King keg and S30 gas

[Desmnd]

Hi. I need help with my Kink Keg(s). I have two of them. I have had problems with these since I first got them over two years ago. I never had problems with the hambelton bard beer sphere. I have tried filling with water to about half full. I inject gas using an S30 cylinder. Just a small amount. After one hour opening the tap nothing comes out. ~The gas has escaped out of the top. I have tried sealing it untill it nearly cuts through the large black washer. The main top has been coated with petroleum jelly and well tightened down. I am now tearing my hair out buying replacement S£0 cylinders.

How tight should the valve be? tight to the point that the washer gets ditorted?

Please help me.

I have seen a Wilko Pressure Barrel 25L. Don't know what cylinder it uses but looks loke the S30. Also I can't get replacment large black washers. The valve asemply only has it's own washers.

 

[VW911]

Most common fault is overtightening!
Generally, a smidge over hand tight is enough, certainly not enough to distort the washer.
Worth checking the relief rubber - they do decompose fairly quickly...

 

[trevorS]

I used to have three of them and they always lost gas , the only thing that improved the situation was a plastic spanner to tighten down the top.
Eventually i bit the bullet and bought corny kegs no problem since , well almost none!

 

[Desmnd]

I have bought thicker more solid rubber washers on ebay and found large washers of a slightly larger diameter than the black washer so it can't posibly distort. I thought that that would solve the problem. I have even had the ebay thick washers on both the inside and outside. I have tried everything. Might have to look into a corny keg. Expensive but what gas system does it use? S30 works out cheaper than the small solder siphon sparklets.

Aditional...
trevorS: the plastic spanner to tighten down the top. That is the main red top you meen not the hambelton valve.

P.S. I heard that Hambelton don't make the valves anymore and it is now sold of to another company.

 

[Sandimas]

I had the same problem: worked fine for the first few years then started losing pressure.

Fill it with water, gas it up a little, then get some soap suds around all the valves and washers and tap, to work out exactly where the leak is.

As pointed out above, the rubber band on the pressure relief valve needs renewing regularly.

 

[Desmnd]

I have already done that as explained. I know exactly where the gas is comming out.

And all the washewrs have been replaced. Also I said that I have two barrels. I have the same problem on both. I may have had the barrels three years but the barrels have hardly been used for obviose resons.

 

[Sandimas]

Only trying to be helpful, I won't bother in the future when I see you posting.

 

[Buffers brewery]

If your using CO2 to pressure test a PB almost full of water, the pressure WILL drop even if there is NO LEAK. The CO2 dissolves into the water! You’d be better off using AIR. Needs a Schrader valve to be fitted to the cap and tyre pump. DO NOT USE CO2 OVER WATER TO PRESSURE TEST.

 

[Desmnd]

thank you Buffers brewery: I would not have thought that the gas would disipate into the water. Have gone through several S30 at a cost 0f £6 each. I didn't want to risk spending days brewing th beer only to have to throw it out because it was flat. What I understand from these meessages is you do not have to tighten the valve down so that it distorts the large black washer. I did buy thicker washers on ebay and larger washers also. This failed but that would be down to the gas disolving into the water.

Should I put vasaline un top of the red tap as well before placing the black washer on top and is it beter to have the washer on top instead of on the inside of the red top. seems either way should work and the sholder on the valve which would be inside is lare and would support the black washer better.

Sorry to darrellm, I have being doing this for 40 years and never had problems with my hambelton bard beer sphere.

 

[Buffers brewery]

Hi @Desmnd . You might find this link helpful.
https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/pressure-barrels-more-than-you-wanted-to-know.89344/You can use CO2 to leak check but with a soapy water spray and inspect for leaks by looking for foaming bubbles. But, as you've found out, don't leave it too long.

 

[Drunkula]

Eventually i bit the bullet and bought corny kegs no problem since , well almost none!

Spill it! For the sake of fairness we need some corny bashing because some on here think corny users have problems just never talk about it and we need some "balance".

I have tried filling with water to about half full. I inject gas using an S30 cylinder. Just a small amount. After one hour opening the tap nothing comes out. ~The gas has escaped out of the top.

The trouble with this is that the water will absorb the co2. You're better off trying it with the keg empty or pumping in air. Before I fitted schrader valves I'd blow into the tap with the powerful bellows that are my athlete's lungs and then shut off the tap. A couple of days later I'd open the tap and see if there's a really super whoosh. There should be.

Don't worry about adiabatic changes to the system as your breath cools. That's nerdy stuff.

 

[Desmnd]

One thing I have had a problem with the kink keg is these are top taps. When the level drops below the level of the tap, air comes out with the beer. What has happened is air is getting past a very flimsy washer on the end of the tube and out of the tap. Not around the sides of the tap as it only hapens when the tap is open and the air is comming out of the tap itself. Had to replace the asembly sometimes with one from an old hambelton bard beer sphere with a beter system. If I get another barrel, I will get a bottom tap. Th reson for the top tap is you can have a float system so the clearer top beer comes out first. But the float can be plugged into the bottom tab anyway.

 

[Buffers brewery]

I think (from memory, so sorry if I got it wrong) @kelper has the fix for this one. To check the cause of the problem, tip the barrel forward so the tap entry is submerged in beer and turn the tap on. If you DON'T get gas leaking into your beer then the problem is the o-ring on the pipe connector that pushes into the back of the tap.
When I used a barrel tap, I swapped mine for the sparkler tap which has a better connection IMO.

 

[VW911]

If it's a top tap, just weight the "float"...

 

[kelper]

If it's a top tap, just weight the "float"...

Why???

 

[VW911]

Quite often, if poorly installed, they float upside down, drawing more gas than fluid...

 

[kelper]

The reason for the top tap is you can have a float system so the clearer top beer comes out first. But the float can be plugged into the bottom tab anyway.

I'd never thought of using a float with a bottom tap! Great idea. Of course, the best thing about a top tap is you can put a pint pot under the tap even if the barrel is on the floor or on a deep shelf or counter-top

 

[kelper]

The reason for the top tap is you can have a float system so the clearer top beer comes out first. But the float can be plugged into the bottom tab anyway.
[/QUOTE
I'd never thought of using a float with a bottom tap! Great idea. Of course, the best thing about a top tap is you can put a pint pot under the tap even if the barrel is on the floor or on a deep shelf or countertop.