Glycol trunk long run foam

[grababeer]

Hi,

I just finished building a kegerator but I'm getting a lot of foam.

The kegs are in the garage on the first floor, the 5 taps are one floor up. It's about a 15 foot run in one of those insulated micromatic trunk lines with a glycol line running each way.

The beer is staying cold all the way through. 36 degrees in the kegs as well as in the glass.

I thought it might be because the trunk went in a kind of S shape--up and then down then up again, but I fixed that and now it's a steady incline.

Every time, the first out of the tap is foam, then 5 seconds of beer, then foam, then beer again.

Does anyone have any ideas for me to check?

Thanks!

 

[microbusbrewery]

You most likely have an unbalanced system where the CO2 is coming out of solution in the lines. Assuming it's the same product you linked to, 15' of 1/4" line might be the problem. 1/4" polyethylene has a resistance of 0.5psi/foot, so your line provides 7.5 psi resistance. Say your tap was even with the height of the middle of your keg, your lines are only providing 7.5 psi of resistance, so if your CO2 regulator is set in the neighborhood of 12-14 psi, you're going to get mostly foam. You'll pick up more resistance due to the elevation difference, but it sounds like it's not enough. Check out this calculator, it might help, http://www.mikesoltys.com/2012/09/17/determining-proper-hose-length-for-your-kegerator/

 

[milldoggy]

I use 27 ft of 1/4 line and most of my beers are good unless I overcarb. I have one right now that acts like yours, first few seconds are foam. My guess is a temp difference. My beer in glass is 42, fridge is 38, glycol is 32. So either my pump is too slow, to much heat pickup with such a long run or something else. I just live with it.

But finding the right serving carb has been tricky and I have a very small range where it works. So you might just need to find the right balance. You could also add some choker 3/16 line to add some resistance, but I think your problem is a temp in line and levels of carb.

Does it happen on the second beer from the same tap poured within 10 seconds?

 

[microbusbrewery]

...but I think your problem is a temp in line and levels of carb.

I don't think it's temp, the OP said it's staying a constant 36F all the way from kegs to glass.

 

[milldoggy]

I don't think it's temp, the OP said it's staying a constant 36F all the way from kegs to glass.

Let beer sit in the line for a while. Measure the temp of the first 3 ozs. 15 ft of 1/4 is probably about 8ozs. So a full glass is a mixture of keg beer and line beer.

 

[day_trippr]

^Good call^, it's precisely 8.839285714285706 ounces

 

[grababeer]

Thanks guys.

Yes, every beer is foamy, even 10 seconds after the first beer.

I'd rather not have to replace the entire line, so I'll try to mess with the co2 pressure and glycol temp a bunch and hopefully find a setting that works. I'm glad someone else has made it work with a similar setup, that gives me more hope that I didn't mess up completely.

Just thinking, I'm in Denver, the altitude probably doesn't help the line's pressure resistance huh?

 

[day_trippr]

You should be able to add a choker - a section of 3/16" ID line - to bring the system in balance...

Cheers!

 

[grababeer]

Can you tell me how the choker works? How long should it be and where in the line? Closer to the kegs or the taps? Thanks!

 

[microbusbrewery]

Re altitude, I think that does contribute to the problem you're having. I'm in Salt Lake City, UT (~4300 feet) and I had to use longer lines than the line calculators indicated. I figured it probably had to do with altitude above sea level.

Re the choker, I think you'd just get an inline splicer, 1/4" on one side, 3/16" on the other. Then you just buy some 3/16" line and splice it in. You could use one that's 1/4" on each side, then just soften the 3/16" inch tubing in hot water to get it to fit over the 1/4" fitting. I've never used one, but I'm assuming you want it closer to the taps than the kegs. Here's an example: http://www.beveragefactory.com/draftbeer/hose-fittings/splicers.shtml

 

[day_trippr]

Ideally a choker is located at the dispensing end, however often there's no chilled space at that end of the line to tuck in a choker.
But I've read of folks who had good results putting the choker at the keg end, so I believe that's a viable alternative.

Length will be "empirically determined", so to speak, as I've yet to come across a line calculator that handles more than a single diameter tubing. Start with 6', make sure the entire system end to end is in a "normal" state, then trim as required...

Cheers!

 

[milldoggy]

I had to splice my 1/4 to 3/16 to fit on my tap. It is a pain, use a heat gun and takes some skill.

Edit, actually that was easy, it was getting it on my stainless tap lines, lost a fingernail when my hand slipped. Hardest part is heating enough to push in splicer, but not hot enough to melt. Used the oklier style hose clamps.

 

[grababeer]

I added a 5 foot choker right by the keg and it did the trick. Perfect poors! Thank you everyone for the great help!