Leaking keg

[Triker]

One of the reasons these Kegs are so unreliable could be that we don't complain enough. Its all very well doing a repair but if the repair fails the manufacturer wont want to know. If I bought a garment with a hole in it, Would I sew it? I doubt it. Take the bloody thing back and demand a refund or something thats fit for purpose. It works for me.

We used to be the workshop of the world but sadly manufacturing standards have plummeted. Another example of why Britain is not 'Great' anymore

 

[Touchstone]

I fell out with kegs a long time ago , had all the same probs , now use cornys & bottles

 

[Triker]

I fell out with kegs a long time ago , had all the same probs , now use cornys & bottles

I've never used bottles but I am relatively new to brewing. Do you not have a problem with sediment rising when you open them?

 

[wilsoa1111]

well bottles have their cons -mostly time cleaning and filling but sediment is rarely an issue as the yeast really sticks there and provided u pour into a glass its all gd- it can also be reduced by using a secondary- esp if u add gelatin... i use both kegs and (screwtop) bottles cos the bottles are less than half the price(if u buy) and dont need c02 and babying to get a seal but sometimes nothing beats a keg

 

[Touchstone]

I ferment for 7-10 days in fermenting fridge at 20c then wang it down to 5c for 1 or 2 weeks then bottle or corny. I don't get very much sediment & certainly it doesn't boil up, 1/2 teaspoon sugar per bottle . Never use finings, & it seems to be working for me

 

[StrangeBrew]

Now prefer my budget Wilko barrel with added CO2 injector cap - at least you can see it deforming when it's got a decent amount of pressure, unlike the more expensive kegs.

+1

Had nothing more than a slight washer weep when over pressured on basic barrels. Got three and never lost a brew :-)

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[Windy]

Now prefer my budget Wilko barrel with added CO2 injector cap - at least you can see it deforming when it's got a decent amount of pressure, unlike the more expensive kegs.

+1

Had nothing more than a slight washer weep when over pressured on basic barrels. Got three and never lost a brew :-)

:

How much pressure can you get in a "basic barrel"?

(One of my King Kegs is currently at 26 PSI :?, I assume a basic barrel would explode at that pressure?)

 

[StrangeBrew]

How much pressure can you get in a "basic barrel"?

(One of my King Kegs is currently at 26 PSI :?, I assume a basic barrel would explode at that pressure?)

A CO2 valve S30 or sparklet bulb type in the cap should vent at 10 PSI if it's working properly so that's the maximum in any kind of plastic keg. It's all they're designed for.

 

[Windy]

A CO2 valve S30 or sparklet bulb type in the cap should vent at 10 PSI if it's working properly so that's the maximum in any kind of plastic keg. It's all they're designed for.

So why do the instructions for lager kits say to prime for a keg with 150-180 grams of sugar which produces far more CO2 than you can keep in a keg at 10 PSI? That seems to be enough for 30 PSI...

 

[Triker]

A CO2 valve S30 or sparklet bulb type in the cap should vent at 10 PSI if it's working properly so that's the maximum in any kind of plastic keg. It's all they're designed for.

So why do the instructions for lager kits say to prime for a keg with 150-180 grams of sugar which produces far more CO2 than you can keep in a keg at 10 PSI? That seems to be enough for 30 PSI...

Its just a guess but I'm thinking that anything over 10 psi will let off through the safety valve, and 150-180 sugar will mean that gas will 'go on' being produced as a top up? Of course I could be talking billhooks but its just an idea :whistle:

 

[Windy]

Its just a guess but I'm thinking that anything over 10 psi will let off through the safety valve, and 150-180 sugar will mean that gas will 'go on' being produced as a top up? Of course I could be talking billhooks but its just an idea :whistle:

Good idea, but you are supposed to let priming finish before drinking any and needing a top up :hmm:

I would like to know the answer though, the extra priming sugar for lager makes no sense to me unless you are supposed to use a keg that can take a lot more than 10 psi :? Might be able to keep half of it if you kept it in the fridge, but then the yeast wouldn't do it's job and you wouldn't get the CO2.

