Mostly C02 in my beer line

[Jes2xu]

Hi all,

So I cant get my head around this!!

I am getting a HUGE amount of what I assume must be CO2 in my beer line (as I dont see any beer where it shouldn't be!)

Its got to the point that if I leave it for a day or two there is more gass than beer.

If I manage to actually purge the line (it takes about 2 full pints of foam) I can pull a nice brew. But if I leave it for more than a hour or two im back to square one.

one keg seems to be fine while the other is as described.

Only thing I can think of is a leak into the beer line inside the keg above the level of beer???????


------- My set up --------

co2 bottle outside the fridge
single reg (currently set to 11psi, although this reg is a touch shotty and fluctuates)
2 kegs (equalised pressure on one reg)
3.5M of line on each keg
line coiled around the bottom of each keg
line then runs up to picnic taps through the wall of the fridge

 

[Onkel_Udo]

Have you swapped the kegs left to right to isolate if the issue is in the QD/Line/Tap or the keg itself?

I seem to remember a similar recent issue and this had to do with the actual threaded post seat or something on the liquid side of the keg.

 

[Jes2xu]

Good point,

I had swapped them around a bunch recently to trouble shoot another problem. So kinda had it in my mind that I had done so for this problem.

Will try that tonight and see what the deal is!

But yeah it has to be right? Or can THAT MUCH c02 be coming out of solution some how???

 

[Jes2xu]

Good point,

I had swapped them around a bunch recently to trouble shoot another problem. So kinda had it in my mind that I had done so for this problem.

Will try that tonight and see what the deal is!

But yeah it has to be right? Or can THAT MUCH c02 be coming out of solution some how???

 

[Subdivisions]

Check the gasket on the beer out dip tube. If it's leaking then CO2 will go from the head space in the keg straight into the beer line.

 

[Yooper]

Is it possible that the beer was carbed with a higher pressure/level than it is currently being served at? If so, that is the cause.

If not, it sounds like a problem with the post/poppit or the disconnect. Remove those (depressurize the keg first) and clean them out.

 

[Jes2xu]

Is it possible that the beer was carbed with a higher pressure/level than it is currently being served at? If so, that is the cause.

If not, it sounds like a problem with the post/poppit or the disconnect. Remove those (depressurize the keg first) and clean them out.

Yes and no. No I carb with the set and forget method. But my regulator is a little glitchy. It will often creep or drop by 5psi. I guess I need to buy another . . . sigh!

Check the gasket on the beer out dip tube. If it's leaking then CO2 will go from the head space in the keg straight into the beer line.

Yeah, will check! Thanks!!

I ran out of gas right before the xmas break so I have been HB less all xmas!!! I must have sprung a leak that I didnt spot while testing. It also ment that I couldn't test all of that stuff. Hoping to get gas today to have another check!

 

[renrutle]

I had a similar issue. The root cause was due to hops debris stuck in the poppet spring of the liquid post. It acted as an expansion valve resulting in a beer line full of foam. Clean them out like Yooper indicated.

 

[DrunkleJon]

Yes and no. No I carb with the set and forget method. But my regulator is a little glitchy. It will often creep or drop by 5psi. I guess I need to buy another . . . sigh!



Yeah, will check! Thanks!!

I ran out of gas right before the xmas break so I have been HB less all xmas!!! I must have sprung a leak that I didnt spot while testing. It also ment that I couldn't test all of that stuff. Hoping to get gas today to have another check!

Regulator creep can sometimes be fixed by blowing out the prv on it. Basically disconnect your kegs, turn off the gas lines after the regulator if you have a valve there and crank up the pressure to 30-40 or so psi. Then give the pressure relief valve on the regulator a couple tugs. This can allow any crap inside the regulator to be ejected. Otherwise you can disassemble the regulator, make sure everything is looking good and reassemble. Sometimes the innards arent lined up pretty of the valve is slightly warped or something. Other times crap is in the housing.

How did you buy your kegs? New, refurbed? If they are used, did you replace the o rings when you got them? You may have a leaking o ring on the beer side or a puncture in the dip tube.

 

[Jes2xu]

Regulator creep can sometimes be fixed by blowing out the prv on it. Basically disconnect your kegs, turn off the gas lines after the regulator if you have a valve there and crank up the pressure to 30-40 or so psi. Then give the pressure relief valve on the regulator a couple tugs. This can allow any crap inside the regulator to be ejected. Otherwise you can disassemble the regulator, make sure everything is looking good and reassemble. Sometimes the innards arent lined up pretty of the valve is slightly warped or something. Other times crap is in the housing.

