Pressure barrel "O"-rings and food-grade grease

[kelper]

My latest brew is ready for drinking. Unfortunately, the PB dispenses more gas than beer. It is a top-tap King Keg. I vented the pressure and took the float assembly out; I found the hose had taken a 'set' where it is pushed onto the barbs of the float and the fitting that goes into the tap. I cut these stretched bits of the hose off and tried again. No change. So I took the fitting out of the tap and found the "O"-ring was loose. It was letting gas out as soon as I opened the tap. Do you think my food-grade grease had knackered the "O"-ring? It seemed to be too big and too thin to make a seal. It's 'silicone grease with PTFE' from Ballihoo HBS.

 

[Gerryjo]

If you put too much on it still won't seal Try cleaning the o-ring with kitchen towel and just put a small dab on your thumb rubbing the o-ring between finger and thumb as all you need is a smear.I use vaseline myself.

 

[kelper]

I think silicone grease will destroy o-rings made of silicone rubber. But most o-rings are not made of silicone as it is exotic, more often buna-N or Viton for high temps. I plan to buy some parts that include these o-rings and then mic them up to source in bulk. I've wasted three 12g CO2 bulbs today. (I can't get refills locally, so I'm stuck with disposable CO2 bulbs for now.)

 

[Gerryjo]

I think silicone grease will destroy o-rings made of silicone rubber. But most o-rings are not made of silicone as it is exotic, more often buna-N or Viton for high temps. I plan to buy some parts that include these o-rings and then mic them up to source in bulk. I've wasted three 12g CO2 bulbs today. (I can't get refills locally, so I'm stuck with disposable CO2 bulbs for now.)

If you have a silicone cake mould round or square you can use your old one as a template and re cut a new one to fit.Ive used them numerous times for my boil kettle,HERMs and pressure barrel as these are foodsafe and temperature resistant.
By the way Viton o-rings are not cheap as I use them in work but do have a pressure rating of around 5000psi.

 

[Dutto]

Nowt t'matter wi' good old Vaseline!

They reckon that the man who invented it ate a spoonful every day of his life and lived until he was in his 90's!

I use it for all lubrication and sealing purposes when brewing and I never taste it in the brew. (The latter may be due to my buggered up taste-buds of course!)

 

[stevey]

Top tap king kegs, the worst homebrew equipment I ever wasted my money on. They were invented by the devil (or CO2 producers).
You can buy corny kegs for roughly the same price, they will revolutionise your homebrew experience and take up less space. Apart from that, yeah, vaseline is good stuff.

 

[johncrobinson]

Looking at buying a pb but the horror stories re king keg that have gone on this site for at least 5yrs are giving me 2nd,3rd,4th,ect,thoughts.

 

[kelper]

You only hear from people who have had trouble. I have three. All work perfectly after a few tweaks!

 

[Rodcx500z]

I have 3, 2 wilko, 1 youngs good dose of vas never had a prob

 

[Graz]

Nowt t'matter wi' good old Vaseline!

I use it for all lubrication purposes....

Not condom safe though!

 

[Clint]

Just use any old grease or oil that drips off your car...it's not as dangerous as starsan...

 

[johncrobinson]

Re Kelper:>.I take your point,But it seems problems have been going on since this site started.Problem is king keg is only barrel for sale at my local homebrew shop.
(I like to support local rather than online)

 

[kelper]

Buy one but also get the Schrader valve fitted. Then you can test with air before use. I also bought square-section seals.

https://www.balliihoo.co.uk/balliihoo-barrel-with-hole-valve-pressure-test-point-gauge-p-1516.html
https://www.balliihoo.co.uk/square-section-ring-seal-inch-barrel-caps-p-206.html