Voided Warranty for Disassembling Keg???

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ChemEng

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Aug 19, 2014
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Location
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Backstory:

I want to get into Kombucha and maybe some brewing, but the wife has gotten used to having the beer fridge for drinks and other stuff. I ordered a few 2.5 gallon kegs from Beverage Elements as those would allow me to keep a shelf in my fridge for other stuff (the 5 gallons i have are too tall). I have about six 5 gallon corneys which are a mix of "new" and old soda kegs.

When i got the new 2.5 gallon kegs, I did what I always do which is disassemble them and clean all the parts, sanitize and pressure test.

Keg 1 and 2 = Dip tube was too long, they screwed the post down compressing the tube against the bottom of the keg which caused the gasket to get pinched/mangled.
Keg 3 = Dip tube was twisted and bent inside the keg (probably also too long) and i can't get it to come out without damaging the keg further.
Keg 4 = No issues, holding pressure fine.

I emailed BeverageElements and to their credit they emailed me back quickly... but they chastised me for disassembling the kegs saying removal of the posts can damage the kegs and void my warranty. Admittedly i didn't read the leaflet they sent which was labeled "how to set up a keg system"... but is this normal? I disassemble my kegs every time i turn them around for a new brew... how else would you get the random hop leaf or other spluge out of the dip tube or clean the orings etc...? Seems a bit absurd that basic maintenance would "damage the keg" and "Void the warranty". They were clearly assembled with ill fitting components. Here is the email from BeverageElements: Am i wrong here?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Good morning,

Per the attached insert included with your shipment as well as the keg information located on our website, disassembly of kegs for cleaning is not only unnecessary, but it can also cause damage and void your warranty. Keg Information | Beverage Elements

I’ve sent a prepaid label for return of the damaged keg. We will inspect it upon receipt and send a new keg replacement for you. But please avoid disassembly of the posts and review the information provided as this will help you have a better keg experience.

Thank you so much!

New Keg Cleaning and Removal of Posts
New kegs should be cleaned before use. You don’t need to disassemble your new keg to clean it. All our kegs are built to food-safe NSF standards. They should be cleaned by you when you get them, but disassembly isn’t required.
Clean your keg by running sanitizer through it exactly as you would to dispense beer. Rinse thoroughly after using sanitizer – you don’t want to drink that.
If you do decide to disassemble your kegs, remember that disassembly of new kegs (including the removal of posts) can cause damage to the keg and may void your warranty, so take them apart at your own risk (and we can’t accept a return on them if you do).
If you choose to disassemble, remember the following:
  • DO NOT use power tools to unscrew keg posts and use caution when removing them, as stainless steel can gall.
  • Removal of posts by any method can cause the stainless steel to gall, effectively seizing the post to the keg. Posts must be removed slowly and if tension is felt they should be screwed back on before backing off again.
  • Since the posts are designed with an O-ring seal little tension is required to reseal the connection on reassembly.
  • Removal of a post may void your warranty.

Sincerely,
 
Are these AEB kegs by any chance?

I recall when those first appeared they came with instructions to not remove the posts, which of course everyone here remarked about as being ridiculous to live with...

Cheers!
 
These are AMCYL kegs... admittedly they are "budget friendly" so i am not surprised that there were issues, i am just surprised that the policy is you void your warranty if you unscrew a post... something i have done hundreds of times without issue.

I don't see anything on AMCYL's website about warranty language. I emailed them to get their take on it.
 
Just tell them that you only removed the posts because you saw that the dip tubes were too long and bent when you looked inside the kegs.
 
ridiculous
Ridiculous is right. Only basic care is required to remove, clean, and replace posts and dip tubes without damage. One cannot apply keg lube to dip tube o-rings without removing posts.

Beverage Elements claims that removing posts can cause damage. Nonsense. Reassembly could, I suppose, if one cross threaded the post and torqued it. If these are built like my 5 gallon Amcyl kegs, only slight force is required to tighten the posts.

I hope they do right by you, @ChemEng .
 
Just tell them that you only removed the posts because you saw that the dip tubes were too long and bent when you looked inside the kegs.
well too late... I already told them i removed for cleaning... plus I am not going to lie to them, if i effed up, then i'll admit it, but this damage was done at the factory when some gorilla tightened the posts on a too-long dip tube instead of addressing the issue properly.

My decision now is, do i send them the keg with the stuck dip tube or do i try to fix it myself? They sent me a shipping label, but if they are just going to keep it and charge me for a new one, or charge me to ship the same one back then i'd rather just try to buy a new dip tube if i mangle the existing one taking it out.
 
Ridiculous is right. Only basic care is required to remove, clean, and replace posts and dip tubes without damage. One cannot apply keg lube to dip tube o-rings without removing posts.

Beverage Elements claims that removing posts can cause damage. Nonsense. Reassembly could, I suppose, if one cross threaded the post and torqued it. If these are built like my 5 gallon Amcyl kegs, only slight force is required to tighten the posts.

I hope they do right by you, @ChemEng .
Thanks @sibelman. On all my other kegs, i break it loose with a 17mm and unscrew by hand... not rocket science. The hardest part is making sure i don't bobble the poppet into the garbage disposal while rinsing it off.

They act like its a freaking iphone and I'm trying to solder on a new capacitor.

I will update this thread with the outcome.
 
Their policy seems legit. This way, you don't disassemble anything to reveal their flaws. I do the same thing sometimes.

Can't mow the lawn today. Might void the grass warranty.
Can't wash the dishes. Might void the sponge's warranty... best to let it soak for several days until someone else cleans it.
Can't change the channel when football is on. Don't want to risk the remote's warranty.
I would vacuum, but the carpet warranty may disagree with the suction settings. Better not risk it.
 
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