Party Star Deluxe tap - Dumb Question

[Halfacrem]

I've managed to get myself all confused over this tap:whistle:

I can't work out if I'm turning the CO2 up or down If standing with the chrome tap facing me, do I turn the regulator knob clockwise or counter to turn it OFF

Confused of Southampton..

 

[Motorhomebrew]

Their should be a indicator on the twisting C02 knob. Its a white line that has a thin end that gradually goes bigger. Turn it to the thin end

 

[Halfacrem]

Their should be a indicator on the twisting C02 knob. Its a white line that has a thin end that gradually goes bigger. Turn it to the thin end

Yeah, got that. The trouble is, if you turn it either way the thin bit ends at the top! I think I've worked it out though. For some reason I wasn't getting any 'hiss' whichever way I turned it. I must have released enough pressure from pouring as now it's making a bit of a rush noise as I turn one way. :thumb:

 

[cheapbrew]

so is it clockwise or anti clock to turn it off?

 

[Clydebrewer]

Clockwise.

 

[Halfacrem]

Clockwise.

Well I've got it turned fully Anti-Clockwise for my presumed off position :lol: If I then turn it a little clockwise from there I get a gushing sound!

Confusion reigns :-? :-? :-?

 

[Motorhomebrew]

Anti clockwise

 

[Halfacrem]

I'm disappointed with my first mini keg experience. I'm willing to accept it's something I've done, but in the two weeks since I've attached the tap, the beer has markedly deteriorated, even though there doesn't seem to be any apparent leeks.

The CO2 is still dispensing from the Party Star,, though admittedly I got confused about turning off the regulator knob, so perhaps that's it. I ended up chucking a glass away last night as the beer tasted lifeless and slightly stale.

I don't drink my beer quickly enough to get rid of it within a week or two, so I'm not sure this system is going to work for me unless I can work out what I did wrong :-(

 

[Spapro]

I am fairly new to Minikegs with the party star tap but have been impressed - and I like nicely carbed (not flat) bitter.

I am topping up with CO2 after pouring every pint, rather than leaving the keg and topping up when ready to dispense the next pint. Just trying to keep the headspace nicely pressured and CO2'd all the time to protect the beer and keep as much CO2 in the ale as possible.

Also, have you popped a little vaseline on the plunge rod when tapping - and on the rubber washer around the top of the plunge rod before tightening into the party star tap before tapping a keg ? I think using a little vaseline on these parts must help reduce the chances of getting little leaks allowing the pressure to drop after tapping the keg during the time you are dispensing from it.

As an aside one Co2 bulb is lasting me 2 minikegs, pleased with that although they are the larger 16g CO2 bulbs.

Hope some of that helps and good luck with it.

 

[Halfacrem]

I am fairly new to Minikegs with the party star tap but have been impressed - and I like nicely carbed (not flat) bitter.

I am topping up with CO2 after pouring every pint, rather than leaving the keg and topping up when ready to dispense the next pint. Just trying to keep the headspace nicely pressured and CO2'd all the time to protect the beer and keep as much CO2 in the ale as possible.

Also, have you popped a little vaseline on the plunge rod when tapping - and on the rubber washer around the top of the plunge rod before tightening into the party star tap before tapping a keg ? I think using a little vaseline on these parts must help reduce the chances of getting little leaks allowing the pressure to drop after tapping the keg during the time you are dispensing from it.

As an aside one Co2 bulb is lasting me 2 minikegs, pleased with that although they are the larger 16g CO2 bulbs.

Hope some of that helps and good luck with it.

The only part I didn't lube was the top of the dip tube, so that could well be the culprit!

I also think I've not got the gist of the whole CO2 bulb. Just to clarify, do you keep the regulator knob to 'off', pour a pint, then turn the knob on enough to fill the headspace before turning the knob 'off' again?

 

[Spapro]

The only part I didn't lube was the top of the dip tube, so that could well be the culprit!

I also think I've not got the gist of the whole CO2 bulb. Just to clarify, do you keep the regulator knob to 'off', pour a pint, then turn the knob on enough to fill the headspace before turning the knob 'off' again?

Top of the dip tube with its rubber washer are worth greasing as under pressure.

Do you use starsan, make sure the dip tube and washer are sprayed to sanitise if you are planning to drink over a few days or week to avoid infecting the beer.

I do the same 're the co2, pour a pint, the inject some co2 by turning the knob to on, then turn the knob to off, then drink my lovely, gorgeous pint!

 

[Granarian]

Have you managed to sort out your issues with the CO2 bulb? The first one I put in nearly shot the holder right back out! Then the second one fully discharged into the keg so my beer was coming out like cream! Struggling to work out how to use it tbh, but need to make the keg work given how slowly I drink the beer. First keg has lasted about three weeks. G

 

[cheapbrew]

It sounds like you have the tap turned on when fitting the bulb, it should be off and then screw the bulb in quickly.

 

[Leon103]

I think that's where I went wrong then. So thin is off or on?

 

[VillageBrew]

'Thin' is off, so if you have the chrome tap facing you, turn the gas knob all the way off in an anti-clockwise direction. Once everything is fitted up and sealed into a full mini- or easy-keg then you can hear when it injects co2: turn it clockwise, you hear a short jet of co2 go in then it stops.

If you leave it open while using the keg you will hear a short blast after every pint is drawn - I find that ends up too foamy, so I leave it off until I need to give the pressure a boost to get it out and into the glass.

 

[User 38108]

I'm having problems with this too but not with the gas it's just not filling my glass, what am I doing wrong?