Please help! At my witts end...

[tydaddy]

Alright guys, this is my first post. I’m going insane – so please help me out! I’m on my 4th attempt at having no foam. It’s been 2 months, a half barrel, and a sixtel of pure foam.

Here was my initial set up…
Krome ss couplers
90 degree ss 3/16 tailpieces
20ft of 3/16 atp vinyl tubing
90 degree ss 3/16 tailpieces
Tapright ss flow control faucets

At first I had an air cooling set up into my tower. Quickly realized that the freezer couldn’t keep up. Switched everything to liquid cooling with water in the same freezer as the beer. Quickly realized that I couldn’t get the water bath cold enough. I then switched everything to glycol cooling in a separate fridge.

After I got my temps stabilized, I started messing with pressures, using everything I’ve read in the forums, every single calculator on the interwebs. Nothing has worked. I’ve tried everything from 3psi up to 40 psi in 2 psi increments. Each day I let it 24 hours. Pure foam no matter what pressure.

I decided to change the lines from 3/16 atp vinyl, to ¼ bev seal. Also, changed to ¼ ss elbows at the couplers and the shanks. Also, got micromatic ss couplers instead of the Krome. In the process I also decided I also increased the cooling to my taps by wrapping 3/8 OD copper tubing around the shanks, and to run the glycol through that as well.

Even after all of this, I’ve still got all foam. The half barrel was a light lager, the sixtel was perpetual. Both commercial kegs. I’m wondering if all of the pressure changes within the kegs, have rendered them useless at this point. Anyhow, I’m going to post pics below. Also, the towels in the tower are around the copper because they actually froze because there was so much condensation. If you also have any suggestions how to insulate the tower at this point, it’d be great.

My trunk line is 5/16 ID braided vinyl, the ¼ bev seal lines taped to the cold line, return line beside the cold line, all plastic wrapped, then insulated foil tape wrapped, then pipe insulation. I have a thermometer sort of wrapped in the very end up by the tower, just to give an idea of the temp of the coolant right before entering the tower – although, it’s either not in contact with the cold line, or not insulated enough because it’s showing 40deg, when the coolant bath is 30.

One last note. I have it set up so that my half barrel is in the old kegerator, the sixtels will be in the upright freezer. I combine the line from the kegerator as soon as it comes out, into the trunk line. My initial tower design was for the air cooling, one side in, one out. Obviously, the setup has changed, but I haven’t quite worked out a tower design yet. I wanted to make sure I had good pouring beers first – since I’m so frustrated, I want to take the entire damn setup out back and burn it down!!!!
Any help or suggestions would be great, as I’m at an absolute loss right now.

Thanks!
Tyler

 

[estricklin]

Maybe the beer has just gotten over carbonated during all of this? Maybe bleed the keg off and let it sit for a day? Maybe you have a bad gauge on your regulator?

 

[tydaddy]

Pics

 

[day_trippr]

It does sound like overcarbed kegs are in play.

And going with 20 feet of 1/4" ID Ultra is going to be a serious test of the flow control faucets...

 

[tydaddy]

Added a new sixtel. Pouring fine. Perpetual is pouring better. The keystone light in the kegerator is still all foam.

 

[tydaddy]

Air forming in the lines as soon as it leaves the keg. Same temp as the main freezer. 35 +/-3

 

[day_trippr]

Unless there's an O-ring problem inside the keg coupler, that's a sure sign of an over-carbed keg.
If you plug that same coupler on the "tame" kegs and it pours fine, that'll be confirmation...

Cheers!

 

[NitrogenWidget]

I have a sanke tap with ball lock adapters for commercial kegs plus i get my cornies filled at a local brewery and they always foam a few days until i get the pressure right.

seems even the same beer from keg to keg has different carbonation levels.
I usually take the gas connectors off then bleed off the o2 if I can, turn the pressure way down then reconnect and grab a pitcher.

do that until it trickles out then slowly increase o2 pressure.
usually have to go lower than my own stuff it seems.

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

That is some funky setup you got there...I'm going with your setup as the issue.

Why did you go through all the trouble of combining two fridges with that crazy line just to have your taps setup 3 feet away?

Is there a reason you just didn't just make a keezer? Looks like it would take up the same space.
I run sixtels with 4 ft lines and no foam...If your keystone light which is carbed correctly from the factory is foaming it seems likely that line is to warm.

 

[Transamguy77]

I can’t tell from the pictures, is your setup in a hot garage or in your house? And I have to agree with Johnny on this one I think you are loosing so much of your temp through that trunk line.

I have my kegerator in my garage and in the summer I get foam for the first part of a pour and the only part exposed is the tap. I can’t imagine the temp drop from the point it comes out of the fridge to the tap itself.