How did you buy your kegs? New, refurbed? If they are used, did you replace the o rings when you got them? You may have a leaking o ring on the beer side or a puncture in the dip tube.

Now that is a genius idea haha (purging). I actually used to service Scuba regs. But I dont have too many tools at my disposal right now. I should track some stuff though and break them open and stop being lazy! haha

Yeah the kegs were second hand. I did replace the o'rings but im sure its worth another check.


Question for everyone:

Would keeping the c02 bottle outside the fridge with tubing running into it fluctuate the pressure?

the room is cool so more gas in to maintain the pressure set on the reg. The room the warms up which would increase the pressure.

Has anyone run into this problem with around 50cm of line on the outside?

Theoretically it will effect pressure right? I am unsure as to weather that small amount of line will have any meaningful impact on the overall system though?

 

[drgonzo2k2]

Could you provide some details on your keezer/kegerator setup? Have you tried checking to ensure that you have even temperature distribution throughout the interior? If you've got a big difference between the bottom of the unit (where the beer gets pull from via the dip tube) and the top of the unit (where your beer lines sit), you're going to have a bad, foamy time.

From the level you describe though, I'd probably start by checking the post/poppit/disconnect. If those are all fine though, then I would start looking at temperature differences. Just pour the first pint, measure temp, dump, repeat until you get a good pour. What was the temp of the first bad pour vs. the final good one?

 

[DrunkleJon]

Now that is a genius idea haha (purging). I actually used to service Scuba regs. But I dont have too many tools at my disposal right now. I should track some stuff though and break them open and stop being lazy! haha

Yeah the kegs were second hand. I did replace the o'rings but im sure its worth another check.


Question for everyone:

Would keeping the c02 bottle outside the fridge with tubing running into it fluctuate the pressure?

the room is cool so more gas in to maintain the pressure set on the reg. The room the warms up which would increase the pressure.

Has anyone run into this problem with around 50cm of line on the outside?

Theoretically it will effect pressure right? I am unsure as to weather that small amount of line will have any meaningful impact on the overall system though?

Having the CO2 outside the kegerator should be no real issue at all. I keep mine outside my keezer as well without issue.

 

[Jes2xu]

From the level you describe though, I'd probably start by checking the post/poppit/disconnect.

Thanks to the others that mentioned that too! ( is there a "karma" rating or something on this forum? Or do I just like the posts to show thanks??)

Looks like that was the problem!! I gave everything a clean and resembled and everything looks great.

Right now things are only half carbonated, so im reserving all joy untill I have a properly carbonated beverage pouring properly. But so far so good!



Now back to the original problem I had before this!!!

One keg pours MUCH faster than the other. It is keg specific. Switching over gass lines (and purging of course) and switching over the beer lines dosnt effect it.

One keg pours as you would expect at any given pressure. The other goes flat out! Right now I am testing two pretty much flat liquids too so it has nothing todo with carbonation of the beer it self.

This has been like this since I first got the kegs. So im really starting to run out of ideas

 

[DrunkleJon]

Thanks to the others that mentioned that too! ( is there a "karma" rating or something on this forum? Or do I just like the posts to show thanks??)

Looks like that was the problem!! I gave everything a clean and resembled and everything looks great.

Right now things are only half carbonated, so im reserving all joy untill I have a properly carbonated beverage pouring properly. But so far so good!



Now back to the original problem I had before this!!!

One keg pours MUCH faster than the other. It is keg specific. Switching over gass lines (and purging of course) and switching over the beer lines dosnt effect it.

One keg pours as you would expect at any given pressure. The other goes flat out! Right now I am testing two pretty much flat liquids too so it has nothing todo with carbonation of the beer it self.

This has been like this since I first got the kegs. So im really starting to run out of ideas

Speed of pour sounds to me like a case of beer line length or the pressure that the gas is set on. The line length slows down pour speed caused by the pressure on the keg of beer. Sounds like you need more restriction.

 

[Jes2xu]

Speed of pour sounds to me like a case of beer line length or the pressure that the gas is set on. The line length slows down pour speed caused by the pressure on the keg of beer. Sounds like you need more restriction.

If that was the case when I switched the beer lines over the problem would follow the beer line and not stay with the keg though yeah?

Same with the gass.

The problem is only with one keg.

Sorry I guess I explained all that kinda badly before.

I have two kegs, Keg A and Keg B. Keg A pours great, Keg B is fast.

I then Disconnect the gas lines and purge both kegs. I switch the beer lines and gass lines over and reconnect.

So now Keg A has the gass and beer line of Keg B and vice versa.

Keg A is still perfect, Keg B is still too fast.