Leaky Perlicks

[jcoxen]

I've got some Perlick 525 taps that I've been happily using for several years. A few months ago, I started having problems with them not completely closing ... resulting in wasted/spilled beer, early morning floor mopping, etc.

I've replaced all the gaskets, I've taken everything apart and cleaned it more than once but I can't get them to reliably close.

Any suggestions? I've seen rebuild kits listed on Amazon. Would that fix it? Or am I looking at replacing my taps?

 

[andrewmaixner]

I've been told that the Intertap self-closing springs will fit in perlicks also.
https://www.homebrewing.org/Self-Closing-Faucet-Spring-for-Intertap-Faucet_p_7058.html

https://www.williamsbrewing.com/Intertap-Self-Closing-Faucet-Spring-P4151.aspx
"by Chuck
on 12/14/2018
from Gig Harbor, WA Works for my Perlick 525
The spring is 2 1/2 inches long, which looked like it would be too long to work in my older Perlick 525 faucet. However, in order to work the spring needs to be compressed, and this actually worked well. It stopped the very slow drip that I had. It took a couple minutes to kind of jam it on, and then thread the faucet. It's a two-hand operation, that would be easier with two people."


Edit: lowest price and $3 US Mail shipping: http://www.ritebrew.com/product-p/843210.htm

I've thought of getting those installed on my 630SS taps, but my only problems have been the rare occurrence of someone bumping it by accident, or a toddler doing toddler stuff.


Have you verified where the leak is? At the forward closing ball? Or up in the handle gasket seal area?

 

[day_trippr]

The intertap springs will indeed fit behind 525 Perls, I installed them when they first appeared on the market.

That said, a 525 should stay closed on its own and not leak, and certainly should not rely on the spring for closure. The springs are helpful in keeping my faucets from opening when I swing my keezer lid open, and do offer an assist to visitors who don't know how to draw a beer

I've been running 525s for 10-11 years now and have rebuilt all of them twice just on GPs using O-rings purchased from Perlick. Honestly I have never had any of them leak save for one when first installed, but that was quickly resolved...

Cheers!

 

[jcoxen]

I've been told that the Intertap self-closing springs will fit in perlicks also.
https://www.homebrewing.org/Self-Closing-Faucet-Spring-for-Intertap-Faucet_p_7058.html

https://www.williamsbrewing.com/Intertap-Self-Closing-Faucet-Spring-P4151.aspx
"by Chuck
on 12/14/2018
from Gig Harbor, WA Works for my Perlick 525
The spring is 2 1/2 inches long, which looked like it would be too long to work in my older Perlick 525 faucet. However, in order to work the spring needs to be compressed, and this actually worked well. It stopped the very slow drip that I had. It took a couple minutes to kind of jam it on, and then thread the faucet. It's a two-hand operation, that would be easier with two people."


Edit: lowest price and $3 US Mail shipping: http://www.ritebrew.com/product-p/843210.htm

I've thought of getting those installed on my 630SS taps, but my only problems have been the rare occurrence of someone bumping it by accident, or a toddler doing toddler stuff.


Have you verified where the leak is? At the forward closing ball? Or up in the handle gasket seal area?

I've had the leak at the handle seal before but usually because I've tightened them down too tight. The problem I'm having now is the "very slow drip" like you referenced above. I've found that if I open and close the tap very quickly (but gently) a couple of times, that will usually keep it from dripping or stop an existing drip.

If I hadn't taken all four completely apart, cleaned them all carefully with a brush and replaced all the gaskets, I'd think I had gunk built up on the floating gasket seat at the front of the tap. As far as I can tell, I'm doing everything correctly...including making sure I don't give into my natural inclination to tighten everything down too tight.

The only thing I haven't done is use factory gaskets like day_trippr did. I normally use ones I've purchased off eBay. Could that make the difference?

 

[day_trippr]

I never tried to figure out the exact size and duro of the 525ss O-rings, went straight to Perlick.
As I've never had any problems I can only suggest you give that a try...