 

[StrangeBrew]

I would like to know the answer though, the extra priming sugar for lager makes no sense to me unless you are supposed to use a keg that can take a lot more than 10 psi :? Might be able to keep half of it if you kept it in the fridge, but then the yeast wouldn't do it's job and you wouldn't get the CO2.

150~180 grams prime for 5 gallons would be for bottling lager it's far too much for plastic kegs...

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[Windy]

150~180 grams prime for 5 gallons would be for bottling lager it's far too much for plastic kegs...

:

Why would you want to put more CO2 in your bottles than in your keg? The keg needs extra to fill up the several litres of space at the top...

The instructions on the back of the Better Brew packet clearly say: "for kegging: ... 150g sugar for wheat beer and lagers and 85g for all other types.", which also seems odd as a lager shouldn't have twice the CO2 of other types, only a little more than most.

 

[StrangeBrew]

150~180 grams prime for 5 gallons would be for bottling lager it's far too much for plastic kegs...

:

Why would you want to put more CO2 in your bottles than in your keg? The keg needs extra to fill up the several litres of space at the top...

The instructions on the back of the Better Brew packet clearly say: "for kegging: ... 150g sugar for wheat beer and lagers and 85g for all other types.", which also seems odd as a lager shouldn't have twice the CO2 of other types, only a little more than most.

Plastic kegs generally use around 80 ~ 85 grams of sugar per 5 gallons... as the pressure release valve operates at 10 psi your never going to get the "fizzyness" levels that you'd get from a bottled lager although perfectly adequate for ales.

Bottled ales you'd use about the same amount of sugar, 80 or so grams for 5 gallons but to get that lager "fizz" you use extra sugar ie around 150 ~ 160 grams when bottling. As bottles can take the extra pressure. Although don't go too mad or you'll get exploding bottles

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[Sandimas]

I guess each to his own, but I'd never put lager in a keg as it won't absorb the CO2 and make it gassy - I bottle all my lagers (and dark ale/stouts), with a bit of extra sugar than normal to generate more CO2, then stick them in the fridge after 2 weeks so that they carbonate up. I keep the keg for the traditional "real ales", golden and brown hoppy brews that I want to keep relatively flat.

 

[Triker]

I'm just glad I don't drink lager. Its never been an issue with me because its an imposter 'IMO' :nah:

 

[Windy]

I bottle all my lagers (and dark ale/stouts), with a bit of extra sugar than normal to generate more CO2, then stick them in the fridge after 2 weeks so that they carbonate up.

You can do the same with the keg, although it takes a bit more room in the fridge than a couple of bottles.

Of course it works better if you fit a 15 or 20 psi pressure relief valve to your keg, but that brings us back to the question of can the cheap basic barrels manage to hold 20 psi without exploding?

 

[Triker]

I don't believe this. I have lost all pressure from my latest brew (again)! When I put the top on I was careful not to overtighten it 'this time'! I tightened it 'finger tight' and then gave it another nip. Apparently not enough. I've just gassed it and its leaking around the top. Aaaahhhhhhhhhhggggggggggggggg :x :x :x :x :x Maybe the top isn't as flat as I thought it was?

Off to get some more gas (or a welder) Not very impressed with it so far. Its sounds so easy when you read the blurb!!!

 

[Windy]

I tightened it 'finger tight' and then gave it another nip

Maybe the top isn't as flat as I thought it was?

There must be a reason, working barrels will work every time.

You should not use a tool to tighten it - hand tight only, more than hand tight can cause it to leak, and don't forget a tiny amount of vaseline so that the o-ring can rotate smoothly as you tighten it instead of going into lumps.

As I said before, a sheet of glass on top will tell you how flat it is, if it leaves a gap of more than 1mm anywhere around the rim then get some sandpaper to it.

 

[Triker]

Hi Windy,

I have given it an extra little turn and it appears to be holding pressure. When I've finished this brew I will take another look at the top of the keg with your glass method.

Thanks again :thumb: