Low Flow From Keg

[dup]

Hello all,

I have just started kegging and am having the problem of low flow from my picnic tap. It takes about 45 seconds or longer to pull a 12 oz portion. And the head in this case is pretty meager.

The beer was forced carbed at 30 psi for a 36 hours before being put to serving pressure.

The psi is set to about 10 and I pretty rigorously cleaned the poppits and posts before putting in the beer. This has happened to the past two beers in this leg. Both are not very hoppy so there isn't a lot of debris and the carbonation has stayed consistent but the flow rate out of the tap is about the same.

My only thought could be that the liquid dip tube is set super close to the bottom of the keg or maybe isn't aligned properly with the bottom indentation. Is this something people have come across?

I have a different 3 gallon leg that work like a champ with the same picnic tap and the co2 set to 10 psi. Pulls pints very well.

Any ideas of what the problem could be causing the low flow.

Thanks,

 

[max384]

If it works well with a different keg, than it is most likely a keg issue, not a line issue. Did you take apart and clean the keg posts very well before use? Have you ensured the dip tube was free and clear of debris prior to doing with beer?

And, just for completeness sake, what size and how long are your beverage lines?

 

[porterpounder]

Several factors could be involved. If your serving line is too long then it will not flow well. Should be about 6-8 ft of 3/16" if serving at 38-40F at 10 psi. Also your regulator may say 10 psi, but not be accurate. Otherwise, as you said with nothing to clog the line, then the bottom may be jammed up against the keg side or bottom as you say. It happened to a friend of mine one one of his kegs. Took us a while to figure that on out.

 

[max384]

This being said, you're much better off using your carbing pressure for serving. In other words, set it about 12 psi or so, and then keep on gas until carbed, and serve at that pressure. Adjust lines accordingly to balance your system.

 

[dup]

My beverage is 5 ft and its 3/16th diameter. I'm serving at about 40 F

I disassembled and cleaned the posts before both beers. I don't have a dip tube brush so couldn't really figure out a way to get in there throughly. But I pushed about 2 gal warm oxyclean over the course of a half hour.

Yeah I would ideally just set and forget but I have some in laws coming and needed something up for them.

Thanks for all the replies it's much appreciated.

 

[day_trippr]

[...]My only thought could be that the liquid dip tube is set super close to the bottom of the keg or maybe isn't aligned properly with the bottom indentation. Is this something people have come across?
[...]

Sure, a combination of factors can lead to the dip tube end being slammed into the keg bottom. It happens.

More likely something is plugged, but either way, the solution is to pull the Out dip tube, make sure it's clear, and put it back without it binding...

Cheers!

 

[dup]

Just curious if there is a good way to clean out the liquid dip tube without a dip tube brush.? I may not be able to get one for a little and would like to see if I can clean it out.

 

[max384]

Spray it out with the "stream" setting on a hose sprayer. You should be able to get all the big pieces out this way. Once you get the gunk out, get a length of string and flush that through the tube with the sprayer. Then once you have the string all of the way through, tie a small piece of fabric onto one end and pull it through. Rinse and repeat as necessary.

 

[SoggyWood]

i wouldn't be surprised if there is a mass of protein/hop material built up in the spring right behind the poppit

 

[william_shakes_beer]

Just curious if there is a good way to clean out the liquid dip tube without a dip tube brush.? I may not be able to get one for a little and would like to see if I can clean it out.

or get a .22 cal rifle mop from walmart. Something like this: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Outers-Universal-Rifle-Cleaning-Kit/39818003

Just don't use the gun oil on your poppets !!! :smack:

 

[philipCT]

The only time I had an issue like this was on a hoppy beer that had brought a few TINY LITTLE pieces of whole hop into the keg. One little tiny freaking piece worked it's way up the dip tube and jammed into the poppet spring, thereby slowing the pour to a painful degree, even though I was pushing big pressure.

So I can only suspect some debris got all up in there.

 

[BeardedBrews]

I'm +1 with all the people talking about hop debris in the popit.

My quick and dirty solution is to put the gas line on the liquid out post and pull the pressure release valve. Works for blowing a stuck dry-hop bag out of the dip tube, and should help blast any hops out of your pop-it spring.

It's not ideal from a sediment and clear beer approach, but it gets the beer flowing

 

[dup]

Hey all,

Just to finish this one out for posterity, looks like it the low flow did have something to do with the dip tube being jammed against the bottom of the keg. When I was cleaning the leg I noticed it was very cramped, and offset from the dimple in the center of the keg. I now pay more attention when tightening the post to make sure the dip tube is centered.

Thanks again for all the suggestions.