Air In Beer Lines

[peterhobit]

Is it normal to get air in the beer lines when they are idle for a few hours? see in the photo the beer lines have air or gas pockets>

My Keezer is new and just wondering if it means I have a poor seal on the taps (have new Perlic taps)

 

[Tony]

What usually happens is the beer comes out of the kegs and what sits in the line heats up if you dont have a fan keeping the air at the top the same temp as the beer in the kegs.

This causes the gas to break out of solution in the warm beer line, and form anoying bubbles.

I have a fan mounted on an engle circulating air to keep the top as cool as the bottom.

Air temp at the top of a chesty can be up to 10 deg warmer than the beer temp if you dont have a fan.

cheers

 

[peterhobit]

OK it might be a temp thing then, but i do have a fan in there (bit hidde,n but top right there is a PC fan) running on a mobile charger. I have it plugged into the temp controller, so that might be the issue

 

[jkmeldrum]

I've got a similar setup to you peterhobit, and I've only had mine setup for a few months now and I'm getting the same type of air in the lines thing....I use John Guest fittings and thought that maybe there was a slight air leak or something, but maybe I should try the fan as well.

 

[fergi]

not sure what really causes it either but i always have a bit in my lines, once i burp the tap it clears the air.

if i leave it a couple hours it comes back but i just dont see it as a big problem.
fergi

 

[KGB]

The gas is from your beer, there is no way "air" could get into the lines - if it wasn't sealed you'd notice the beer leaking out first. Warmer liquid can't hold as much dissolved gas as a cold liquid, your lines aren't as cool as the keg. Its hard to avoid, especially near the tap end of the line since the taps warm up quickly if there isn't beer flowing through them. The lines are under the same pressure as the keg, so its not a pressure issue that causes the gas to bubble out.
The two things that will help are a fan, as discussed already, plus drinking faster!

EDIT: Molly, nice finish on that timber collar mate!

 

[peterhobit]

Thanks guys, that makes sense and KGB suggesting drinking faster, that a good idea. :super:

 

[Ross]

KGB is partially right (the first part of his reply), but it is a pressure issue.... Even with an adequately cooled fridge you'll get a pressure drop along your lines, this is why you need longer lines to pour at higher pressure. At the lower pressure end of the line, all things being equal temperaturte wise, CO2 will come out of solution. It is not something you can avoid, but the use of flow control taps with short lines will virtually illiminate it.

Cheers Ross

 

[jkmeldrum]

EDIT: Molly, nice finish on that timber collar mate!
[/quote]
Thanks KGB, must get around to adding it to the Kegging thread one of these days!

 

[jkmeldrum]

Hey guys while I'm here and think about it, I was wondering whether I could put a fifth tap on my kegerator. I was wondering whether the gas manifolds that both peterhobit and myself have used could add another valve and line to the end (where they have a blank screwed in)??

Cheers

Molly

 

[Ross]

Hey guys while I'm here and think about it, I was wondering whether I could put a fifth tap on my kegerator. I was wondering whether the gas manifolds that both peterhobit and myself have used could add another valve and line to the end (where they have a blank screwed in)??

Cheers

Molly

YES

 

[jkmeldrum]

YES

Thanks Ross, was hoping you would say that!

Got room for 5 kegs, might as well have a tap for each.

Cheers