how do I disassemble this poppet to clean it?

[twd000]

I have a serving keg that got clogged with some pellet hops particulates. I took off the post and cleaned out the dip tube, and rinsed the poppet while depressing the QD post, but when I reassembled, flow is still restricted. I need to remove the spring assembly, but I can't figure out how to get it apart. There's a three-legged piece inside holding the spring in place - do I need some special tool to get it out? Does it spin out counter-clockwise? I don't want to bend it

 

[OG-wan Kenobi]

Are you sure your faucet is not clogging?

 

[Rackrunner]

I just had to do the same last night. I used a nail set to push down on the poppet from the topside and it popped right out - a torx bit or something similar with a flat tip would probably work as well without scratching.

Cleaned it up and then used a small flathead screwdriver to push the poppet legs back down and re-seat it. Keep in mind you're pushing the legs down to compress the spring, pushing on the middle bit doesn't help as it's a solid post

 

[mirthfuldragon]

I need to remove the spring assembly, but I can't figure out how to get it apart. There's a three-legged piece inside holding the spring in place

On all of mine, they are held in with tension only. The three-legged piece sits on top of the threaded connection on the keg. It will come out - just give it some oomph. I push mine out from the poppet side with a screwdriver.

 

[twd000]

Are you sure your faucet is not clogging?

I've been chasing this clog through the whole serving system, so YES! I already cleared the faucet clog, and I want to make sure every component is pristine before I reassemble

 

[twd000]

so just press down from the top with a Torx driver or nailset until the three-legged piece comes out the bottom? That won't bend the legs back?

 

[Rackrunner]

It didn't on mine. I just did a quick search and found this for replacing the poppets as well if it helps:

 

[mirthfuldragon]

so just press down from the top with a Torx driver or nailset until the three-legged piece comes out the bottom? That won't bend the legs back?

Correct. You can also use a set of needle-nose pliers to pull them back out. The legs are made out of spring steel (or something similar, in case there is a professional metallurgist to correct me) and will handle it without issue. New universal poppets don't even have the legs, they just sit on dip tube.

 

[day_trippr]

Most of my kegs have poppets that are essentially "friction-fit" are described above, but on a few of them the tips of the poppet legs rest atop a slight ledge carved into the post. It's necessary to pry the legs off the ledge using a skinny tool and the poppet will drop out...

Cheers!

 

[banjo-guy01]

Get universal poppets for your kegs. The poppets you have are a pain to remove and eventually you’ll bend the spring-like retainer and the poppet won’t stay in the post.

 

[day_trippr]

Not a fan of universal poppets, thanks. I prefer oems...

Cheers!

 

[william_shakes_beer]

If you're chasing a clog, remember that the hose end fitting also has a valve in it that can become clogged. The two valves open each other when they are fitted together with proper pressure.

 

[gnef]

You didn't mention anything about the dip tube itself. Have you cleared the liquid dip tube?

Also, if you still have gunk in the bottom of the keg, it will continue to clog for a while. When this happens to me, I eventually have to remove the poppet from the post, as well as from a quick disconnect, and push out as much of the gunk from the bottom as possible until there is clear flow with no major particulate matter. After it is clear, I reinstall the poppet in the post as well as the QD, and usually it is fine after that.

 

[twd000]

well, I mangled the poppet and need to replace it. I pushed the poppet down hard as I could with a nailset, but the three retainer legs wouldn't budge off of the shelf. I tried slipping the legs off the shelf with an awl and needle-nose pliers, and eventually got it out, but bent the legs in the process. So the poppet won't reset now. Off to buy a replacement universal poppet...

 

[VirginiaHops1]

well, I mangled the poppet and need to replace it. I pushed the poppet was hard as I could with a nailset, but the three retainer legs wouldn't budge off of the shelf. I tried slipping the legs off the shelf with an awl and needle-nose pliers, and eventually got it out, but bent the legs in the process. So the poppet won't reset now. Off to buy a replacement universal poppet...

I eventually mangled or got tired of dealing with all of my legged poppets and swapped all to universal. Just seems so much easier to take apart and thoroughly clean. I haven't had a leak or anything yet

 

[gnef]

Not a fan of universal poppets, thanks. I prefer oems...

Cheers!

mind if you expand on your experience and reason why you aren't a fan of the universal poppets?

 

[day_trippr]

Certainly: I used my first pair of universal poppets in a keg. At some point when I removed the beer QD with the keg full, the tiny O-ring on the Out post poppet partially came off the metal stud and got wedged sideways in the post bore, resulting in a beer geiser that lasted until I could pull the PRV ring. Shot half a gallon of stout all over the brew space.

That was the end right there for universal poppets used on kegs.

But I do use them in numerous places: I have gas in ports on my keezer and three fridges, I used them on my old hand-pump line cleaners, and on all of the posts on my 6 tap line cleaning manifold. Just not on any of my kegs...

Cheers!

 

[gnef]

Certainly: I used my first pair of universal poppets in a keg. At some point when I removed the beer QD with the keg full, the tiny O-ring on the Out post poppet partially came off the metal stud and got wedged sideways in the post bore, resulting in a beer geiser that lasted until I could pull the PRV ring. Shot half a gallon of stout all over the brew space.

That was the end right there for universal poppets used on kegs.

But I do use them in numerous places: I have gas in ports on my keezer and three fridges, I used them on my old hand-pump line cleaners, and on all of the posts on my 6 tap line cleaning manifold. Just not on any of my kegs...

Cheers!

Interesting, I've never had that happen. It is fascinating how a single instance can cause people (for good reason) to come into very different habits!

I've actually been so pleased with the universal poppets, that as older poppets leak, I just replace them with the universal poppets. I keep dozens on hand now (volume discount when I bought them), and I find them much more convenient than keeping dozens of different kinds of poppets on hand for all the different types of kegs I have.

I'll definitely need to keep that failure in mind. I do believe some have a smooth core for the o-ring, and that would be more prone to being pulled off. There are some others that are made with an groove for the o-ring to sit, and I believe this style would be less prone to the failure you experienced. I haven't removed any of the o-rings on mine though to see which kinds I have, though now I'm intrigued, and I may take a look at what I have. I definitely like that they use standard sized o-rings, and if/when they begin to fail, I can just buy a huge bag for a few bucks.

Thanks for sharing your experience, it will make me more mindful when I'm installing new universal poppets, as well as when I remove QD's from the keg now.