Leaky tap?

[blackdouglas]

You sure? Guy in the shop seemed to think you could do that.

Drink 5L in one night no problem.

 

[joe1002]

I'm pretty sure, unless they had carbonated water in them previously. If it was just plain spring water the bottle will not be made to hold pressure.

You old be better off getting some cheap sparkling water in 2l bottles and using them if you are not worried about drinking 2l in one go. Just keep them out of sunlight though as it will spoil the beer as the bottles will be clear.

 

[blackdouglas]

OK. 2L bottles probably will be cheaper and less likely to encourage binge drinking. apparently more reliable than £35 worth of barrel, both the valve and tap of which are now broken...

 

[Pearlfisher]

Is it a budget barrel? I have one BB tap which leaks. Its nothing to do with the gasket, the beer actually leaks through the tap.

I had one of these , I lost about a gallon in total in a month. I reported it to the Homebrew Company whom I purchased the barrel from and they sent me a better replacement tap the next day.

I've the same problem, I don't suppose you have a link to the tap from their website do you?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sankey-Spare-Ta ... 161&sr=8-3

I'm pretty sure this is the one they sent me , seems much better than the white ones.

 

[Jeltz]

Many thanks

 

[blackdouglas]

Right yeah so I've plugged the hole in the top of the valve with cling film for now, but obviously I can't take it off now to inspect it further. I find it a bit strange that it would break just like that. I mean obviously in hindsight now I cam see that the tap isn't designed to withstand too high a pressure but thought that the valve on the top would have.

Can any shed some further light on this matter?

I honestly wish I hadn't bothered with the barrel now and just gone with bottles. I didn't realise that a quick burst was all you needed, I thought the C02 cannister sat on top while you drank the barrel, seems a bit cumbersome to have to keep screwing the thing on and off.

 

[blackdouglas]

I just plugged the hole in the valve with a cocktail stick. Cling film appeared to hold the pressure, will see how the cocktail stick does. Maybe I can save this brew after all. Still looking for some advice on the valve though.

 

[hairybiker]

The valve shoudn't leak like that. Normally there is a pressure release bit on them to stop the pressure from RUPTURING the barrel. My ones have either a seperate silver cap with a yellow seal on it or a brown band just above the bottom of the thread -OUTSIDE the cap on both cases - no good internally.

All I can suggest is talking to where ever you got the barrel from and saying that you think the valve is faulty - maybe pointing out this thread.

You only need ~2psi to dispense beer not a lot of gas there. The reason for the larger version is cost, the small disposeable ones are cheap but not re-useale and so dearer in the long run.

 

[blackdouglas]

Yes I'll most certainly be taking it back. It's >1.5 years since I bought it though, although only second time I've used it.

 

[hairybiker]

If it has been 1.5 YEARS since you bought it you are on rocky ground asking for replacement etc.
I would not go in guns blazing but calmly state the problems and that it is only the second time it has been used. You will probably get a better reception that way, than ranting at them. :nono:

 

[blackdouglas]

Well I'm going to get it checked out by someone who knows what they are talking about and take it from there. Guy in the shop may remember me from last time when the tap leaked.

 

[blackdouglas]

In a bizarre further twist of events the valve now appears to be working... i think. Not sure. Just drinking some now and it's pretty much ready I think, tastes very nice actually

 

[blackdouglas]

I have a theory.

The CO2 cannister, which I left on too long caused the metal to go very cold and water to condense on it. Is it possible that the valve mechanism became stuck by this, and that is why it was leaking the other day but no longer appears to?

I have to wait until I've supped the barrel to inspect further inside.

 

[blackdouglas]

I really think my valve is bust. I don't know the beer is not as lively as I would expect given that I am not even half way through the barrel and I have been giving it plenty of gas. If I screw it on and leave it you can hear the gas going in and hissing back out again.

Should have just gone with bottles from the outset.

Is there a screw on thing or a replacement lid I can buy cheaply so I can just use this as a pressure barrel for parties?

I need to look at it again as I don't understand where the air can be coming out. Maybe it's the rubber seal or something. It's not right anyway. I might sell this barrel and use the money to buy a crate of Grolsch style beugels.

 

[EskiBrew]

The CO2 cannister, which I left on too long caused the metal to go very cold and water to condense on it. Is it possible that the valve mechanism became stuck by this, and that is why it was leaking the other day but no longer appears to?

I'm late on on this thread but but to confirm if you put too much gas in at a time, you can cause your valve to freeze which then allows the gas back out. Best to give it little squirts.