Kegerator leaking beer

[Matteo57]

So every now and then when I pour a beer, the tap continues to leak out sometimes slowly sometimes a lot more. The only way I've found to actually stop the leak is that I have to pour a bit more beer out then stop it again. Usually once does the trick but sometimes I have to do this like 2-3 times. Anyways, I didn't notice it and last night it leaked out about a 1/5 of one of my kegs until it was gone and then it continued to leak out the rest of my c02 tank. So now it killed some of my beer and my co2 tank! Pissed! Anyways, any idea on what I can do to fix this? I have my co2 tank hooked up to a 4 way distributor type piece that then I can hook up to 4 kegs. All of the tap handles do this though which is making me wonder why. '
Thanks in advance for the assistance.

 

[android]

what kind of faucets are they? i occasionally have this problem when i haven't cleaned the lines in a few kegs. i think some of the residual sugars from the beer build up in the tap and affect the ability for it to seal (i have perlicks). cleaning usually takes care of it, but it tends to recur, i haven't found a permanent solution other than just making sure it isn't leaking when i finish pouring a beer. the serving PSI tends to have an effect also. it seems to happen when i'm serving a keg on relatively low pressure.

 

[b-boy]

If they are all doing it then it sounds like an issue with the faucets themselves. I can't imagine how the manifold or tubing could cause a problem like that. I have perlicks and they've never leaked.

 

[Matteo57]

Hmm.... It they ahve leaked since I built it which is only about 2-3 months ago. So it really hasn't had a lot of time for it to really have a lot of build up in them I don't think. It also doesn't matter if the c02 is high or low pressure.
They are Perlick....

 

[b-boy]

do you have a lot of clearance between the back of th tap handles and the kegerator? I had to start using the small plastic handles because the larger tap handles would hit my kegerator lid and were very easy to knock open.

 

[Matteo57]

Yah I can't put on other tap handles, at least large ones, I still have only the stock small black ones. They don't hit anything. I can push it all the way closed no problem. Also when it is leaking... I can push it and hold it all the way in the off position and it won't leak, but as soon as I let it go it will start leaking again. Again, however if i pour a bit more beer then turn it off again it usually fixes it. I guess my kegerator just wants me to keep drinking!

 

[beaksnbeer]

What type of perlick are they the 575 or 425's or the standard rear seal?

 

[Matteo57]

Not sure, how do I tell? They looked the same on the internet and I just picked them up at my LHBS when I asked for tap faucets for my kegerator. They were 39.99 from more beer plus $19.99 for the faucet I believe but I don't have the receipt in front of me

 

[subliminalurge]

Also when it is leaking... I can push it and hold it all the way in the off position and it won't leak, but as soon as I let it go it will start leaking again. Again, however if i pour a bit more beer then turn it off again it usually fixes it.

That's either a faulty faucet, or there's something stuck in there messing up the seal. Either dissasemble and clean, or replace it. This is homebrew, so it could be a hop particle or something that got stuck and is preventing the seals from, well, sealing....

You said they're Perlicks, so I won't say "buy better faucets", but at the same time it doesn't sound like you've had them very long, so I'm guessing a quick call to your vendor would get you at least some good advice, and maybe even a replacement.

EDIT: Just read the thread again. You've only had these for a couple of months, right? Even the best manufacturers occasionally have a bad item slip through QC and make it onto the shipping truck. If your vendor won't make it right with you, I'd bet Perlick will. If you'd had them for a couple of years I'd say suck it up and buy a new faucet, but a few months? Nah, call your vendor and make them make it right.