Keg questions

[FreeM80s]

If i have a keg setup but no kegerator, can I just put the keg in a tub of ice to keep it cold? I plan on drinking the entire keg (not by myself).

 

[optimatored]

I believe you could... under pressure the beer should stay fresh for at least 30 days. Shop around online for a keg cooler... party rental stores should have them for rent as well. You will save a ton on ICE!

 

[nbigger]

Yea that would work My friend takes his setup out of the kegerator all the time and brings it to partys to use that way.

 

[FreeM80s]

ok, so i got the beer in the keg, but now i cant get it to come out of the tap. anybody got any ideas what i might have done wrong?

 

[Tilldeath]

K so just gonna ask a few things. 1. Do you have co2 hooked up?? 2. What's your pressure at? 3. Have you carved it yet? 4. What type of keg are u using?

 

[FreeM80s]

1. Yes, we filled it and purged 3 times like the instructions said
2. After that we left the pressure at about 12-14 PSI to force carb
3. if you mean "carb", no we are force carbing. If you meant carve, then im not sure i know what that is/means
4. Corny/ 5gal

Is the beer not coming out because its not carbed yet?

 

[cheesecake]

Is the c02 still hooked up?

 

[FreeM80s]

Is the c02 still hooked up?

Yes, its at about 13 PSI to hopefully force carb

 

[chrisknight]

Yes, Beer will come out at 13 psi when it is not carbed.
Do you get anything when you pull the tap? Are your disconnects backwards? Is your liquid out line plugged?
Give us more details. Is this a party/picnic tap?

These might help:
http://www.youtube.com/chrisknight000#p/u/4/hC7MDb0IuLs
http://www.youtube.com/chrisknight000#p/u/5/Eu68wZcTztc
http://www.youtube.com/chrisknight000#p/u/6/Zfze6fBYEe4
http://www.youtube.com/chrisknight000#p/u/7/9dIwFVIGXgI

 

[jeffmeh]

If you are not getting liquid out:

You could have leaks or a blockage in the CO2 somewhere between the tank and the gas-in post. Vent the keg and listen to make sure it has pressure. Check for leaks with a starsan or soap solution. Turn off the gas, vent pressure, and remove and check the gas-in valve.

You could have a blockage in the liquid line. Turn off the gas, vent pressure, and check the liquid-out valve, the long liquid tube, your liquid line, and faucet.

 

[FreeM80s]

I know pressure is getting into the keg, i have checked the seals. got nothing when i pulled the tap. the CO2 is hooked up to the side that has the tube that runs down to the bottom of the inside of the keg and the tap is on the other.

 

[brewmonk]

hmmmmmmm, so how is the beer going to get out?

switch em. (ps, you never said anything about only co2 gas coming out of the tap).

some people force carb with your setup so that the co2 bubbles up through the beer, but you have to switch it to the proper setup (black, beer, bottom), for serving.

= =
p.s. if you are NOT hearing gas flow from off the top of the keg, through the tap, then do you have a check valve installed backwards somewhere?

= =
p.p.s. I don't use refrigeration for my serving kegs, and they last a lot longer than 30 days.

 

[Newbeerguy]

I know pressure is getting into the keg, i have checked the seals. got nothing when i pulled the tap. the CO2 is hooked up to the side that has the tube that runs down to the bottom of the inside of the keg and the tap is on the other.

Reverse them...that is backwards

 

[FreeM80s]

Reverse them...that is backwards

d'oh! ok thanks guys. does that mean i need to let it sit and carb again? did it force carb still being backwards? and nothing was coming out of the tap, at least I think nothing. but it could have been CO2...

 

[brewmonk]

just hook it up, and have a beer. take it from there, change what needs changing, and you'll be fine.

 

[FreeM80s]

Ok, just got to my friends house where we are keeping the keg, and it WAS hooked up correctly. We opened the lid to make sure, now we are letting the co2 back into it now. the psi is right under 10. What is a check valve?

 

[FreeM80s]

another question: how do you raise or lower the psi going into the keg? do you just turn the knob on the co2 tank down or is there something im missing?

 

[chrisknight]

A check valve allows gas to flow from the co2 tank, into your keg, but will not allow beer to flow from the keg into your regulator in case of something going wrong. If you have one, its installed at the regulator or in-line with your gas hose.

another question: how do you raise or lower the psi going into the keg? do you just turn the knob on the co2 tank down or is there something im missing?

You want the knob on the tank fully open.

Does your regulator look kind of like this???

See the set screw in the middle of the black square metal?
That's how you adjust the pressure.

