Leaking Liquid out on seltzer corny keg

[Atalanta]

I have a corny keg seltzer setup. My gas in has a hose that extends to the bottom of the keg with a diffusion stone at the end. I keep the stone on 24/7 and this carbs the keg pretty quickly. Liquid out has about a 5' hose to a party spigot.

My problem - after about a week it starts to leak from the liquid out. The ball lock is MFL and the line is clamped. My pressure is set to 40psi. I'm thinking that since this is much higher than beer that the pressure on the fittings is slowly causing the hose to loosen.

Any suggestions from the crew? Should I force carb and then dial it back? Should I turn off the gas when I'm not dispensing? Right now, we've gotten really good at taking off and replacing the liquid out (especially the time when I did a really bad clamp job and the hose shot off ROFL).

 

[IslandLizard]

Where is it exactly leaking from?
If between the post and the QD, it's the o-ring on the post.
Or are you saying the line is clamped directly onto the MFL threads of the QD? That will never seal right.

I've put 60 psi on some kegs and they never leaked.

 

[Atalanta]

Where is it exactly leaking from?

Sorry I wasn't clear. I have it clamped onto the barb part of the fitting.

It leaked between the nut and the disconnect until I put in a flare washer. Now it seems to leak around the barb which is why I think it may be pushing off the hose.

 

[IslandLizard]

Sorry I wasn't clear. I have it clamped onto the barb part of the fitting.

It leaked between the nut and the disconnect until I put in a flare washer. Now it seems to leak around the barb which is why I think it may be pushing off the hose.

Ah, I see, you're using a swivel nut and barb, that's the correct MFL connection hardware.

Although not exactly required on plastic MFL QDs, they already contain an 'integrated flare washer,' an extra flare washer ('fish eye') can certainly save the day fixing leaks.
Worm clamps aren't very good, due to their shape, there's a flat side under the screw assembly. 'Banded' worm clamps or Oetiker clamps would be better. Can you get 2 clamps on there maybe, at 180° from another? Tighten up a little more?

Are you using thick (1/8") walled or thin (1/16") walled vinyl hose on the barb? If thin walled, maybe double up the clamping area?

Now with only 5' of line you'll get a lot of foaming, there's not enough resistance to keep the carbonation in solution.

 

[Atalanta]

I added a flare washer because an earlier incarnation was leaking from the nut. The washer fixed that right up!

Thanks for the clamp suggestion. I am using worm clamps, I’ll see if the local beverage outlet (they have all sorts of parts) has some of the ones you suggested.

LOL oh yeah, the force of it coming out the short line is quite amusing.

 

[Atalanta]

... Oetiker clamps would be better...

Update: THANK YOU!! got the Oetiker clamps at the local beverage outlet and they were too big. Ordered a set on Amazon and it turned out I needed two different sizes for my setup.

Bought a new 20' reel of line while I was at it. Doesn't really dispense any less energetically but now I can stretch the tap across the room if I need to. LOL

Got everything re-clamped and pressurized. It's been 2 weeks with the new system and it is not leaking. Course now that we're not undoing and re-doing the liquid out connection, we're drinking it faster. Now BF wants to piggy-back two kegs to essentially have a 10 gallon set-up.

I think my next project will be rigging something to the kitchen sink so I can fill it faster (or just take it outside to the garden hose).

 

[bracconiere]

Bought a new 20' reel of line while I was at it. Doesn't really dispense any less energetically but now I can stretch the tap across the room if I need to. LOL


I think my next project will be rigging something to the kitchen sink so I can fill it faster (or just take it outside to the garden hose).

i'd go with the garden hose...

and i once had 25' lines from my beer fridge that was in the same room, to my bed...i had a XGA projector setup, and could just lie in bed and watch tv with a screen the size of the wall.....pretty nifty...(it only worked with hardlemon aid though, beer warmed up in the long lines to much)

 

[IslandLizard]

[...] or just take it outside to the garden hose

Garden hose water is sheer awful, yuck! I would never drink it unless utter desperate with nothing else in sight.

I can fill a 6.5 gallon bucket with a 1/2" hose from my kitchen faucet in a few minutes, after removing the spray head and aerator assembly (older model). That gives me unaerated brewing water.