Floating dip tube

[BongoYodeler]

Reviving this. Using this floating dip tube for the first time and getting 75% foam, 25% beer (wcipa), from the faucet. First tested it in water and it seemed to stay below the waterline, but it seems to be pulling CO2 with the beer causing lots of foam. Beer line length is correct. Regulator set to 12psi. Other beers in the keezer are pouring fine. I've swapped QD's just to rule them out. Also pulled and cleaned the faucet since I did have a small hop particle in my first pour and I wanted to rule out anything in the faucet obstructing the beer. Faucet looked fine though. Tough to drink a beer when it takes 10 minutes or more to get a full pour.

Any recommendations short of opening the keg and adding weight to the FDT line? Obviously not ideal with a heavily hopped ipa.

Still pouring 80% foam, so I pour a full glass, “drink” a little foam and let the rest settle a bit, then pour again,

repeat a few times. Eventually, 10 minutes or so, I can have a full pour.

 

[jcav]

Also something to look out for is sometimes there is a little tear or cut in the silicone tube that slides up and attaches to the out dip tube post. That little tear/cut will suck in C02 and it will spit and foam like crazy. If that is the case when you clean the keg before using it again you have to cut that small portion out. It will make the tubing a little shorter but will still work fine.

John

 

[odie]

until you open the keg and fix the tubing, it will continue to foam. I know it sucks to open the keg.

But if you can open it, pull out the float, remove it, slide a SS nut or fender washer on the tube and reattach the float...all will be right again.

Just bump the PRV a few times to purge the oxygen.

 

[BongoYodeler]

Also something to look out for is sometimes there is a little tear or cut in the silicone tube that slides up and attaches to the out dip tube post. That little tear/cut will suck in C02 and it will spit and foam like crazy. If that is the case when you clean the keg before using it again you have to cut that small portion out. It will make the tubing a little shorter but will still work fine.

John

Thanks, I’ll check for that when I pull it out.

 

[BongoYodeler]

until you open the keg and fix the tubing, it will continue to foam. I know it sucks to open the keg.

But if you can open it, pull out the float, remove it, slide a SS nut or fender washer on the tube and reattach the float...all will be right again.

Just bump the PRV a few times to purge the oxygen.

Yeah, I’m considering doing just that. Maybe Labor Day weekend and have some friends over to kill the keg before oxidation ruins it.

 

[DuncB]

Pour into a jug also helps!

 

[odie]

I really don't get the floating dip tubes with those screens attached. Seems like extra stuff that doesn't do anything but increases the complexity.

1. any hop debris or whatever is gonna drop like a rock when the keg it chilled for serving. simply not an issue of stuff getting sucked into the serving line. All mine are just an open tube below the float. I've never gotten anything sucked into the lines except beer. I don't see the harm of the screen but I also see no benefit.

2. For those who ferment and serve in the keg...that screen thing hangs so low that it will hit the yeast cake with a few pints of servable beer still on top. It's "possible" the intake of the tube "might" be held slightly above the yeast level to allow those last few pints to be served clean. Or it may just stir it all up when the screen hits the yeast cake and that's it for clear beer.

I do know that the basic floating dip tubes that are just the float and a 1" metal tube for the silicone hose to attach are pouring me clear beer until the very last drinkable pint. The first pour that is not clear the keg is pulled from service. When opened later there is no beer left on top, only yeast cake for re-pitching.

 

[moreb33rplz]

I really don't get the floating dip tubes with those screens attached. Seems like extra stuff that doesn't do anything but increases the complexity.

1. any hop debris or whatever is gonna drop like a rock when the keg it chilled for serving. simply not an issue of stuff getting sucked into the serving line. All mine are just an open tube below the float. I've never gotten anything sucked into the lines except beer. I don't see the harm of the screen but I also see no benefit.

2. For those who ferment and serve in the keg...that screen thing hangs so low that it will hit the yeast cake with a few pints of servable beer still on top. It's "possible" the intake of the tube "might" be held slightly above the yeast level to allow those last few pints to be served clean. Or it may just stir it all up when the screen hits the yeast cake and that's it for clear beer.

I do know that the basic floating dip tubes that are just the float and a 1" metal tube for the silicone hose to attach are pouring me clear beer until the very last drinkable pint. The first pour that is not clear the keg is pulled from service. When opened later there is no beer left on top, only yeast cake for re-pitching.

I dry hop loose in the keg, no way I'd do that without a filter or screen of some kind. Yeah the hops drop when it's cold but clogged kegs is the ultimate hassle.

