Intertap beer faucets

[UndeadFred]

My experience with the Intertaps Is that for the same pressure they flow better than both my Perlicks with the same amount of foam at the same pressures... Like it or not they are a better design...

 

[okiedog]

Quite a setup, day trippr! I didn't even know ball lock manifolds like that even existed.

 

[Justintoxicated]

You nailed it. I didn't even bother trying.

Centrifugal pumps just don't have the balls to drive 72 feet of skinny tubing and end up with much more than a dribble.

The manifold was actually an on-target gift from one of my sons, the result of our contemplating over fresh pours what it would take to get the job done...

Cheers! (love my boys! )

I bet my air compressor attached for a cleaning corny would have no problems though... Fill cleaning corny up, daisy chain lines with adapters linked previously adapters and I would imagine I'm good to go.

 

[mintyice]

Trying to figure out a way to use a chugger pump instead of a pond pump for something similar...

 

[Dolomieu]

Trying to figure out a way to use a chugger pump instead of a pond pump for something similar...

Add a weldless valve or barb to a 5 gal bucket with 1/2 inch tubing. I'd put it low so the pump could sit on the ground. Once you have the cleaning liquid high enough it should prime it well enough.

 

[Mer-man]

I gotta say, I thought when people were talking about faucet leaks that they meant drips from the nozzle after closing the tap.
I can understand that you'd be unhappy if a faucet let beer out anywhere but the nozzle! Mine have about 3 drips after I close the faucet.

 

[duelerx]

This is what drives my six faucet parallel cleaning system...
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0049XENYS/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Cheers!

Cool pump!, what pump do you recommend for a two faucet system?

 

[day_trippr]

Cool pump!, what pump do you recommend for a two faucet system?

That line of pumps goes down to 250 gph, maybe even 160.
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_...ible+pump&sprefix=Active+Aqua+,lawngarden,224

Offhand I'd think the 400 gph would handle two faucets comfortably if the lift is reasonable, but the 550 might be a safer bet...

Cheers!

 

[day_trippr]

I bet my air compressor attached for a cleaning corny would have no problems though... Fill cleaning corny up, daisy chain lines with adapters linked previously adapters and I would imagine I'm good to go.

I have an oil-less pancake compressor. When I drain the tank it totally dispels any notion of ever using it for anything that has to end up "clean".

Cheers!

 

[Justintoxicated]

I have an oil-less pancake compressor. When I drain the tank it totally dispels any notion of ever using it for anything that has to end up "clean".

Cheers!

I have never had a problem, I do use a water trap on mine, but I live in a dry climate.

Fill keg with oxyclean, pressureize with air. Shake up the keg , push the cleaner through the lines. Rinse, fill with starsan, and repeat. Never had an issue. Gets the keg ready to be filled as well.

I read through all the pages... Whats the consensus on the Intertap flow controls? I have the taps, accessories and Intertap SS shanks in my cart atr williams brewing. I'm a bit wwrried if I ordered through Ali express. The ones on Ali no longer say intertap. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Bra..._4&btsid=ca69ae79-973a-4b96-a4da-b0ada2dd6615

Right now I have Perlick 525SS taps. No problems but I am aware of the issues they could have in the future.

 

[Yesfan]

I'd really like to see pictures of the different set ups you guys have for daisy chaining and cleaning your tap lines.

I do have one Intertap, but currently run four Perlick 425s in my setup. Maybe being an owner of one Intertap will count. Here's a pic of my cleaning setup.

I had a spare 3 port manifold, so that's what I use. A whole lot better than the old pump sprayer mod I had doing one tap at a time. After seeing Day_trippr's PVC manifold, I may consider an upgrade, especially if I decide to upgrade to a 5-6 tap tower.

