent ones are 8-9.....

Yep. You got it. Not enough friction in the new lines to balance the pressure. Your new lines have approx 1.8x the cross sectional area. You’ll either need a smaller diameter line or a much longer hose. Do a search for draft balancing and you should find a number of threads that will point you in the right direction. There are decent numbers for most draft lines in psi drop/ft at a pour rate that won’t be foam inducing.

If your taps are about the same level as your keg, just take your serving pressure and divide by the pressure drop/ft of line. That will give you the length of tubing you need.

Out of curiosity why did you switch to larger bore lines?

Edit: I read your original post wrong. I though you switched the other way round. Your new lines are smaller in diameter. This is odd. Are they both the same materials?

 

[bracconiere]

Yep. You got it. Not enough friction in the new lines to balance the pressure. Your new lines have approx 1.8x the cross sectional area. You’ll either need a smaller diameter line or a much longer hose. Do a search for draft balancing and you should find a number of threads that will point you in the right direction. There are decent numbers for most draft lines in psi drop/ft at a pour rate that won’t be foam inducing.

If your taps are about the same level as your keg, just take your serving pressure and divide by the pressure drop/ft of line. That will give you the length of tubing you need.

Out of curiosity why did you switch to larger bore lines?

 

[Cool_Hand_Luke]

I read your original post incorrectly. Looks like you switched to smaller diameter lines (I read it backwards). Are the lines the same material?

 

[bracconiere]

I read your original post incorrectly. Looks like you switched to smaller diameter lines (I read it backwards). Are the lines the same material?

yeah both PVC vinyl. but i'm thinking it's a temp thing. i just have a top freezer fridge for my kegerator, and have my lines coiled in the door...


damn, man! you're a genious, and maybe my hero! i just bought a pack of those double nail thingies, to nail my HDMI cable to the ceiling, think i'll use them, or try to anyway to nail my draft lines to the top of the fridge part!

 

[Cool_Hand_Luke]

yeah both PVC vinyl. but i'm thinking it's a temp thing. i just have a top freezer fridge for my kegerator, and have my lines coiled in the door...

The speed of the pour still makes this seem like a friction issue, unless your glass is just filling with foam in 4 seconds vs. the usual 9 seconds. You've got the internals of your ball lock connector installed right? 10' of 3/16" should be relatively balanced.

 

[bracconiere]

You've got the internals of your ball lock connector installed right?

i'm not sure? but yeah the FIRST pour is all foam..then subsequint pours are fine. and all i do is have my co2 line with a gove in the door seal going in, so, i'm think ing there's a temp differential between my very significant 10' of 3/16"...just surprised it'd make it pour faster, and not just slow and foamy...


an observation i guess, but i took your advice and screwed my line to the top of the fridge interior above the kegs. see how tomorrow morning goes!

 

[Cool_Hand_Luke]

i'm not sure? but yeah the FIRST pour is all foam..then subsequint pours are fine. and all i do is have my co2 line with a gove in the door seal going in, so, i'm think ing there's a temp differential between my very significant 10' of 3/16"...just surprised it'd make it pour faster, and not just slow and foamy...


an observation i guess, but i took your advice and screwed my line to the top of the fridge interior above the kegs. see how tomorrow morning goes!

Temp issue sounds probable then. Also I'm flattered, but I think screwing your line to your fridge was your idea.

 

[bracconiere]

Also I'm flattered, but I think screwing your line to your fridge was your idea.

no man, i assure you, i only get ideas like that listening to other people. inspiration comes in all forms! (still gotta wait till tomorrow morning to see if worked though! )

 

[bracconiere]

welp...unfortantly, keg kicked first pour this morning. so i taped my keg of cider, but never have foam with that....