I don't think there's any difference in getting the last few beers out of the keg either, I don't see how a tiny screen over my tube will rob me of multiple pints of beer but guess I've never really investigated it closely either

All that to say brew on, if no screen is working for you hell yeah, but I don't see any harm and enjoy the peace of mind I get from avoiding clogs

 

[odie]

I dry hop loose in the keg, no way I'd do that without a filter or screen of some kind. Yeah the hops drop when it's cold but clogged kegs is the ultimate hassle.

loose hops...yeah thats gonna be an issue on that last pint.

yeast cake is fine and will just flow out as fine silt into your last pint. hop trub is very different. gonna plug stuff up. I dry hop but with a stocking/sock.

loose yep go with the screen

 

[odie]

I don't think there's any difference in getting the last few beers out of the keg either, I don't see how a tiny screen over my tube will rob me of multiple pints of beer but guess I've never really investigated it closely either

it seems that the screen thing pulls the intake lower under the surface than without. maybe a couple pints difference?

either way...I would still recommend always adding a sliding weight to the silicone hose to keep the hose in a constant "dip". That eliminates any air pockets getting into the line causing foam pours

 

[Broken Crow]

Yeah, I’m considering doing just that. Maybe Labor Day weekend and have some friends over to kill the keg before oxidation ruins it.

Just a thought; Since you're going to have to depressurize anyway, rather than pop the lid open to fix the floating diptube, do you still have a full length solid diptube on hand? ...Maybe pull and turn the prv open with gas attached but running very low PSI so that it's continually but slowly flowing out of the keg while you remove the liquid post and see if you can pull the shortened diptube out, leaving the hose inside to remove later when its empty, and drop in a sanitized full length rplacement?
Just spit-balling on how to avoid O2 exposure.
Best of luck, it does look too nice to waste.

 

[sibelman]

incorrect way of using it

Clogs during closed transfer are super annoying, but not inevitable.

It's true that screens on floating dip tubes like FLOTit add another place where clogging can occur. Adding a filter (like the Bouncer) between fermenter and serving keg reduces (eliminates?) the risk.

 

[BongoYodeler]

Just a thought; Since you're going to have to depressurize anyway, rather than pop the lid open to fix the floating diptube, do you still have a full length solid diptube on hand? ...Maybe pull and turn the prv open with gas attached but running very low PSI so that it's continually but slowly flowing out of the keg while you remove the liquid post and see if you can pull the shortened diptube out, leaving the hose inside to remove later when its empty, and drop in a sanitized full length rplacement?
Just spit-balling on how to avoid O2 exposure.
Best of luck, it does look too nice to waste.

Thanks for the idea, interesting thought. I wonder how easy the tubing would separate from the dip tube simply by pulling the dip tube straight up. My guess is not very easily. I do have a couple spare full size dip tubes, as well as a shortened one, (that I cut 1 1/2 inches off of). Only issue I see with that is I have 7 1/2 oz of dry hops sitting commando at the bottom of the keg. Sounds like a recipe for a clog, even with a shortened dip tube.

 

[odie]

I wonder how easy the tubing would separate from the dip tube simply by pulling the dip tube straight up. My guess is not very easily.

that's probably the easiest way.

think of a chinese finger puzzle. when you are pulling the silicone tubing off the post, you are stretching it longer so it want's to get thinner...grabbing the dip tube tighter.

When you pull the dip tube from the keg, the silicone tube stops against the roof of the keg and bunches up, making it shorter and fatter. It loosens it's grip on the dip tube.

 

[Broken Crow]

Thanks for the idea, interesting thought. I wonder how easy the tubing would separate from the dip tube simply by pulling the dip tube straight up. My guess is not very easily. I do have a couple spare full size dip tubes, as well as a shortened one, (that I cut 1 1/2 inches off of). Only issue I see with that is I have 7 1/2 oz of dry hops sitting commando at the bottom of the keg. Sounds like a recipe for a clog, even with a shortened dip tube.

If you don't mind breaking out the dremel or whatever, you could do a couple long diagonal cuts to make the diptube a 'V' shape like a couple fangs...it'll leave more beer in the bottom, but be less likely plug, and if it does plug, keep CO2 on a liquid disconnect to blow it back out just in case. ...maybe?

PS: why is there no straight-faced "Hmmmm..." in the 'like' button selections?

 

[BongoYodeler]

that's probably the easiest way.

think of a chinese finger puzzle. when you are pulling the silicone tubing off the post, you are stretching it longer so it want's to get thinner...grabbing the dip tube tighter.

When you pull the dip tube from the keg, the silicone tube stops against the roof of the keg and bunches up, making it shorter and fatter. It loosens it's grip on the dip tube.

