floating keg tube

[airbornespoon]

I bought a floating keg tube, a bit not exactly but it's the same thing as one
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074DB72BB/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_m7u-EbRE37SPS
Anyway I got it installed, (just the tube and float, the rest was useless) and it pours mad foam. Like after a few hours the first like 2 seconds is perfect then it's foamy mess for the rest of the pour. When my glass is full it's about 2/3 beer and 1/3 foam and I have to wait a few min for the foam to die to top it off with more foamy beer.
Any ideas on what my problem is?
I'm pouring a Belgian tripel at 12 psi

 

[day_trippr]

I'd have to believe the end of tubing at the float is not remaining submerged. Either that, or there's a small O-ring missing from under the flange of whatever your rig uses for an Out dip tube where it passes through the threaded keg riser tube under the post.

Not sure what to suggest for the former possible problem but the latter is easy enough to check. Just make sure to remove the gas line and latch the keg prv open and it'll be safe to remove the Out post...

Cheers!

 

[doug293cz]

I'd have to believe the end of tubing at the float is not remaining submerged. Either that, or there's a small O-ring missing from under the flange of whatever your rig uses for an Out dip tube where it passes through the threaded keg riser tube under the post.

Not sure what to suggest for the former possible problem but the latter is easy enough to check. Just make sure to remove the gas line and latch the keg prv open and it'll be safe to remove the Out post...

Cheers!

Pretty sure it's the end of the pick-up tube not being submerged fully. You might try trimming the pick-up tube to a length that just allows the tip of the tube to reach the bottom of the keg. I had the same issue with a Kegmenter fermenter the first time I used it. I shortened the tube, but haven't had a chance to check the new configuration (in the middle of a major remodel, so no brewing going on.)

Brew on

 

[k-os]

Pretty sure it's the end of the pick-up tube not being submerged fully. You might try trimming the pick-up tube to a length that just allows the tip of the tube to reach the bottom of the keg. I had the same issue with a Kegmenter fermenter the first time I used it. I shortened the tube, but haven't had a chance to check the new configuration (in the middle of a major remodel, so no brewing going on.)

Brew on

I've read of people adding a small stainless washer or nut to the end of the floating diptube also to help keep it submerged.

 

[Dgallo]

Is the tube connected to the float by two rings? If so sometimes these can over lap a tad and cause the tube to reach the surface.

 

[pvpeacock]

I had the same problem, so I added a stainless nut where the tube and float come together. I added a nut to all 9 of my kegs. Works perfectly.

 

[airbornespoon]

Pretty sure it's the end of the pick-up tube not being submerged fully. You might try trimming the pick-up tube to a length that just allows the tip of the tube to reach the bottom of the keg. I had the same issue with a Kegmenter fermenter the first time I used it. I shortened the tube, but haven't had a chance to check the new configuration (in the middle of a major remodel, so no brewing going on.)

Brew on

I shortened the tube by about a foot as it was super long, now it is just long enough to barely touch the bottom. I will test that out today, didn't want to try last night as the beer was all stirred up from me moving the keg around. If its still crappy I'll go to home depot this weekend and grab a SS nut to stick on the end. I have like a zillion nuts, bolts, and washers lying around but none are SS and I figure if its going to be in contact with the beer for quite some time it should be SS.

 

[MikeCo]

I added an s-hook to mine and it keeps the end of the tube submerged. Without the added weight I had the same problem. The tubing is stiff enough to keep the end above the liquid surface when the keg is nearly full and it’s bent in a U shape and pushing against the side of the keg.

 

[firerat]

I added an s-hook to mine and it keeps the end of the tube submerged. Without the added weight I had the same problem. The tubing is stiff enough to keep the end above the liquid surface when the keg is nearly full and it’s bent in a U shape and pushing against the side of the keg.
View attachment 687319

I actually changed ther tubing to a moe flexible silicon tubing I had for this same reason. At first I thought it might be too flexible and kink on me but it worked like a charm

 

[doug293cz]

I actually changed ther tubing to a moe flexible silicon tubing I had for this same reason. At first I thought it might be too flexible and kink on me but it worked like a charm

Mine came with silicone tubing originally. Did you find thinner, more flexible, silicone tubing, or did yours come with vinyl tubing?

Brew on

 

[firerat]

Mine came with silicone tubing originally. Did you find thinner, more flexible, silicone tubing, or did yours come with vinyl tubing?

Brew on

It came with vinyl tubing. It was a cheap Ebay Chinese one. I happened to have silicon tubing so I used that. The others I've gotten since came with silicon tubing.

 

[day_trippr]

I can totally see the need for silicone tubing in this application vs pvc as the latter will be very stiff at beer dispensing temperatures while the silicone will remain flexible. And as the entire tubing run is inside the keg there are no worries about the uber high gas permeability of silicone tubing...

Cheers!

 

[MikeCo]

Mine has silicone tubing and it still needed added weight.

 

[Carolina_Matt]

When you guys install these, make sure you fully tighten the keg post before attaching the silicone tubing. The first time I tried a floating dip tube, I attached the silicone tubing right away. When I tightened the keg post, the tubing got twisted around and I had issues. Ever since I started tightening the keg post first, I haven't had any issues.

 

[MikeCo]

When you guys install these, make sure you fully tighten the keg post before attaching the silicone tubing. The first time I tried a floating dip tube, I attached the silicone tubing right away. When I tightened the keg post, the tubing got twisted around and I had issues. Ever since I started tightening the keg post first, I haven't had any issues.

I've looked at the alignment of the tubing with the post and made sure it was in a free state. After testing with a keg mostly full of water, my Keg Buoys needed weight added to assure the tube was always submerged. Your tubing may be a bit thinner than mine. I really believe the Keg Buoy model that I have has a design flaw in that the end of the inlet tube it is not weighted heavily enough to always stay submerged. The Clear Beer Draught System is a good example of a floating dip tube with much more weight to keep the inlet port submerged.

 

[Garfield43]

Can you use a gas dip tube to connect to the floating tube or are they diffrent diameters?
If you can I will just buy an extra gas tube rather than cut the long liquid tube that came with the keg.
My plan is to brew in a 5 gal keg that wont fit in my fridge and then transfer to a 2.5 gal keg that will fit in the fridge.
I can bottle the extra or just only fill it half way to start.

I just realized this post as from 2020 not 2021.
Sorry about the post necromancy.
Is it better to just start a new post if the one about your topic is over a year old?

 

[DuncB]

I think you can they are the same diameter, fit the silicone tube over the gas post tube ( saw a post where someone rammed it inside). Have seen somewhere that there is a little liquid post that you can buy. I have them on the inside of my Fermentasaurus on the liquid post. Though seen here inside my Rotokeg lid.

 

[Barbarossa]

Can you use a gas dip tube to connect to the floating tube or are they diffrent diameters?
If you can I will just buy an extra gas tube rather than cut the long liquid tube that came with the keg.
My plan is to brew in a 5 gal keg that wont fit in my fridge and then transfer to a 2.5 gal keg that will fit in the fridge.
I can bottle the extra or just only fill it half way to start.

I just realized this post as from 2020 not 2021.
Sorry about the post necromancy.
Is it better to just start a new post if the one about your topic is over a year old?

That's what I did. I ordered a gas line tiny dip tube and it worked.