HELP! leaky faucets

[dgez]

so, I hook up my two brand new shiny Perlick 525SS's and do a test run with a solution of star san. Everything looks good. I hook up my two kegs, pull a sample from the first faucet. Perfect, no leaks. Pull a sample form the other tap, drip, drip drip. Pulled the beer line from the keg, removed the faucet, cleaned it out, tested for leaks, none found, reinstalled, pull sample. No leaks. Went back to the other one, pulled sample...drip, drip, drip. This process went on back and forth for close to an hour before I gave up and installed my old 'sticky' kegworks faucets. Pulled a sample from each, no leaks. Tried an hour later, drip, drip drip. WTF!!!

The drips are not the typical couple of drips your might get after pouring a beer, this is a steady drip. If i pull the beer line, the drips stop, attach the beer line they start again.

It seems if i remove the faucets and have them in my hand, I can never get them to leak. Its only when attached to the shank (if thats the right word) do I have this problem. Can the faucet be over tightened enough to cause something like this. Has anyone else run across this?

 

[JefeTheVol]

Do you have your O-rings/rubber washers installed between the metal-to-metal joints? That can cause a small leak. Also, check the integrity of the rubber washers. I lost a gallon of beer once from a faulty rubber washer.
-Jeff-

 

[jbug440]

Sometimes when you take off faucets the faucet washer sticks to the shank and can fall off. Make sure your faucet washer is still there and is seated In the back of the faucet properly before installing. Not sure exactly what type of faucet you have but if it's a standard looking faucet make sure the little ball on the back of the plunger is tight. They can come loose allowing the plunger washer not to seal properly.

 

[ciphin78]

I had a problem with the 525SS that I ordered. Here is my email chain I had with KegConnection:

--ME
"Hi, I recently bought the 525SS, Perlick Foward Seal, Stainless Steel Beer Faucet and the SK105SS ( 5 1/8" Stainless) shank. I can't seem to get them to seal correctly. No matter how i tighten the shank to the 525SS liquid still comes out the three holes on the tightening ring on the shank. Can you explain how I can get this resolved."

...

--KegConnection
"Looks like you emailed Todd and not customer service. So I do apologize this is the first time I see this email. I have forwarded the email over to the manufacturer of the shank. It could very well be the shank but the kicker is that the manufacturer of the shank also makes the Perlick faucet. As soon as I hear back from the manufacturer I will email or call you. "

...

--KegConnection
"Well we have seen this before. And it is an ongoing issue with Perlick blaming Shirron and vice versus. Like I mention earlier the funny thing is Shirron is also a maker of the Perlick, so why dont they fit?

It does not happen often but it has happen enough to be concerned about. The replacements we will send you will be tested."


Bottom line, the shanks did not seat properly to the faucets and had to be replaced with new shanks. I had them test the connections before shipping me replacements. Not sure if you have the same issue but...

 

[dgez]

Just in case you guys were losing sleep over my leaky faucet problem, I have discovered the issue. I was not tightening the bonnet on the faucet tight enough.

What was happening is after I had installed my tap handle i needed to make some adjustments so the logo on the tap handle would face forward. I was adjusting both the bonnet and the handle jacket. The loosening of the bonnet caused the faucet handle to wiggle up and down and not seal the o-ring properly causing the drip.

 

[KYB]

A couple of mine I have to push back pretty firmly, otherwise they will leak from the spout. Kind of annoying, especially when I have people over that are not aware.

 

[ciphin78]

Glad to hear that you solved your issue, and that I was no help whatsoever.