Interesting. Not what I would have thought, but if that's so then it might be the way to go. Just concerned about all the hops at the bottom.

@Broken Crow I'd rather not go that route to modify the dip tube that drastically as I do use it as is when I ferment in the keg. It sits high enough off the bottom to leave the compacted yeast behind when I transfer to the dry hop or serving keg.

 

[Graham H]

…keep CO2 on a liquid disconnect to blow it back out just in case. ...maybe?

I was thinking along these lines, too. I haven’t (yet) had this problem, so I can’t confirm/refute it as a technique. Has anyone ever had any luck doing this?

 

[balrog]

I was thinking along these lines, too. I haven’t (yet) had this problem, so I can’t confirm/refute it as a technique. Has anyone ever had any luck doing this?

<raises hand>
I do this when ferment in keg. "Burp" CO2 **into** the liquid out to clear the floating dip tube if there's anything.
I do it at the end of fermenting, I don't dry hop, and the keg runs fine until it's empty.

 

[KegLand]

I really don't get the floating dip tubes with those screens attached. Seems like extra stuff that doesn't do anything but increases the complexity.

1. any hop debris or whatever is gonna drop like a rock when the keg it chilled for serving. simply not an issue of stuff getting sucked into the serving line. All mine are just an open tube below the float. I've never gotten anything sucked into the lines except beer. I don't see the harm of the screen but I also see no benefit.

2. For those who ferment and serve in the keg...that screen thing hangs so low that it will hit the yeast cake with a few pints of servable beer still on top. It's "possible" the intake of the tube "might" be held slightly above the yeast level to allow those last few pints to be served clean. Or it may just stir it all up when the screen hits the yeast cake and that's it for clear beer.

I do know that the basic floating dip tubes that are just the float and a 1" metal tube for the silicone hose to attach are pouring me clear beer until the very last drinkable pint. The first pour that is not clear the keg is pulled from service. When opened later there is no beer left on top, only yeast cake for re-pitching.

No way. I think the floating dip tube in the fermenter is one of the best inventions ever. I use this in my all rounder and it works great. Prior to having the filters we used to have small amounts of hops get blocked in the poppet and since the filter end this issue has been prevented.

With that said I dont use the floating dip tube in the kegs. In my opinion kegs are for clear beer and I never dry hop or put any solids in the kegs so floating dip tubes in kegs is not really necessary in my opinion.

Yes dry hops do settle out pretty quickly but if you want to take samples out of the fermenter before they are settled out then you are sometimes forced to suck some beer with some hops in it.

I have the cage set to dive deep as possible and never have any issues and find the system works great.

For some yeast strains that do not flocculate you can start pulling of clear beer from the top of the fermenter 1 week earlier than waiting for the yeast to settle all the way out to the bottom.

 

[North Raleigh Brewer]

I have a few FLotit 2.0's and they're awesome. Ferment and serve in the same keg.

I’m about to try that. Do you put the flotit in before fermentation or insert it after fermentation is done? I was just wondering if fermentation might clog it.

 

[Yesfan]

I’m about to try that. Do you put the flotit in before fermentation or insert it after fermentation is done? I was just wondering if fermentation might clog it.

Before. I have both the Flotit and the Torpedo Buoy dip tubes on my kegs that I use as fermenters. I pour the wert through the main opening, pitch and ferment in my kegs/fermenters. Then the filter will keep all the trub from getting into the poppit valves on it's way to your serving kegs.

It's a one way setup so DON'T expect the filters to work by filtering incoming beer. It will clog the filter and the floating dip tube if you do that. If you have the filters on your fermenters, then you really don't need them on your serving kegs. Just to be safe too, I went back to dry hopping in hop bags to keep the outgoing beer as clean as I can to my serving kegs to avoid clogging the posts.

 

[BongoYodeler]

Still pouring 80% foam, so I pour a full glass, “drink” a little foam and let the rest settle a bit, then pour again, View attachment 827755repeat a few times. Eventually, 10 minutes or so, I can have a full pour.

Just thought I’d circle back and update.
A short time after my last post in this thread my beer started pouring much better. Not perfect, but at least I could fill a glass without it being mostly foam. But then a few days ago it stopped pouring completely. Thinking the keg might be kicked I lifted it a couple inches and found it to be probably between 1/3 and 1/2 full (estimated).
In addition to the fussy FDT I also have a Clear Beer Draught System FDT that had been tied up in another keg until a couple days ago. I cleaned and sanitized that one and as quickly as I could I swapped it into place and purged the keg a few times. My wcipa is now pouring great, though I must have kicked up some trub and hop matter as it’s no longer clear. The race is now on to finish what’s left in the keg before the oxygen does.

