[flbrewer]

How would you attach the auto-siphon to the liquid post? What if I don't use an auto-siphon anymore and simply fill the keg with a silicone tube from my ball valve on the fermenter.

The tubing from the autosiphon runs to a disconnect which is attached to the liquid post.

You would attach the tubing from your ball valve in the same fashion.

Don't over-think this.  The goes-out from the fermenter attaches to the goes-out on the keg (which is now effectively the goes-in).

Gave this a try yesterday and even after purging the empty keg with the PRV multiple times, gunk kept squirting out of the keg randomly. Did I do something wrong? Figured something was off so I never bothered trying to transfer beer this way.

I'm guessing you can't do a closed transfer without using two kegs. In my case I'm using a keg and a fermenter.

[a10t2]

Gave this a try yesterday and even after purging the empty keg with the PRV multiple times, gunk kept squirting out of the keg randomly. Did I do something wrong? Figured something was off so I never bothered trying to transfer beer this way.

I'm guessing you can't do a closed transfer without using two kegs. In my case I'm using a keg and a fermenter.

What kind of gunk? Squirting from where?

And no, it isn't a true closed transfer. Although I've been thinking about modifying one of my bucket lids to have ball-lock posts and a dip tube.

[flbrewer]

Just to clarify, I ran a silicone tube from my fermenter into the out post of the keg as others mentioned above. Prior to hooking up the tube, I noticed that there was dark green sediment that would periodically spray out of the keg. This is after bleeding off all pressure, perhaps there was more in there as the lid wasn't opened yet.

[a10t2]

  I think you need to clean the keg...

[flbrewer]

I think you need to clean the keg...

Whoops, guess I should've specified...this is the same keg that I'm using to just dump a new batch of beer into an existing empty keg without cleaning. "Lazy Kegging" post...

[a10t2]

I figured as much. Still not sure I understand what's happening though. Beer is coming out of the PRV when you vent it? Or leaking from somewhere else?

You wouldn't need to purge a "dirty" keg, by the way. It's already full of CO2.

[flbrewer]

I typically gravity feed my beer into the keg through the open lid via silicone tubing from the fermenter.

This time I tried to do the same thing, but instead of letting the beer flow through the lid, I was going to try and let if low through the "Out" post on the keg (assuming this was a closed transfer).

I assumed I needed to bleed off pressure or else the beer wouldn't be able to gravity flow into the keg. Once I got the post on (prior to attaching tubing), it started to squirt some of the trub out even after I continued to bleed CO2.

After spraying this trub various times, I said &%$& it and transferred like I normally do.

[a10t2]

Once I got the post on (prior to attaching tubing), it started to squirt some of the trub out even after I continued to bleed CO2.

That doesn't sound like a great practice anyway. The tubing would be full of air prior to starting the transfer. What I do is start the siphon with the end of the tubing in a bucket of sanitizer, then attach the QD to the tubing under the level of the sanitizer once beer has filled the tubing.

Regardless, it's really weird to have anything coming out of the liquid post with no pressure on the keg. Are you sure the PRV was locked open?

[yso191]

Do large commercial breweries purge their kegs with CO2?  I'm fairly sure they purge bottles before filling.

[Thirsty_Monk]

Yes they do in final step of keg cleaning.

[flbrewer]

Once I got the post on (prior to attaching tubing), it started to squirt some of the trub out even after I continued to bleed CO2.

 Are you sure the PRV was locked open?

No, I forgot you can lock it. Next time 

[johnnyb]

You could also put a quick disconnect on the gas side and run some tubing into a small bucket of sanitizer.

With a closed off keg, how do you guys know when it's full? I've done only one push with CO² to a keg, but I ended up taking the lid off so I could see when it was just above the 5 gallon line.
 

[a10t2]

With a closed off keg, how do you guys know when it's full?

Calibrated volume markings on the buckets.

[yso191]

You could also put a quick disconnect on the gas side and run some tubing into a small bucket of sanitizer.

With a closed off keg, how do you guys know when it's full? I've done only one push with CO² to a keg, but I ended up taking the lid off so I could see when it was just above the 5 gallon line.

I do this in two ways.  Since I have a stainless steel fermenter I can't see the level in the keg or fermenter.  I try to cold crash the beer prior to kegging down to just above 32*.  Then because of the temperature difference between the beer and the outside air, condensation forms on the outside of the keg at the level the beer is at.  When the condensation hits the top the keg is full.

The other way, in cases where the temperature difference isn't sufficient, I use a bathroom scale.  A full keg weighs 50.5 pounds.

[johnnyb]

Cool - I'm going to go for the scale method because I usually tip my better bottles up sideways prior to racking so marks wouldn't help. Thanks!