Cheers!

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Mold in the tap? How are the tap and lines cleaned?

 

[jcoxen]

Mold in the tap? How are the tap and lines cleaned?

Recirc pump with BLC for 20 minutes followed by a rinse for the lines. The taps are removed, dropped in the BLC solution for a few minutes, then disassembled and scrubbed with a brush. Keg disconnects get the same treatment.

This last time, I also replaced all the gaskets when I reassembled the taps.

 

[jcoxen]

I never tried to figure out the exact size and duro of the 525ss O-rings, went straight to Perlick.
As I've never had any problems I can only suggest you give that a try...

Cheers!

I buy sets of O-rings from here. Never had a problem with them in the past...and I usually replace my gaskets about once a year.

Do you happen to have a link to them at Perlick?

 

[day_trippr]

Not a current one per se: they have totally revamped the entire Perlick web site - and apparently outsourced the replacement parts business - so my old link to the 500 series faucet parts list is no longer valid.

Perlick sent me here: https://www.partstown.com/perlick/parts

Cheers!

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Recirc pump with BLC for 20 minutes followed by a rinse for the lines. The taps are removed, dropped in the BLC solution for a few minutes, then disassembled and scrubbed with a brush. Keg disconnects get the same treatment.

This last time, I also replaced all the gaskets when I reassembled the taps.

Sounds cleaned very well. Most puzzling...

Any mega hopped beer running thru recently? Or, actual fruit or other additions? Perhaps, stuck piece(s)?

 

[jcoxen]

Sounds cleaned very well. Most puzzling...

Any mega hopped beer running thru recently? Or, actual fruit or other additions? Perhaps, stuck piece(s)?

No. My tastes run to English Ales. Nothing uber-hoppy or fruity. Closest I come is my recipe for Sweet Stout but it's pretty clean, too.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

No. My tastes run to English Ales. Nothing uber-hoppy or fruity. Closest I come is my recipe for Sweet Stout but it's pretty clean, too.

OK. I do enjoy English Ales myself. Just kegged a Fullers ESB today. What about dry hopping in the English Ales? Do? If so, use cones or pellets?

 

[jcoxen]

OK. I do enjoy English Ales myself. Just kegged a Fullers ESB today. What about dry hopping in the English Ales? Do? If so, use cones or pellets?

I normally don't dry hop...haven't for a year or so.

 

[ba-brewer]

Anyone looking for perlick orings, kegconnection has a decent selection. They are pretty quick on answering question and shipping too.

 

[jcoxen]

I might have found the solution - or I should say, someone else found it. I was following a thread on Facebook the other evening - the Home Brewers group. Long story short, there was a thread asking what would you replace your tops with. It turned into a Perlicks vs Intertap session but someone mentioned that he had a problem with his Perlicks having a slow leak/drip. He figured out that it only happened when he had his dispensing pressure below 10 PSI. I never thought about it - never made the correlation - but had I dialed back my serving pressure to 8 PSI about the same time the problem occurred. I've dialed the pressure back up to 12 PSI. First couple of pints seem to be dripless...but time will tell. I'll report back in a couple of days.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Most interesting. Let Perlick know and get their input. There are probably a good number of us at HBT using Perlicks.

 

[jcoxen]

Looks like the results are in. It's been a short week and I've not had a leak since turning my pressure up to 12 psi. Problem solved and thanks for all the support.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Let me make sure I understand. psi > 0 and < 13 caused the Perlick leak? Most interesting.

 

[day_trippr]

What we know is the OP's faucets close tight at 12 psi, not so much at 8 psi.
From that we can assume only "8 or below", as the threshold pressure is unknown so far...

Cheers!

 

[jcoxen]

Let me make sure I understand. psi > 0 and < 13 caused the Perlick leak? Most interesting.