 

[KegLand]

Just thought I’d circle back and update.
A short time after my last post in this thread my beer started pouring much better. Not perfect, but at least I could fill a glass without it being mostly foam. But then a few days ago it stopped pouring completely. Thinking the keg might be kicked I lifted it a couple inches and found it to be probably between 1/3 and 1/2 full (estimated).
In addition to the fussy FDT I also have a Clear Beer Draught System FDT that had been tied up in another keg until a couple days ago. I cleaned and sanitized that one and as quickly as I could I swapped it into place and purged the keg a few times. My wcipa is now pouring great, though I must have kicked up some trub and hop matter as it’s no longer clear. The race is now on to finish what’s left in the keg before the oxygen does.

Is there any chance you can send us some photos of the whole setup with the dip tube next to the fermenter so we can see the length, the way the silicon dip tube is mounted and also get a better idea of how you have the whole system setup. I think its often much easier to troubleshoot if we can better understand your particular setup.

 

[Clint Yeastwood]

I have no trouble with the Flotit 2.0 or the regular floating dip tubes everyone else sells. I don't use filters, except on the Flotit. I use the Flotit filter because the Flotit is complicated, and I assume the inventor thought about balance when he put it on there. It ain't broke, so I did not fix it.

For generic and Kegland pickups, I put a stainless nut between the hose and the float so it can't back up the flexible tube. I buy nuts that are big enough to go over the little steel tube at the end but not big enough to slide back over the hose. I figure this will prevent the steel tube from pointing up and sucking gas or foam. I don't use a second nut on the hose.

Can someone explain the reason for the additional nut on the tube? Are people okay with the tube pointing up? I guess it doesn't really matter, since it will be below the ball.

I like the fact that Flotits come with stepped-down steel tubes on the keg posts so it's easier to get the tubing onto the metal.

I have cut some of my plastic tubing and also some little stainless keg post tubes on the bias to make it easier to get them together when everything is slippery with sanitizing solution. Both approaches work for me.

All of the floating tubes seem to be perfectly fine, but the Flotit is a little easier for me to deal with.

I don't toss loose hops in fermenters, but I just did my first dry hop since returning to brewing, using a bag, and it transferred just fine. It kind of seems like all of the systems will work unless you make a mistake.

 

[BongoYodeler]

Is there any chance you can send us some photos of the whole setup with the dip tube next to the fermenter so we can see the length, the way the silicon dip tube is mounted and also get a better idea of how you have the whole system setup. I think its often much easier to troubleshoot if we can better understand your particular setup.

Thanks @KegLand for following up on this. Not sure any picture(s) would help much because as I mentioned previously, the floating dip tube was used in a ball lock 5 gallon corny keg, (24.75 inches tall), in which I was dry-hopping an ipa. I purchased the FDT from Amazon...

https://www.amazon.com/Stainless-FermZilla-Floating-Liquid-Silicone/dp/B098Q68MCW
Per your picture on post # 38 of this thread I have the float attached at position #1. I've only used it this one time, and I don't recall changing the position before using it. I just now measured the silicone tubing at 31 inches, (78.74cm). I attached the silicone tubing to the short stainless steel dip tube that came with this setup.

I gave the silicone a quick look after cleaning it up and did not notice any holes or tears in it. The small dip tube washer also looks intact and free of any defects.

I'll do some testing in water to see how effectively its floating, but my guess is, like others have mentioned, adding a little weight to the tubing, (stainless steel washer, or maybe a nut), and it will probably work much better.

 

[balrog]

Just trying to visualize how 31" tubing is not too long, @BongoYodeler .
I've always had to trim the generous tubing provided so that when keg is empty, the end of the device lands in the middle of the bottom and cannot, if too long, "wrap up" or "around" and be anywhere but not in the middle of the bottom.
Does a dry fitting show it settles properly? Maybe test with a couple quarts water, install, seal it up and blow out water and see what's left and where it settles?

 

[wsmith1625]

it seems that the screen thing pulls the intake lower under the surface than without. maybe a couple pints difference?

I use the screen in my fermenter so I can dry hop loose with no worries. Even with the screen, the floating dip tub sucks up every last drop of beer. I also find that it keeps the end of the tube off the trub just enough so that it sucks up less yeast when it bottoms out.

View attachment 827627

If using a screen, connection point "1" allows the float to sit lowest in the beer.

It's true that screens on floating dip tubes like FLOTit add another place where clogging can occur.

