Keg help

[DefinitelyJon]

So I just got a kegerator off craigslist. Hooked everything up, sanitized, siphoned beer, then set to 12 psi and waited a week. Went to get a glass and it's all foam. The frig Is at 39 degrees and the beer is Coming out cold, flat and mostly all foam. Someone help me out with this por favor

 

[chuckcomm]

How long is the beer line?

Here is a beer carbing chart that may help with carbing th beer:

http://www.kegerators.com/carbonation-table.php

Here is one to figure out the proper beer line length:

http://www.mikesoltys.com/2012/09/17/determining-proper-hose-length-for-your-kegerator/

 

[DefinitelyJon]

I'll have to check all that when I get home. I know the line is five feet long. The beer doesn't tast overcharged it actually tastes a little flat

 

[chuckcomm]

Around 10 feet is the "norm" for the beer line so that may be most of the problem.

 

[day_trippr]

One week is less than halfway to a fully carbonated five gallon corny keg of beer.

Otherwise, do you see a plethora of bubbles in the beer line when you are dispensing? Does the foam "spit" out of the faucet?

Cheers!

 

[DefinitelyJon]

Yeah I can see how it could be the line. The beer in the line is fine until it gets right before the faucet and then just spits out pure foam

 

[day_trippr]

Yeah I can see how it could be the line. The beer in the line is fine until it gets right before the faucet and then just spits out pure foam

That eliminates a lot.

When you get a chance, try 1 foot of 3/16" ID PVC line per psi - so 12 feet. You can lop off a foot or two if you think the pours are excessively long - though I'd wait until the warmest season for that.

In the mean time, try dialing your regulator down to say 5 psi and pop the PRV on the keg to equalize the head space to that pressure. If you get a decent pour the line length is the most likely cause of the pour issues - noting, of course, your beer isn't even fully carbed yet.

Oh - and make sure you're fully opening the faucet.
It's a binary device, really. Partially opening it is a guaranteed foam machine...

Cheers!

 

[DefinitelyJon]

That eliminates a lot.

When you get a chance, try 1 foot of 3/16" ID PVC liner per psi - so 12 feet. You can lop off a foot or two if you think the pours are excessively long - though I'd wait until the warmest season for that.

In the mean time, try dialing your regulator down to say 5 psi and pop the PRV on the keg to equalize the head space to that pressure. If you get a decent pour the line length is the most likely cause of the pour issues - noting, of course, your beer isn't even fully carbed yet.

Oh - and make sure you're fully opening the faucet.
It's a binary device, really. Partially opening it is a guaranteed foam machine...

Cheers!

Thank you. I'll definitely have to order some new lines since that's looking like the problem. I'm getting way tired of waiting for foam to settle lol

 

[Toejam792]

My foam problems were from the liquid side o ring under the poppit. It was damaged. Changed out and pours great again.

 

[day_trippr]

My foam problems were from the liquid side o ring under the poppit. It was damaged. Changed out and pours great again.

But in that case you'd most likely have foam in the beer line all the way from the keg to the faucet, and if the o-ring was bad enough you'd actually get "spitting foam"...

Cheers!

 

[Toejam792]

Well i didnt have foam in the lines but big bubbles with beer on each side of of bubbles. They were all threw out the line.

 

[Thetonymartin]

Did you get this issue fixed?

 

[DefinitelyJon]

Sure did. I picked up a longer Line and started putting my co2 tank in the fridge which the lhbs dude recommended. Pretty sure the beer line was the main problem