 

[okiedog]

Lookin' Good, Yesfan. Thanks for the pics. How do you like the pour from the Intertaps compared to the Perlicks? I've heard that the Perlick 425s are a lot like the Vent-Matics, and some people say they like them better than the 525s.
__________________________
I think Ethanol is often more than 1% of the hobby. (My 2 C)

 

[Yesfan]

Lookin' Good, Yesfan. Thanks for the pics. How do you like the pour from the Intertaps compared to the Perlicks? I've heard that the Perlick 425s are a lot like the Vent-Matics, and some people say they like them better than the 525s.....

I've not used the Intertap yet. I bought mine to use as a stout faucet. I do have the the regular tip to it, so I plan on using it for the next beer that gets kegged as it will be a while before I can get a nitro setup going.


I've had both 525 and 425. My 525s never leaked. I like the screw on tip of the 425s, so I bought a set of them used to replace the 525.

 

[Justintoxicated]

Got my new Intertaps.
2016-09-07_10-55-05 by glamisduner, on Flickr

The perlick 630 growler filling feels like it fits perfectly! Chose this over the intertap version since it uses smaller tubing.

new intertap by glamisduner, on Flickr

Got excited to try the stout attachment so I tossed it on my stout Stout was at 12psi with 12 foot line, I was using my secondary regulator to carb up some IPA, and did not put the stout back on at a lower pressure. I got tons of foam out of the tap no matter what I set the flow control to, but thats probably due to the high carbonation.

Unfortunately my dry Stout Keg blew (of course it did I finally have a stout tap!), so I'll have to test again later. I guess I know what I am brewing next!

The quality seems pretty good, but they are much more beastly than my Perlick 525ss's, they are not quite as pretty but not bad either, and the pull off them is a bit scratchy in comparison (maybe they will wear in?) I got excited and just hooked the one up, should I lube some O-rings up?

As far as drips I have no comment yet, the stout tap was full of foam and dripped allot, I can say that they stick out farther than my perlicks especially with the stout nozzel, my drip tray was just barley catching the drips (but it still catches them).

I thought the flow control worked great, but I have 12 foot lines already, still nice to be able to slow down the flow a bit more

How can I tell if they are stainless? They are supposed to be stainless but the look plated to me, at least on the outside, the cast area looks like stainless though so they must be stainless right? They do attract a hard drive magnet, but so do my SS perlicks.

I took them apart and snapped a few more pics if anyone is interested in seeing them let me know.

All in all they seem nice, but not quite as nice as my perlicks in terms of quality. The perlicks are stainless and look like stainless, it almost looks like the Intertaps are chrome plated stainless to me which is weird. Almost like instead of polishing them they get them close enough then dip them in chrome...perlicks are certainly smoothed better before the final process, they are more refined in every way.

Some of the casting inside the intertap is not polished but raw cast right after the sealing mechanism, the polished part of the interior is not perlick smooth either, and since the anvil inside has to slide along the non-perfectly polished inside this create the slight bit of grind I was feeling.

Perlicks float inside so they operate very smooth.

The forward sealing mechanism might be better, but honestly I'm not fully convinced that it's a major improveent, and it does have it's downsides as well. There's allot more nylon parts in the intertap than my 525s (none) and the intertap bonnect seals at the top like the perlick 630 instead of on an oring on top of the bearing cup. Not sure if this is better or worse but I read the 630's were a downgrade in this regard? Or is that how perlick fixed the leak problem, because I don't see much else as far as changes?

The perlick sulfer smell problem would still make me gravitate towards these for flow controls, even if they don't all suffer from it! (Who wants to gamble with their money? Why hasn't perlick fixed this!) I doubt the finish inside is really going to make a drastic difference, plus with these I can change the spout.

If you don't need to change spouts, or use the flow control, then I think the perlick 630's might be better. (MIGHT BE) they will at least look and operate smoother.

 

[user 204491]

This is what drives my six faucet parallel cleaning system...
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0049XENYS/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Cheers!

You could have mentioned that thing is the size of a horse before I ordered it!

What sort of container do you use to hold that and your cleaning solution during your cleaning cycles? It looks like it's a pretty tight fit in a 5 gallon bucket.

 

[day_trippr]

"Go Big Or Go Home"

The 1K GPH pump fits fine in the bottom of a 5g bucket, no problem...