Change the disconnect on the co2 line to liquid and give a burst of co2 to clear the dip tube and screen before transfers. I have a clear fermenter so I can see exactly what the screen looks like and it can get covered by krausen or hops. I usually give the fermenter a swirl to clear it off, but yeast in the line needs a shot of co2 to clear it out.

One tip to share is that using thick walled silicone tubing for the floating dip tube is much easier to connect to the cut SS dip tube than the thin walled stuff. I bought it by mistake and didn't think it would work well, but it's actually a big improvement.

 

[BongoYodeler]

Just trying to visualize how 31" tubing is not too long, @BongoYodeler .
I've always had to trim the generous tubing provided so that when keg is empty, the end of the device lands in the middle of the bottom and cannot, if too long, "wrap up" or "around" and be anywhere but not in the middle of the bottom.
Does a dry fitting show it settles properly? Maybe test with a couple quarts water, install, seal it up and blow out water and see what's left and where it settles?

You may very well be right about the tubing being too long, though that didn't come in to play with my issue as it was sucking CO2 from the get-go. But that's one of the things I'll be taking a closer look at prior to using it again.

 

[balrog]

You may very well be right about the tubing being too long, though that didn't come in to play with my issue as it was sucking CO2 from the get-go. But that's one of the things I'll be taking a closer look at prior to using it again.

I meant to jump in back when, but want to say that the idea of pulling the dip tube and hose out would never work on any of my kegs -- the tolerance around the liquid out dip tube through the post is quite tight and the silicone hose would never come out with it. The comments about the finger puzzle is very apt; removing the tubing is work.

But the comment about slight CO2 on input side and unscrewing PRV made me think a boroscope could be used to see what was going on. Except the PRVs on my kegs have too small a final opening to accommodate any boroscope I've ever seen.

 

[Clint Yeastwood]

I have trimmed all my tubes to whatever lengths the manufacturers recommended, and they all work. I just measured the length of a tube from a 5-gallon ball lock Corny keg, and it's 19.5". The gas post tube goes down maybe 1.5" into the keg. I think another inch and a half of plastic might be better, but it works perfectly. This is with just a ball and a 1" piece of stainless tubing at the end, with a nut. No screen.

I think 12" of excess plastic could cause problems. I could see it pushing the end of the tube against the side of the keg, and because the bottom is concave, this could push the end of the tube upward. A keg that still has a lot of beer in it is different, though. I wonder if the end of the tube is riding on top of a loop.

I put a little piece of tubing in water, and it sinks, but not by much. Beer is heavier than water, and sometimes bubbles can form in lines if they're not vertical, so that could add buoyancy. Is it possible a stretch of horizontal tubing is holding CO2?

Gas wouldn't just blow out of a horizontal line the way it would if the line were vertical.

 

[balrog]

I have trimmed all my tubes to whatever lengths the manufacturers recommended, and they all work. I just measured the length of a tube from a 5-gallon ball lock Corny keg, and it's 19.5". The gas post tube goes down maybe 1.5" into the keg. I think another inch and a half of plastic might be better, but it works perfectly. This is with just a ball and a 1" piece of stainless tubing at the end, with a nut. No screen.

I think 12" of excess plastic could cause problems. I could see it pushing the end of the tube against the side of the keg, and because the bottom is concave, this could push the end of the tube upward. A keg that still has a lot of beer in it is different, though. I wonder if the end of the tube is riding on top of a loop.

I put a little piece of tubing in water, and it sinks, but not by much. Beer is heavier than water, and sometimes bubbles can form in lines if they're not vertical, so that could add buoyancy. Is it possible a stretch of horizontal tubing is holding CO2?

Gas wouldn't just blow out of a horizontal line the way it would if the line were vertical.

That's why I filled a keg with water when I first got a FDT, and watched it, looked at it, pondered and ruminated, even may have had a beer or two, causing consternation and wonderment in all who passed by watching me looking into an open keg. But around my house, it's fairly common so they leave me to my ponderments.
But for the ones I have bought, the tubing curves graciously below the surface vertically and does not create horizontal looping. At least in water. With my tubing. In North America.

 

[BongoYodeler]

That's why I filled a keg with water when I first got a FDT, and watched it, looked at it, pondered and ruminated, even may have had a beer or two, causing consternation and wonderment in all who passed by watching me looking into an open keg. But around my house, it's fairly common so they leave me to my ponderments.
But for the ones I have bought, the tubing curves graciously below the surface vertically and does not create horizontal looping. At least in water. With my tubing. In North America.

As always, an amusing read.