Well, I'm actually at 12 psi now as near as I can tell on my gauge. I was around 8 before. The person I got the lead from said the dividing line for him was 10 psi. But, yeah...pressure too low apparently results in slow drips/leaks.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Well, I'm actually at 12 psi now as near as I can tell on my gauge. I was around 8 before. The person I got the lead from said the dividing line for him was 10 psi. But, yeah...pressure too low apparently results in slow drips/leaks.

Most interesting. I need to check/test mine with a low psi setting. Thanks for the info.

 

[MMP126]

Dang man, I literally just did this exercise over the last 2 weeks. I have 3 Perlick 690SSs

Had a super slow leak overnight like 2 weeks ago. Used the flow control to turn everything "off" at night. Still had leakage. Had to narrow it down by faucet because, I guess, I cannot differentiate the smell of beer in small amounts. Found it was my NEIPA, which was set at like 9-10psig. So, I have been disconnecting everything after each pour to mitigate this. Was on the same path "going to have to get some replacement parts". It seems pretty hard to find Perlick parts, so I was getting worried a bit.

Well, thankfully I stumbled upon this. I am going to turn up my NEIPA reg to like 12psig, and see what happens.

Haha, this is a fun hobby!

 

[jcoxen]

Dang man, I literally just did this exercise over the last 2 weeks. I have 3 Perlick 690SSs

Had a super slow leak overnight like 2 weeks ago. Used the flow control to turn everything "off" at night. Still had leakage. Had to narrow it down by faucet because, I guess, I cannot differentiate the smell of beer in small amounts. Found it was my NEIPA, which was set at like 9-10psig. So, I have been disconnecting everything after each pour to mitigate this. Was on the same path "going to have to get some replacement parts". It seems pretty hard to find Perlick parts, so I was getting worried a bit.

Well, thankfully I stumbled upon this. I am going to turn up my NEIPA reg to like 12psig, and see what happens.

Haha, this is a fun hobby!

Please report back and let us know if it fixes your problem. <fingers crossed>

 

[MMP126]

So, I played around a bit.

Went back to taps, hooked NEIPA back up to 10psig. Faucet leaked, like 1 drop every 10 seconds. Turned up keg to 14psig. Still dripping. Quick opened the faucet, no more drips. Left for an hour with no drips at 14psig. Dropped pressure back down to 10psig. No dripping. Took a pour at 10psig. Started dripping again. Turned back up to 14psig. Took a pour. No more dripping in 24 hours.

My conclusion: Perlick are finicky at low pressure, or under 12psig. Seems like they have an issue with re-seating at the lower pressure. Which is a little annoying...

So, 14psig kegs or you may need to unhook your beer line when you are not serving....

 

[Stand]

I find I can dial in my perlicks by getting the right tension on the bonnet. Have you tried adjusting it?

Also, how long are your beverage lines? Longer lines drop pressure low enough, and any forward sealing faucet will leak.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Mine are the Perlick 630SS. I have not experienced the described leaks.

 

[day_trippr]

My 6-pack of first generation 525ss have no such issues, at least at the 11-12 psi I typically use.
I would suspect one of two things: misadjusted faucet lever, or a gummed up "floating" O-ring at the spout.

If the faucet lever bonnet is too tight it not only hinders the free movement of the lever, it shortens the lever "length" which mis-aligns the "perl" with the floating O-ring - the contact point is too high - making the "floating" bit more critical. The alignment of the "perl" with the spout O-ring can be observed looking up through the spout opening...

Cheers!

 

[MMP126]

Some more research on the subject below. May fiddle with this and see if it corrects the issue.

 

[MMP126]

Coming back to this. I have an ESB on tap right now, set at 9 PSIG. No leaking at all.

The one faucet that was leaking still gives me issues. It also pours like crap, so there may be some other issues going on there. Still need to look into it.

 

[jcoxen]

I'll have to try the bonnet adjustment. I know at one point I had them all too tight but I've loosened them up to "snug" now. I'll try dropping the pressure this weekend and see what happens.