Cheers!

 

[user 204491]

"Go Big Or Go Home"

The 1K GPH pump fits fine in the bottom of a 5g bucket, no problem...

Cheers!

Thanks, I didn't know if it needed extra room around it to operate efficiently. Will be giving it a shot this weekend!

 

[Justintoxicated]

update. I cannot for the life of me seem to get a decent pour out of my intertaps with flow control. Lots of glasses of foam. I moved my IPA over to the intertap since I was re-vamping my keezer and well, it was pouring perfect with my 525 perlick. 3/4" head in a 12 oz pour.

With the intertap I'm getting nothing but foam, no matter how I set the flow control. However it seems if I set it to free flow I end up with less foam.

Maybe someone can give me some tips cause as of right now I am not pleased with it at all. Flow control is worthless if your only controlling the flow of foam.

Also, I replaced all my lines today, while pushing PBW and star-san though them and letting my taps pour into a bucket, I noticed the perlicks have a nice consistent round stream while the intertaps stream was all over the place, like comparing your sink faucet pour with the screen on, vs removing the faucet screen. I'm just thinking the design may be flawed for the flow control. I'm going to call Williams brewing and see what they say. I don't know if they will let me return them or not.

Not very happy right now...

12PSI, 12 foot line, + intertap flow control =
intertap foam! by glamisduner, on Flickr

5 th tap added by glamisduner, on Flickr

Are you guys having issues like this with your non-flow control intertaps?

 

[lawless317]

You said you just replaced the lines
When I put new lines in I had foam for a week or so till they "broke in"
And that was before the intertaps
Maybe it's something simple like that

 

[HLSheppard]

I don't have the flow controls but with 10ft. lines I have zero issues... Sorry - probably not much help. :-(

 

[okiedog]

After reading several posts about balancing serving lines, I realized that I hadn't given it much thought. It would be nice to have different beer styles carbed at their appropriate level, while still getting a good pour at the faucet. I had considered adding a couple of secondary regulators. It would be nice to have 2 or 3 different CO2 settings for different beer styles. But then, I suppose having flow control faucets would limit need.

 

[Justintoxicated]

You said you just replaced the lines
When I put new lines in I had foam for a week or so till they "broke in"
And that was before the intertaps
Maybe it's something simple like that

I did not change the IPA line yesterday, I had changed that one a couple weeks ago,and no foam from my perlick 525SS.

I think it is due to the huge amount of turbulence I get when I pour.

"The Intertap SS model is polished 304 stainless steel with a smooth bore to aid a completely laminar flow and foam free dispensing of beer." Hah!

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pecScHVShs0[/ame]

My pours do not look like that, neither does the stream coming out of the tap. Maybe I need to use 20 foot lines with flow control intertaps? Kind of defeats the purpose in having them doesn't it?

 

[imasickboy]

I can't speak for the flow control faucets, because I have the regular ones, but I have zero problems with my pours.

There is a difference between a flow control intertap and a regular perlick, so maybe expecting them to pour identically with the same lines and pressures is just not going to happen. I'm sure if provided with the right combination of variables, the intertap would work just as you wanted.

 

[Justintoxicated]

I can't speak for the flow control faucets, because I have the regular ones, but I have zero problems with my pours.

There is a difference between a flow control intertap and a regular perlick, so maybe expecting them to pour identically with the same lines and pressures is just not going to happen. I'm sure if provided with the right combination of variables, the intertap would work just as you wanted.

Should I go longer on the tubing then? Say 20 ft? Or should I shorten it up, maybe 8 feet? When pushing cleaner out the perlicks the stream was smooth and consistent even when I had the keg at over 30 PSI, with the intertaps it didn't smooth out until the cleaner was at a trickle, my guess would be around 5 psi. I think the flow control mechanism is creating the turbulence in the pours but I don't have a regular intertap to compare it with. Maybe I'll try sending them back for the regular version. (if they will take them) Otherwise I'm not sure I want to gamble again and will replace them with perlick 630s.

