Water carbonation setup, fluid in outlet hose

[Bob_McBob]

I have this water carbonation setup which uses a carb cap and ball lock fitting on the end of the hose. I'm finding every time I carb a bottle of water, I end up with liquid trapped inside the hose, which sprays out if I manually open the disconnect. Is this normal? If not, any idea what's going on? Am I making some kind of newbie mistake here? I'm removing the disconnect from the bottle before closing the regulator shut-off valve.

 

[orangehero]

You need a check valve.

Either get one of these to attach to the quick disconnect you have now:
https://www.williamsbrewing.com/DISCONNECT-CHECK-VALVE-P3658.aspx

Or do like I do and just get a new quick disconnect:
https://www.williamsbrewing.com/CMB-GAS-BALL-LOCK-FITTING-WITH-CHECK-VALVE-P3358.aspx

 

[Bob_McBob]

The place I got the kit from sells the CM Becker check valve disconnect, so that is certainly an option. I'm just a little confused because I've seen hundreds of these carb setups online and none of them use a check valve on the disconnect, but nobody seems to be reporting water backing up into the hose. Is this just a thing people accept as normal? These get used for carbing all sorts of things like juice and soda syrups which would quickly make the hose pretty gross without constant cleaning wouldn't it?

 

[orangehero]

Are you shaking the bottle? With proper care they don't back up, which involves not shaking the liquid, keeping the gas supply components above the liquid level, and avoiding wrong pressure differential between the container and the gas supply.

I like to quick carb, so I shake the piss out of the bottle, and even then the CMB check valve disconnect will get fluid in the space between the check valve and the poppet and needs to be occasionally flushed out.

It's not magic, you need to try to keep liquid out of the disconnect.

 

[Bob_McBob]

Again I'm confused because I can't find a single example of someone not shaking while carbing bottles this way, so it seems like nobody is using their system with "proper care". Basically every video and instruction says to shake the bottle vigorously for 30 seconds, some even upside down. Are you saying it is normal to get some fluid backing up if you shake the bottle and don't have a check valve disconnect? I just don't understand why nobody else seems to notice it, especially with sugary liquids that could make the hose unsanitary.

I tried carbing a bottle with the tank on the counter and the bottle well below, and I still get just as much liquid in the hose, and liquid in the disconnect when I remove it from the carb cap. Basically I just want to know if this is unavoidable without a check valve if you shake the bottle, or even something I should be concerned about.

 

[orangehero]

Basically I just want to know if this is unavoidable without a check valve if you shake the bottle, or even something I should be concerned about.

Yes and yes.

 

[55x11]

Yes and yes.

I assume he has a check valve on the regulator (No?).

When you connect ball lock to the bottle, the bottle and the hose become "one" unit, if you will - when you shake the bottle, nothing will stop the water from going up the hose.

The danger here is the water getting into the regulator and messing it up.

 

[Bob_McBob]

I assume he has a check valve on the regulator (No?).

When you connect ball lock to the bottle, the bottle and the hose become "one" unit, if you will - when you shake the bottle, nothing will stop the water from going up the hose.

The danger here is the water getting into the regulator and messing it up.

Taprite fit their regulators with a shut-off valve that incorporates a ball check valve, so I'm not too worried about liquid entering the regulator. I see your point about the bottle and hose becoming a single unit. I think a lot of my problem is because of shaking the bottle more than necessary, which allows a lot of liquid to enter the hose once there is no longer a strong flow of gas. Shaking for less time made a big improvement, but there is still a small amount of water intrusion. I suppose I will have to fit one of the check valve disconnects if I want to completely eliminate that, but I'm not too concerned since I only carb water. I am pretty surprised I couldn't find a single other mention of this issue considering how popular these setups are, and I wonder how many people unknowingly have nasty hoses from carbing juice and soda syrups, especially given how often I see them shaking the bottle upside down.

 

[Hannabrew]

I have this same issue when making soda water and was wondering if it makes more sense to push 45PSI of CO2 into the bottle and then unhook it to shake for a bit. Once the headspace is absorbed and the bottle softens, repeat a few times until it isn't accepting much more CO2.

Is that a better way to do it?

I've thought about those ball locks with the check valve but from what I can tell you can't push more than 3PSI through them right?

 

[Thorsbrew]

When i hanged the bottle upside down i got liquid back in the line. But now i just keep the bottle at a 45 degree or less angle when i shake and i dont get backup. I use a check valve just in case though.

However i also agree with your last statement about getting crap inside your gas line and not knowing it. I've heard of people getting infected beer from backups molding inside the gas lines. For this reason i do not use the red lines i use 1/4" clear vinyl lines (1/4" so i can use the 5/16 air filters, otherwise i'd just use the same 3/16 line i use for my beer line)

@Hannabrew what would make you say you can't get more than 3PSI? They would be pointless if that were the case.