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Author Topic: keg leak help  (Read 3387 times)

Offline pinnah

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keg leak help
« on: February 04, 2013, 11:09:01 am »
I got home the other day and opened the fridge and found my new Baltic porter oozing out of the OUT keg connect where the fitting for the picnic tap hooks on.

Lost about half a gallon. >:(



I made sure that the post was tight, so I am thinking that the plastic fitting is to blame.

What experience with this?  Is it just a dirty fitting?  Should I not use it again? Wasting Baltic in the floor of the fridge ticked me off.

Thanks for your help.

Offline morticaixavier

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Re: keg leak help
« Reply #1 on: February 04, 2013, 11:20:41 am »
I have had oozes at the post/qd interface a couple times. once because as the qd got turned this way and that it loosened the post enough to allow beer past the seal. The second time was with water (Thankfully) and was because I had the pressure cranked in an attempt to get sparkly water to the masses quicker and the cobra tap and/or QD was not able to resist that much pressure (around 35 PSI)
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Offline Slowbrew

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Re: keg leak help
« Reply #2 on: February 04, 2013, 12:54:44 pm »
My first thought would be a bad o-ring on the post or a crack in the connector.

Too much pressure might do it too.  I haven't seen that problem, yet.

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Offline pinnah

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Re: keg leak help
« Reply #3 on: February 04, 2013, 07:44:38 pm »
Thanks for the insight fellas.

Pressure was set at 12 psi. Normal.  No crack in the plastic fitting. But...the post top looks a little bent over a pretty good looking o-ring.  Maybe that post is the problem.


I guess this is penance for actually having a tap on that keg before it had even lagered!  It already tasted great... ::)

Offline tschmidlin

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Re: keg leak help
« Reply #4 on: February 04, 2013, 08:57:05 pm »
Take the connector apart and take a look - there is a slot on the top where you can put in a screw driver and take it apart.  Check the seals inside the connector.
Tom Schmidlin

Offline pinnah

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Re: keg leak help
« Reply #5 on: February 06, 2013, 07:54:24 am »
Thanks Tom, I will take a look.
It was not immediately apparent to me that that slot was for disassembly!
Good to know.

Offline redbeerman

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Re: keg leak help
« Reply #6 on: February 07, 2013, 12:35:55 pm »
Take the connector apart and take a look - there is a slot on the top where you can put in a screw driver and take it apart.  Check the seals inside the connector.

I have taken mine apart to clean them out on occasion.  Beer schmutz does collect in there over time! :o
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Offline blatz

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Re: keg leak help
« Reply #7 on: February 07, 2013, 12:43:07 pm »
Thanks Tom, I will take a look.
It was not immediately apparent to me that that slot was for disassembly!
Good to know.

make sure it isn't connected to a keg  ;D
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Offline Jimmy K

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Re: keg leak help
« Reply #8 on: February 14, 2013, 08:00:44 am »
make sure it isn't connected to a keg  ;D
It's funny because I would do that.  In December I didn't think the poppet on full pressurized keg looked right, so I pushed down to re-seat it. Face-full of beer. It was a shameful walk back into the house.
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Offline majorvices

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keg leak help
« Reply #9 on: February 14, 2013, 03:52:02 pm »
Have had the same thing happen many times. Replacing the O ring should fix it. You should be taking apart your QDC regularly, too. They get nasty!

Offline bluesman

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keg leak help
« Reply #10 on: February 14, 2013, 05:16:27 pm »
Another lesson learned is to NOT force carbonate a keg >50psi with the out post connected to a QD. Beer will sneak past the o-ring and onto the floor. I can attest to this outcome.
Ron Price

Offline majorvices

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keg leak help
« Reply #11 on: February 14, 2013, 06:08:36 pm »
Another lesson learned is to NOT force carbonate a keg >50psi with the out post connected to a QD. Beer will sneak past the o-ring and onto the floor. I can attest to this outcome.

Yes! Even 30 psi can be too high if your o rings are shoddy. I always disconnect when force carrbing over 15 psi.

Offline bluesman

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keg leak help
« Reply #12 on: February 14, 2013, 06:36:48 pm »
Another lesson learned is to NOT force carbonate a keg >50psi with the out post connected to a QD. Beer will sneak past the o-ring and onto the floor. I can attest to this outcome.

Yes! Even 30 psi can be too high if your o rings are shoddy. I always disconnect when force carrbing over 15 psi.

Absolutely!
Ron Price