I wanted to like this more than my perlicks, I mean I just dropped a few hundred dollars into this rebhuild... I bought my perlicks, then soon after the flaw was discovered in the 525ss's and perlick would not replace them with the 630ss or do anything really, so that kinda rubbed me the wrong way. But after trying the flow control intertaps, my perlicks are night and day better than my flow control intertaps! I have gotten better pours from cheap $10 faucets.

hopefully someone else has these taps, but I'd hate to see others with the same issues later on so my suggestion would be to stray away from them for now.

Then again, maybe there is something wrong with mine. I will try swapping it to my other intertap faucet, and will also take it apart later today to see if I can find something wrong with it.

 

[k1ngl1ves]

Should I go longer on the tubing then? Say 20 ft? Or should I shorten it up, maybe 8 feet? When pushing cleaner out the perlicks the stream was smooth and consistent even when I had the keg at over 30 PSI, with the intertaps it didn't smooth out until the cleaner was at a trickle, my guess would be around 5 psi. I think the flow control mechanism is creating the turbulence in the pours but I don't have a regular intertap to compare it with. Maybe I'll try sending them back for the regular version. (if they will take them) Otherwise I'm not sure I want to gamble again and will replace them with perlick 630s.

I wanted to like this more than my perlicks, I mean I just dropped a few hundred dollars into this rebhuild... I bought my perlicks, then soon after the flaw was discovered in the 525ss's and perlick would not replace them with the 630ss or do anything really, so that kinda rubbed me the wrong way. But after trying the flow control intertaps, my perlicks are night and day better than my flow control intertaps! I have gotten better pours from cheap $10 faucets.

hopefully someone else has these taps, but I'd hate to see others with the same issues later on so my suggestion would be to stray away from them for now.

I don't know what's happening for you. I actually installed shorter lines with my flow control intertaps, and have no issues. All 4 of my lines are between 4' and 5' of 3/16" ID tubing. They all used to be 10.5' at 12psi when I used Perlick 525's.

I get great pours every time once adjusted.

 

[Justintoxicated]

Ok so to eliminate the problem of it just being a defective tap....
Flow control number 2 tested. This is a new 13 foot line, and new CMB ball lock connector. I dumped the first 4 oz of foam to ensure no starsan etc was in the line and the tap was cold etc. This is then the pour that resulted with the flow control on it's lowest setting:

intertap flow control test by glamisduner, on Flickr

Here is a pour from the tap opened up all the way. This pour was immediately after the low setting pour.
intertap flow control test by glamisduner, on Flickr

Both of my flow controls taps are working equally as poorly...

 

[lawless317]

I have three regs for 6 taps
And one for carbing in another fridge
Funny part is all regs are set the same right now

 

[okiedog]

Justintoxicated, what is your psi? You have 3/16 ID lines?

 

[skatz]

Do you have all of the rings? Two of my three were missing part 13 in the linked drawing. This caused beer to flow into the flow knob and made lots of foam. Also, did you apply lube to all of the rings? Lube not only lubricates, it helps seal as well.

I ended up getting similar rings from granger, but they are a hair small. Works better, but I will be trying again with slightly thicker rings.

http://www.intertap.beer/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Intertap-8633.pdf

 

[k1ngl1ves]

Ok so to eliminate the problem of it just being a defective tap....
Flow control number 2 tested. This is a new 13 foot line, and new CMB ball lock connector. I dumped the first 4 oz of foam to ensure no starsan etc was in the line and the tap was cold etc. This is then the pour that resulted with the flow control on it's lowest setting:

intertap flow control test by glamisduner, on Flickr

Here is a pour from the tap opened up all the way. This pour was immediately after the low setting pour.
intertap flow control test by glamisduner, on Flickr

Both of my flow controls taps are working equally as poorly...

That's crazy. If I turn the flow control to all the way to the up (or down) flow stops entirely. That's for all 4 of my intertaps.

Something's amiss. You're missing parts probably...

Gotta love China!