Pressure problems/leaky kegs

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bobster
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Joined: Sat May 07, 2011 8:48 am

Pressure problems/leaky kegs

Post by bobster »

Hi I'm a Newbie to the home brew hobby, and I'm experiencing problems with my kegs as follows.Scenario 1. Economy keg with screw thread into barrel,had a leak from thread currentluy using ptfe tape to bridge gaps but still get occasional leak from tap,have to resort to relieving pressure in keg by releasing lid/cap to allow excess gas to escape. Scenario 2 Bottom tap king keg,took a sample of beer,which lead to a constant slow drip from the tap.So bad i.e. I would have run out of beer before the leak stopped !!! Have decanted contents,noticed that leak stopped when again I released excess gas from Keg,is this a common problem with kegs any simple avoidance tips,surely it cannot be good for a brew constantly opening the lid to relieve pressure thanks all
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Taz Ales
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Re: Pressure problems/leaky kegs

Post by Taz Ales »

If the pressure in the barrel is causing the taps to leak, I'd suggest checking the safety valve. These do fail to work sometimes and that can lead to a ruptured barrel... I've had this. You should be able to see if a barrel is over pressurised because the base will start to bow.

To test whether the safety valve is blocked or working correctly, try pinching the rubber band around the S30 (or slip a jewellers screwdriver between the band and the brass) to create a small airgap. If it starts releasing gas then it's clear, if not it could be blocked (vaseline perhaps).

To stop taps dripping, make sure that you dismantle them and apply vaseline to all moving parts before filling the barrel. I do this every time.

In the case of the budget barrel, you've probably already worked this out but don't push the tap all the way to close, as this can make it leak. 90 degrees to the tap is best.

The other thing to mention is that if your beers are generally over pressurising in the barrel, you could be over priming them or racking a little too early. Try to get the gravity down to around 1.012 or below before transfering to the barrel, and you can usually get away with not priming... especially if you're using bottom tap barrels.

As for releasing the pressure... don't worry about it. As long as you're only allowing gas to escape through the cap, or even better by squeezing the rubber savety valve, you're unlikely to let any air in. The CO2 in the barrel will protect the beer. The main thing to avoid is letting air in through the tap when the pressure in the barrel dips below the pressure outside, but that's definitely not your problem at the moment.
Taz... or Chris. It's up to you.
bobster
Posts: 19
Joined: Sat May 07, 2011 8:48 am

Re: Pressure problems/leaky kegs

Post by bobster »

Hi Taz

Thanks for that,vaseline used on the cap will have a look at that,taps stripped and sterilised&checked for defects all appear ok,won't the vaseline in the tap workings have some effect on the beer ?
Take on board the no ill effects of opening lid etc, the kegs aren't bowing it's always the pressues via weakest point i.e. tap. The Coopers dark was at the recommended gravity for kegging and I onlu used recommended dosage of sugar to prime.

Well all part of the learning curve I suppose, as I had some reading and used vaseline on the barrel etc I thought I would get a trouble free finish,still give it time and I'm sure things will settle down

thanks

Bob
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I_used_to_brew
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Re: Pressure problems/leaky kegs

Post by I_used_to_brew »

I can only comment on the budget kegs. They are so simple that very little can go wrong, it's the same design that's been used for decades for draught cider although they use a tap that's more flush with the body of the keg and less prone to damage.

Leaking from the tap itself is often caused by turning the tap 'OFF' too far, if you go past 90 degrees there is a leakage pathway. If that's not the cause then take the tap apart (the part with the lever on pulls upwards and out of the rest of the tap), give it a good clean (should be done every time you use it anyway) and pop it back.

Leakage from the thread is something I have never seen, but I can imagine, like with the lid, that if you tighten it up too much the washer can distort and you'll get a leak. They only need to be just about hand tight and no more. I've never used vaseline on kegs as I think it can cause the washer to slip and not seal correctly, if you want to lube it up then use a very very small amount (or nothing at all!).
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Taz Ales
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Re: Pressure problems/leaky kegs

Post by Taz Ales »

Good point. I should have mentioned, try not to get any vaseline on the washer or on any part that the washer will touch.

Vaseline in the tap mechanism will help the tap open and close easier, which is more of an issue with the HB and KingKeg taps (these have a tendency to stick), and it will plug any minor leaks if there is a slight defect in the sleeve. It won't affect the beer in any way.
Taz... or Chris. It's up to you.
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