The gauge to the left is tank pressure.

The gauge on top is output (to keg) pressure.

Loosen the lock nut with a crescent wrench while holding the set screw with a flat blade screw driver. Once that nut is backed off bit, set your pressure by turning the screw.

 

[FreeM80s]

A check valve allows gas to flow from the co2 tank, into your keg, but will not allow beer to flow from the keg into your regulator in case of something going wrong. If you have one, its installed at the regulator or in-line with your gas hose.

Does your regulator look kind of like this???

See the set screw in the middle of the black square metal?
That's how you adjust the pressure.

The gauge to the left is tank pressure.

The gauge on top is output (to keg) pressure.

YES! thank you so much! I have been reading tutorials and whatnot for hours now and no one covers that part. Ok, im pretty sure i can figure it out from here. thanks a ton guys. If any of yall are ever in the tennessee valley anytime, beer is on tap at my house

 

[brewmonk]

if there is pressur ein the keg, the problem is on the tap side.
what kind of tap is it?
do you have a backup one to test with?
are you using a black beer qd (not grey for gas)?

can you take the beer qd off the keg, take the hose off the qd, and blow air through the open tap?
(get a new qd if you can; does the qd still have the little "pushdown" pin inside it to open the keg poppet?)

stupid idea, but did you push the black beer qd all the way down to 'click' it?

 

[FreeM80s]

if there is pressur ein the keg, the problem is on the tap side.
what kind of tap is it?
do you have a backup one to test with?
are you using a black beer qd (not grey for gas)?

can you take the beer qd off the keg, take the hose off the qd, and blow air through the open tap?
(get a new qd if you can; does the qd still have the little "pushdown" pin inside it to open the keg poppet?)

stupid idea, but did you push the black beer qd all the way down to 'click' it?

its just a picnic tab. dont have another one to test it against http://stores.kegconnection.com/Detail.bok?no=325
This is everything i have. I just got it yesterday and I think I might have bitten off more than I can chew...

 

[chrisknight]

YES! thank you so much! I have been reading tutorials and whatnot for hours now and no one covers that part. Ok, im pretty sure i can figure it out from here. thanks a ton guys. If any of yall are ever in the tennessee valley anytime, beer is on tap at my house

Your welcome.

By the way, I suspect that you were looking at the gauge on the left thinking that 1000 = 10. If you had 12 "PSI" (1200) before, and now you have 10 (1000) ... You have a leak. Get yourself some soap bubbles and watch my kegging videos I posted earlier.

Good luck friend.

 

[FreeM80s]

ok, took the tap part off. i could not disconnect the hose from the qd, but i could blow through it. ideas?

 

[brewmonk]

but before you do, open taht keg one last time and pour yourself a pitcher of inspiration.

the picnic tap is easy to test though, thats a GOOD thing, here.
have a beer, and start blowing air through stuff. stop when it wont go and have yerself a looksie.

did you get the qd's to 'seat' properly with a click? did you just jam a ball lock qd on a pinlock keg (was this a kit, or a "collection"?)

hey, idea: take the tap off, release the pressure in the keg (to get your pitchers-worth out).
take something slim and push down on the top of the beer-out valve (the poppett).

does it move downwards? that's what the bl;ack qd has to make it do to open up the keg.

= =
edit:

ok we were posting at the same time, but still try the poppet valve to see if it's hard to open.

 

[chrisknight]

ok, took the tap part off. i could not disconnect the hose from the qd, but i could blow through it. ideas?

Do you mean that you can't remove the quick disconnect from the post?

You might have the posts on backwards. I explain that in the videos...

You shouldn't be able to blow though it, the other end is under beer.

HUH?

 

[brewmonk]

hey wait, I *CAN'T* blow air through my qd without putting my finger in it and pushing down on the pin.

did you do that, or is air just rushing through this thing?

 

[chrisknight]

hey wait, I *CAN'T* blow air through my qd without putting my finger in it and pushing down on the pin.

did you do that, or is air just rushing through this thing?

That's correct... FreeM80s, Maybe the pin and/or poppit valve are messed up.

 

[brewmonk]

or backwards?
seems like the qd (regardless of othr issues) needs to be checked and chucked.

 

[brewmonk]

does your qd say "out" on it?

 

[chrisknight]

does your qd say "out" on it?

Yeah, what he said...

Black quick disconnect = beer out = long stainless tube reaching bottom of keg.

Gray quick disconnect = gas in = short tube.

Your keg should have (right by the posts) "in" and "out".

The GAS IN post has ridges on it, or "slits" in the nut.