King Keg - total loss

[user 37839]

Here is something to laugh about for the week ahead:

Instead of being able to report proudly about my very first batch of homemade cider in the next few days, I discovered today that it has found a final resting place under the floorboards in the kitchen :tinhat:. I am using a King Keg pressure barrel, and I tightened the nut of the tap as much as I dared, fearing that I might otherwise overdo it. However, that is where it has found its way to freedom - past the tap seal.
When I first unpacked it, the instructions said to fill it with a cleaner / steriliser solution for 24 hours to get rid of any plastic taste / smell. I followed that and it did not lose a drop during that time. Having gone through a number of posts here, I can only assume that the pressure resulting from secondary fermentation (85g sugar) simply overwhelmed the seal - or am I wrong?

Three questions, if I may:

• Is this a common problem with King Kegs?
• Should I have simply ramped the nut tight to the hilt?
• Should I have routinely released pressure during secondary fermentation?

Nevertheless, onwards and upwards they say. In the next few minutes, I will be ordering another kit to try again (if anything is left out there, that is). As always, all advice will be received gratefully.

 

[Graz]

Only time I've had a tap leak on my King Kegs was when I had one sat on the floor full of beer and I accidentally kicked the tap presumably causing the back nut to jump thread and **** beer everywhere. Can't remember what I did now, either stuck my hand in and did it up again or moved it all into another vessel.....

Anyway, you can over tighten the tap, as it's only plastic if you do it up too tight it can jump off the threads and be loose again. Might have happened here? Do it hand tight and then maybe another half turn but don't overdo it. You can sort of feel when it's right. To be sure fill with water and squirt some CO2 in (or if you have a cap with a schrader valve you can just pressure it up with a bike pump). If it leaks tighten a bit more.

 

[An Ankoù]

I though KingKegs' taps were at the top of a spherical barrel?

 

[Graz]

I though KingKegs' taps were at the top of a spherical barrel?

There's two types, top tap and bottom tap. Suspect it's the latter in use here.

 

[user 37839]

Thank you Graz,

First of all, you are correct. It is the type with the tap at the bottom.

I doubt that I overtightened it. I did it as you described, not the least because in the past I had some bad experience (not in connection with home brewing) with being a bit too enthusiastic when securing taps. However, that is why I was rather cautious and suspect it might have been the opposite, that I didn't tighten it enough. I did it by hand, and with my arthritis overdoing it would probably be difficult.

However, your idea with the gas test is great. I'll give that a try.

 

[Dads_Ale]

Hi. From experience PB taps can leak (either via the thread or seals) if pressure gets to around 10psi or above.
If you grease any seals be wary of over tightening as this can cause the seal to ‘pop out’

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

Here is something to laugh about for the week ahead:

Instead of being able to report proudly about my very first batch of homemade cider in the next few days, I discovered today that it has found a final resting place under the floorboards in the kitchen :tinhat:. I am using a King Keg pressure barrel, and I tightened the nut of the tap as much as I dared, fearing that I might otherwise overdo it. However, that is where it has found its way to freedom - past the tap seal.
When I first unpacked it, the instructions said to fill it with a cleaner / steriliser solution for 24 hours to get rid of any plastic taste / smell. I followed that and it did not lose a drop during that time. Having gone through a number of posts here, I can only assume that the pressure resulting from secondary fermentation (85g sugar) simply overwhelmed the seal - or am I wrong?

Three questions, if I may:

• Is this a common problem with King Kegs?
• Should I have simply ramped the nut tight to the hilt?
• Should I have routinely released pressure during secondary fermentation?

Nevertheless, onwards and upwards they say. In the next few minutes, I will be ordering another kit to try again (if anything is left out there, that is). As always, all advice will be received gratefully.

You do need to get the tap nice and tight to pinch the rubber seal tight. You also need to wrap PTFE tape round the thread first or the nut will jump the threads as you tighten it. I think I used something like 12 or 14 turns of PTFE tape. You may have a different tap but the fix is the same.

Really sorry you lost your cider, I’m gutted for you

 

[Hytower]

I had the same happen a few weeks ago with a plastic barrel. . . . 17 out of 25 litres onto the shed floor
unfortunately the tap seal let go before the pressure release valve on the top - i could have sworn i tightened it harder than that.
and it was a first pressing barrel from last october that was just starting to mature nicely.
so, 16 litres of aldi apple juice, the crabapples from my crabapple wine, some sugar and some yeast, and we are now bubbling a top up mix
its a learning curve apparently.

oh, and my shed still smells of fermented apples :)

 

[user 37839]

Thanks everyone for such a brilliant reaction to me questions. I will take all of this onboard in the hope that it will be a happier post next time.

I feel for you Hytower. I was nearly in tears , not the least becasue I have to keep buying the expensive supermarket stuff for a while longer.

 

[user 37839]

A little update on the pressure keg front:

I solved the problem - and made the King Keg behave - with a new tap and some good old Plumber's Mate. I used the one for pottable water, of course. It has withstood the rather considerable pressure of the secondary fermentation of Munton's Premium Gold.