Issues with Sankey tap, gas bubble?

[rattle_snake]

I recently bough a Kegco 'D' tap and have has issues with 2 of 3 kegs on it so far. The first keg dispensed without issue (1/6 barrel).

The last two kegs have been a problem. The pour starts OK, then about 1-2 seconds into pour there is a bubble of gas and then it foams like a bitch for most of rest of the pint. Pull another right after and it's OK.

I lubed the rubbers in the tap and tightened as much as possible. No change. I tried lower psi and beer tastes flat, and still had similar issue. The entire keg start to finish is a problem.

I have independent regulators on all kegs, this one was set to about 10psi. Lines are 10' of 3/16" (black hose so can't see liquid), perlick tap. Running ball lock adapters. kegs are inside a regular fridge with only tap and c02 tank outside. The other 2 corney kegs have no issues with foam, they like ~10psi at about 38-40* The lineset/reg on the Sankey has had no prior issues on corney kegs.

Is this C02 coming out of solution? Should I try more pressure?
What else to look for?

Going to get another Keg today and see what happens.

 

[rattle_snake]

latest keg has same problem.
I disassembled the entire liquid path, cleaned everything, reassembled. No change.
What to do next?

 

[TallDan]

Are you sure it's the tap? What's the line size, length and pressure? Having too short of serving lines is the most frequent cause of excessive foaming.

 

[rattle_snake]

all the details are in the original post including lines, pressure, temp, etc.

Seems worse at 12psi.

 

[Setsumi]

I sometime get a frozen/stuck coupler on sankeys and it fits your discription except that in my experience it does not happen every pour from the keg. It is related to temp AND presure. If it happens I open the freezer door and increase presure. Logic dictates to lower presure
but I think the problem is the float gets stuck by freezing and increased presure dislodge the float. I also warm the coupler by gripping the coupler stem with my hand or a warm kitchel towel.

But if it last the whole keg I think the problem lies with the float in the sankey coupler. Shake the coupler and listen if the float moves, it must move freely. Also look if it is the right way in, round button to the bottom/keg.

 

[TallDan]

all the details are in the original post including lines, pressure, temp, etc.

Seems worse at 12psi.

The additional info helps. 10psi should be about right, but if these are commercial kegs, you could check with the brewery for their suggested serving temp/pressure. If the lines are balanced, the type of keg shouldn't matter, so it makes sense that you're looking at the sanke coupler. What kind of adapters are you using to switch the lines from sanke to ball lock? if you have some sort of additional adapter in the line when you use the sankes, is it potentially restricting the flow and causing the issue?

 

[rattle_snake]

I sometime get a frozen/stuck coupler on sankeys and it fits your discription except that in my experience it does not happen every pour from the keg. It is related to temp AND presure. If it happens I open the freezer door and increase presure. Logic dictates to lower presure
but I think the problem is the float gets stuck by freezing and increased presure dislodge the float. I also warm the coupler by gripping the coupler stem with my hand or a warm kitchel towel.

But if it last the whole keg I think the problem lies with the float in the sankey coupler. Shake the coupler and listen if the float moves, it must move freely. Also look if it is the right way in, round button to the bottom/keg.

I partially disassembled the sankey coupler. The float/backflow valve is free. The orings seem OK.

The additional info helps. 10psi should be about right, but if these are commercial kegs, you could check with the brewery for their suggested serving temp/pressure. If the lines are balanced, the type of keg shouldn't matter, so it makes sense that you're looking at the sanke coupler. What kind of adapters are you using to switch the lines from sanke to ball lock? if you have some sort of additional adapter in the line when you use the sankes, is it potentially restricting the flow and causing the issue?

The 3 kegs I have bought all seem to have been right at 10psi when I first connected
Usings these adapters;
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C30F75I/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Currently I get a big bubble of just gas so I don't think it is a restriction. Flow is about like this;
0.25 seconds of liquid beer
0.5 seconds of foam
0.5 seconds of gas
1+ seconds of foam
0.25 seconds of liquid beer (glass is full but 95% foam)

I am using regular old fridge. I assume the very top where coupler is has to be warmest. Would a fan help to circulate the air? The other 2 corneys have no issues. The 3, 10' hoses are run together to the door.

 

[TallDan]

I’d try taking the adapter out of the mix and put a normal tailpiece on the beer line.

Also, any chance the beer line is kinked with the sanke coupler? (Since it comes off the keg vertically instead of on an angle like a corny.)

 

[Setsumi]

Sorry fingers

 

[Setsumi]

I am not sure why you use the ball lock adaptor. Take a large pitcher say 2lt and pour into that. Raise the pitcher and line as high as possible. This will show if the keg is over carbed. Also check your temperature.

 

[rattle_snake]

I use the ball lock adapters for versatility, everything is plug-n-play that way.

Looks like my fridge is not at the temperature I expected, it was up at 58*! JFC!
Why the 2 kegs of my home brew have no issues I don't know.

The fridge seems to be having some issues. It is in climate controlled room, but has always had a dependency on ambient temps. Trying to re-balance the freeze/fridge temps but struggling to get below 45 in fridge with knob about maxed out. I cleaned the coils.
Will have to keep farting with the POS. Paid $100 for it 10 years ago so can't complain too much.

 

[rattle_snake]

Still had issues with the setup. I now have a dedicated thermometer and watch it daily. Temps are stable in 35-38 range. Foam issue was the same till the end which was a couple months. Home brew kegs are fine as always. So turns out not just a refrigerator temperature issue. Out of ideas and hesitant to go and buy another keg....

 

[TallDan]

Well, what's different between your cornies and your sankes? Those ball lock adapters and the sanke coupler, if you haven't yet, i'll suggest again that you remove the ball lock adapters from the mix.

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

Still had issues with the setup. I now have a dedicated thermometer and watch it daily. Temps are stable in 35-38 range. Foam issue was the same till the end which was a couple months. Home brew kegs are fine as always. So turns out not just a refrigerator temperature issue. Out of ideas and hesitant to go and buy another keg....

I had the problem of beer foam beer. Best I can tell its air getting in. I just untap/retap and it goes away. I'm thinking something with your adapters is sucking in air. I run sanke with no issues...I also dont use adapters

 

[rattle_snake]

Well, what's different between your cornies and your sankes? Those ball lock adapters and the sanke coupler, if you haven't yet, i'll suggest again that you remove the ball lock adapters from the mix.

Only the sankey itself. I dis-assembled, lubed it and what not. Guess I'll try to remove the ball lock as it is easy and not much else left to do. thanks.

I had the problem of beer foam beer. Best I can tell its air getting in. I just untap/retap and it goes away. I'm thinking something with your adapters is sucking in air. I run sanke with no issues...I also dont use adapters

I've had issue on multiple kegs and tap/re-tap doesn't help. Given the whole system is pressurized above atmospheric, I don't see how air can get 'in'. The sankey seals are concentric so I could see the gas leaking into the liquid side, though. I'll try w/o adpaters and report back. thanks for the feedback.

 

[spacey]

Wait, so what happened? I'm having the same issue, regular corny keg pours perfect and a sanke D coupler pours 50% foam. The only thing I haven't tried is changing the gaskets on the coupler.