Newbie to Kegging

[CorianderCortex]

Success! One keg (from a local homebrewer) is way easier to lock than the one I bought online.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[azlane]

I have a QD for the beer line that is crazy hard to lock. I had to put a towel over the QD and tap with a hammer to get it down far enough to seat/lock - is this an uncommon thing?

 

[k1ngl1ves]

I have a QD for the beer line that is crazy hard to lock. I had to put a towel over the QD and tap with a hammer to get it down far enough to seat/lock - is this an uncommon thing?

Check your keg posts. Sounds like you're pressing the liquid QD onto a gas post. Either you made a mistake and are attaching to the wrong side, or there's two gas posts on your keg. I had that happen to me on a nice craigslist keg before. Check the posts to see if there's any lines/markings on either one.


It could also be universal poppets. Sometimes there's too much force in the spring. You can nip the spring for a quick fix.


Is the keg new? New China keg maybe...? Do I have to say anything else...?

 

[azlane]

Basically a new keg (bought new and 2nd use). Had a hard time the first time as well. Now discovered as I kegged a batch today that I have a leak at that post... I supposed it is possible to buy a new out post and down tube and swap it out with beer in the keg (as long as no pressure)?

 

[day_trippr]

I have a QD for the beer line that is crazy hard to lock. I had to put a towel over the QD and tap with a hammer to get it down far enough to seat/lock - is this an uncommon thing?

Post a picture of the QD and the post - make sure we can see the sides of the hex or 12-point nut.

Also, first time use (by you) of this keg?

Cheers!

 

[azlane]

I used the keg the first time after buying new, and while it worked ok, it was really hard putting on the QD for the out post. The pic below without QD is the gas in post. I had such a hard time getting the QD on for the beer side, the pic I took below is with the QD on (if that is of any help). Didn't want to take it off if not needed since I also have some beer in the line (long story).

 

[Curtis2010]

I have a QD for the beer line that is crazy hard to lock. I had to put a towel over the QD and tap with a hammer to get it down far enough to seat/lock - is this an uncommon thing?

Oh! Dont do that! If it dont fit dont force it...stop and figure out why. Likely you have gas/liquid posts/QDs mixed up. If so, you think it was hard getting it on...wait till you try to get it off.

 

[day_trippr]

I see a black QD on a gas post.

Black = Beer

Cheers!

 

[Yooper]

I see a black QD on a gas post.

Black = Beer

Cheers!

Yep! The posts are switched. Did that happen with cleaning or did it come that way?

They need to be changed, and the short diptube goes in the "in" gas side, with the notches (the one under the black QD) and the long diptube goes on the "out" side- the one without the notches on the bottom.

 

[azlane]

The way I displayed the pics may have been confusing, so just to confirm...

The "naked" post shown is what I was using for gas in (could have mixed this up during cleaning since it worked fine on the 1st batch). The pic with the black disconnect is what I was using for beer out.

The long story for beer now being in the out line is that I mistakenly had the tap left in an open position somehow when I hit the keg with gas, and beer starting pouring, making a fine mess. Real newbie mistakes I guess. I had been messing with the tap a few days ago trying to install a tap handle I received for Christmas.

 

[Yooper]

The way I displayed the pics may have been confusing, so just to confirm...

The "naked" post shown is what I was using for gas in (could have mixed this up during cleaning since it worked fine on the 1st batch). The pic with the black disconnect is what I was using for beer out.

The long story for beer now being in the out line is that I mistakenly had the tap left in an open position somehow when I hit the keg with gas, and beer starting pouring, making a fine mess. Real newbie mistakes I guess. I had been messing with the tap a few days ago trying to install a tap handle I received for Christmas.

The posts are on the wrong sides. You can't mix them up- they aren't interchangeable. you are trying to jam a black quick disconnect on a gas post. The empty post is a beer out post.

Try it! Just take the black QD and stick it on the other post. It should pop right on!

 

[azlane]

Okay, I will give that a try as soon as I figure out how to get that black disconnect off . Curious that I was able to get beer flowing even though I had the QD swapped? I may have to just back out the black QD while on the post and buy a new QD and post...

 

[day_trippr]

Just as all posts have poppets, all QDs have plungers.

While you managed to violate Kegging Rule 1 ("Black Is Beer, Gray Is Gas") - plus proved the whole elastic collision physics thing - the plunger still displaced the poppet...

Cheers!

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

if you look close the notches are always gas, both will fit on the other if forced enough but the gas will not seal correct on the liquid out side and vice versa

 

[azlane]

So, I looked inside and the post that has the black QD has the long tube, so I must have swapped the posts during cleaning? I marked the keg with beer and gas at the posts, had the down tube at the right location but I guess I screwed up the posts upon re-install, (so I was placing black on beer and grey on gas). I should have known not to force the black QD and that should have been a flag something was wrong.

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

yes so the gas or white, gray always fits on the notched post and the notched post always gets put on the short tube

 

[Otis1031]

I have two plastic containers that I use to clean/soak and store all my fittings in. One is labeled "Gas" the other "Beer". I learned this helps eliminate interchanging the two. Little things like this helps with having an enjoyable hobby and helps save time.

 

[azlane]

Turns out neither of my posts were notched and the store can't figure out how I got two posts of very similar types. Bought two used posts that are easily identifiable, plus a new black QD and I am in business. Thanks everyone for the great feedback.

 

[day_trippr]

Turns out neither of my posts were notched[...]

Really?

Looks like notches to me. And your other pic shows an un-notched post.

Cheers!

 

[govner1]

All my kegs also have IN ( gas) & OUT( beer) marked by each post.
Shouldn't be rocket science!

 

[Yooper]

Really?

Looks like notches to me. And your other pic shows an un-notched post.

Cheers!

Look at the base of that photo- it's notched, clearly.

The other picture, without the QD is not not notched. Again, clearly.

I think if you don't know what you're looking at, that it may be hard to see but these are plain. That picture, right there, is notched. It's a GAS post. Clearly.

 

[day_trippr]

One of the more bizarre, confused threads of late, that's for sure.

Gotta wonder about that LHBS, too...

Cheers!

 

[Yooper]

I have two plastic containers that I use to clean/soak and store all my fittings in. One is labeled "Gas" the other "Beer". I learned this helps eliminate interchanging the two. Little things like this helps with having an enjoyable hobby and helps save time.

I still do the same- BEER on the left on the sink, GAS on the right. Always, even though I can pretty well tell the difference by now.

I think for lots of new keggers they get a supply of kegs, and tear them all down, without realizing that not only are gas and beer posts not interchangeable, that posts between different kegs are not interchangeable either! They tear down all the kegs, and then the cornelius 'out' posts are mixed in with the firestone 'in' posts, and it's almost never all sorted out properly!

I still do one keg at a time, gas on the right, beer on the left, and finish one keg before starting another!

 

[Yooper]

One of the more bizarre, confused threads of late, that's for sure.

Gotta wonder about that LHBS, too...

Cheers!

At least they made it right by giving used parts that are better(?) than the original correct parts.