A Problem And A Question

[mredgy]

I have a (possible) problem and a question. I'l lstart with the problem....

this morning I turned the pressure down on my reg, and forgot that I'd filled the keg right up to the gas in pipe!! So beer came out of the reg Is this as bad as I imagine it to be? does it need professional cleaning? Will it seize up?

The other question....

Can I use 5mm clear pipe from bunnings for my pluto gun?

 

[Adamt]

I believe this is definitely not a good thing at all. Not sure of the extent of the damage, but make sure you buy a check valve next regulator you buy (assuming this one is no longer usable). Check valves (put down-gas-stream from your regulator) allow gas flow through the system but does not allow backflow.

 

[Hogan]

this morning I turned the pressure down on my reg, and forgot that I'd filled the keg right up to the gas in pipe!! So beer came out of the reg Is this as bad as I imagine it to be? does it need professional cleaning? Will it seize up?

What sort of reg do you have?

Did the beer go into the reg?

Depending on the type of reg you have the beer may not have got through the rubber diaphram that separates the pressure adjustment valve from the gas out line and gauges. It may be that you only need to clean out the beer that is in the housing and replace the fibre gaskette. If it has gone through the diaphram you may have stuffed it completely as it will have gone into the gauge.

Cheers, Hoges.

 

[mredgy]

It isn't in the gauge, foam did come out the reg knob though....as soon as it started I cranked it up and blew it back through to the keg.

 

[Hogan]

It isn't in the gauge, foam did come out the reg knob though....as soon as it started I cranked it up and blew it back through to the keg.

You may be lucky and it did not go through the diaphram. If your reg is a micromatic then the diaphram is quite watertight. Whatever the case you will still have to clean the sticky beer out of the housing and replace the gaskette as it will have been soaked and will disintergrate.

As you may have gathered I am speaking from experience. Hopefully I have learned my lesson and won't flood my reg again.

AdamT's suggestion re the check valve is a good one. The only drawback with those is that once fitted you will not be able to see what the head pressure is in your keg as it will only allow gas traffic from reg to keg and not vice versa. Worth getting though if you don't wish to keep paying for new regs.

Cheers, Hoges.

 

[Dr Gonzo]

I have done the same thing before.
Kept using it for about a year after. No problems.
Finally decided to pull apart and clean it not long ago.
I disassembled it completely. The only place that had crap in it was the bell.
I'd suggest just unscrewing and cleaning out the bell, if you're worried about it.

 

[pint of lager]

A dirty regulator has been found to be the source of niggling long term infections by some brewers. Better to pull it apart now and clean it. Wait till everything is clean and dry, then reassemble.

Get a check valve like Adamt suggested. In fact every keg system should come with one, but they don't.

 

[MHB]

Some regs come apart easily, I like the Micromatic for this, you just remove the front with a shifter.

I generally clean them with electrical contact cleaner (in an aerosol) but Metho works well to.
Allow the reg to dry before reassembling.

As to the check valve: well that one is open to debate, I like to know the pressure on the beer, rather than the pressure in the reg. the trade off is you must remember to hit the relief valve on the keg before you do anything with the gas.

As for cheep 5mm plastic tube, I would rather use beer tube, it is made for the job and will only cost you a couple of dollars more than the cheep stuff, it will last longer and give better results.

MHB

 

[mredgy]

I'll check it out. thanks for the advice. I *think* it is a micromatic....

Actually, without going out in the rain to the garage...I am nearly 100% sure it is this one http://www.micromatic.com/draft-keg-beer/r...rs-pid-642.html