Keggle - Pick up tube air leak

[virtualbrew]

I need some help, I bought a pickup tube from bargain fittings and I have a air leak some where. I have even tried Teflon tap and changing the ball valve gasket.



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[plumber_bob]

I need some help, I bought a pickup tube from bargain fittings and I have a air leak some where. I have even tried Teflon tap and changing the ball valve gasket.



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Would be nice to know more about the types of fittings you're using. But lets see if this helps.

Two ideas:
1) Use some plumbers pipe dope over the Teflon tape. Lay it on thick and wipe off the excess after tightening every thing up.

2) If you have any compression fittings, put some pipe dope on the actual mating surfaces, go light on this one.

Lay out a list of what parts you're using and someone may have more info.

pb

 

[reelmower]

Some ideas and actions ... I had solving my air leak pickup tube problems ...

I have found .. If you have air spaces in your syphon line .. you can have problems getting flow below your ball valve height. I also make sure I am using a long enough length of tubing (about 6'). Make sure your siphon tube is full of water .. then attach to your ball valve nipple. I experimented moving water from keg to keg .. until I knew how everything worked properly .. before I ever tried moving beer or wort.

I have a keggle that was made in the 1990's. No one at that time was selling false bottoms and pickup tubes. My welder, welded a pipe nipple into the bottom of my keg .. at the proper level .. and gave me about a 2" male fitting on the inside of my keg ... and 2" male on the outside. He also drilled a hole completely through the inside nipple (to aid in the flow of liquid through the ball valve attached to the keg .. sort of a "burp" .. air release) .. which made creating a syphon impossible. That way .. the keg would drain like a "race horse" .. until it gets to the level of the ball valve .. then it would stop. I can fit a short piece of silicone tube over the holes in the nipple. The covering of the holes with the silicone tubing .. closes off the vent .. allowing me to drain to the bottom of my keg getting every drop .. which is what I do now.

 

[Bobby_M]

I need some help, I bought a pickup tube from bargain fittings and I have a air leak some where. I have even tried Teflon tap and changing the ball valve gasket.

What are you observing that makes you believe there's an air leak? How about a picture of inside and outside of your vessel?

 

[virtualbrew]

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[virtualbrew]

Just tried some plumbers dope between the keg threads and the coupler. I believe that's there the leak is I hope.


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[Bobby_M]

Right.. but why do you think there's an air leak? That pipe dope probably isn't food safe.

I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that you think it's leaking air because it won't drain past the top of the bulkhead. However, you are probably not putting any tubing on your hose barb which is required to maintain a siphon. The air getting into the system is coming in through the opening on the outside hose barb.

 

[virtualbrew]

Just took it all apart to clean it up. I'll try the tube later tonight. Should I do the pickup tube to the bottom or the side of the kettle


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[Transamguy77]

Right.. but why do you think there's an air leak? That pipe dope probably isn't food safe.

I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that you think it's leaking air because it won't drain past the top of the bulkhead. However, you are probably not putting any tubing on your hose barb which is required to maintain a siphon. The air getting into the system is coming in through the opening on the outside hose barb.

This! My HLT had the same "problem" till I started using a piece of tubing to keep the siphon going.


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[virtualbrew]

Just put it back together. I used my 1/2 inch hot liquor tube and it still did not work. Once the water lever gets to the middle of the metal it stops. If I tilt the keg forward it starts to work.

Could I be getting air between the ball valve and the keg.

I am so frustrated....


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[virtualbrew]

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[virtualbrew]

Fixed.. Spoke with Wayne at bargain fittings. He said just use the plastic fitting in side the compression fitting. Works like a charm now...


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