Disconnects...threaded Or Barbed?

[jimmysuperlative]

Normell, his was one of the first sites I stumbled upon when I got into kegging...

I even ended up emailing him for further advice and details on his set-up. He was good enough to reply and was very helpful.

 

[normell]

Normell, his was one of the first sites I stumbled upon when I got into kegging...

I even ended up emailing him for further advice and details on his set-up. He was good enough to reply and was very helpful.

[post="53824"][/post]​

Already put the site into "my favorites"

Thanks for putting me on to him.
:super:

Normell

 

[Hoops]

yeah it's good to see a photo of the "son of fermentation chiller"

I think a good option for those without fermentation fridge

and a good idea for the CFWC instead of convoluted copper tube

Hoops

 

[Trough Lolly]

It's like the Pancake Parlour, Hoops.....Lovely!

TL

 

[Trough Lolly]

Just lurching back on topic for a moment...

Regarding QD's (any type) - can they be removed from and connected to the keg posts whilst the keg is full of beer and under pressure (assuming that I don't need to have the gas line connected all the time)? :huh:
I'm just trying to figure out how to economise on the number and types of QD's I need to have with my 4 kegs...For example, can I secondary condition my lagers in the cornys with the QD's removed after I rack the beer into the keg?

TL

 

[Wortgames]

Yep TL, you can connect and disconnect to your heart's content.

You have a system of two valves - one in the keg post, and one in the QD. So disconnecting the QD keeps both sides shut off and under pressure. You'll usually dribble a few drops of beer each time you disconnect but nothing to worry about. Also, remember that any fluid line with a QD on it will almost always have some liquid in it - ie, it is not easy to completely dry it out. The best you can do is to push sanitiser through it, then CO2 (obviously this requires the use of an empty keg) but in my experience you'll nearly always have a few droplets of liquid left in the line. Not a big problem, but bear it in mind - you don't want to leave a transfer hose sitting around with droplets of beer trapped in it, for example. In fact, transfer hoses might be a good case for using threaded fittings. Your normal beer lines will be kept busy enough - just push a keg of hot cleaner through them once a month or so, and flush with clean water before reattaching your beer.

You're way ahead of me though - when I started kegging, the guy at my LHBS didn't actually happen to mention that gas and liquid QDs were different. I had one that was particularly stiff, so I tapped it on with a hammer. Had to smash it off with one, too...

 

[Trough Lolly]

Cheers Wortgames - I kinda figured that the posts would hold everything together, but without the damn kegs in front of me, it's hard to rely on pictures on the net and in my head! Yeah, I've read about the subtle differences between gas and beverage QD's and I'll hopefully remember the "grey is gas" and "black is beer" adage and make sure that I connect the gas QD to the IN post and Bev QD to the OUT post!

As far as sanitation goes, I think all transfer lines etc will be treated in the same way I manage my racking hoses - bottle detergent wash (alkaline salts) followed by a good soaking in a bucket of Iodphor sanitiser. It's worked so far for the last 10 years! The idea of pushing sanitiser through the lines with the CO2 gas sounds like fun...I'm a hand tool challenged brewer so as long as the CO2 bottle and reg don't turn into space shuttles, I'll have a go! Better read some more keg maintenance sites on the net!

Cheers,
TL

 

[Wortgames]

TL - not sure if my point was clear, but in order to soak any hoses you'll need to remove the QDs from them, otherwise nothing's getting in... apologies if you'd already grasped this concept...

 

[Hoops]

Yeah sorry about the thread hijack there.

Regarding QD's (any type) - can they be removed from and connected to the keg posts whilst the keg is full of beer and under pressure (assuming that I don't need to have the gas line connected all the time)?

Yeah that's the idea with QD's so you can take them off as need. The QD connections on the keg have springs and seals so that when you take off the QD it seals back up.

can I secondary condition my lagers in the cornys with the QD's removed after I rack the beer into the keg?

Bloody oath, just rack into the keg, gas up, purge air and store in the keg until you're ready to drink it.

Hoops

 

[Trough Lolly]

Wortgames - No, I didn't think of that, but I was going to disassemble the QD from the transfer tube anyway.

Hoops - Thanks for that - the idea of long term storage or lagering of beer in the fridge (assuming it doesn't get drunk!) under a blanket of CO2 rather than air, is a real benefit of kegging...I can see it now, I'll start with a few kegs in a family sized fridge and soon thereafter start scouring the weekend papers for used jumbo freezers that will hold stacks of kegs - just like Doc's setup!!

Cheers,
TL

 

[pint of lager]

Wortgames
You're way ahead of me though - when I started kegging, the guy at my LHBS didn't actually happen to mention that gas and liquid QDs were different. I had one that was particularly stiff, so I tapped it on with a hammer. Had to smash it off with one, too...

This such an important point.

One of the first points my local HBS told me, Grey Gas Groove . Black Beer.

Grey disconnect, gas post, and a groove around the base of the post.

If you find the QD a bit tight, use some keg lube, or food grade water based grease, personal lubricant works well here. Don't use vaseline, it is petroleum based.

 

[Wortgames]

The hammer worked pretty well PoL!

The author of this post does not recommend the use of a hammer on quick disconnects.

 

[mobrien]

hmm. So I'm tossing up between the MFL and straight barbed fittings. I see advantages and disadvatages for each:

a) Barbed. Can't take off easiy; have to take of clamps to clean lines. However, no oring to blow or extra join to leak

B) MFL. Can take the hoses off easily to clean the lines and change fittings. Has an extra oring/join per disconnect so larger chance of leaks/blows.

What to do!

Matt

 

[mobrien]

Or I could use barbed fitting and just get a cornelious valve for gas and liquid to put into the disconnects to force them open for soaking?

Am I crazy?

Matt

 

[Hoops]

That's how I wash all my QDs, by hooking a spare keg connector up to them

 

[Trough Lolly]

Follow up:
I managed to score some threaded and barbed gas and bev QD's. I will have a go at using the barbed grey QD's for the gas and threaded black QD's for the beer lines. As was recommended earlier on in this thread, it will be a matter of seeing which connects best suit how I use the kegs.
I was given some "Cobra Clips" and trashed one just trying to get it off a beer line! I bought some SS clips from Bunnings and they are clamped on and off with a small screw which seems to be a hell of a lot easier to use than those cobra clips - how the hell do you get one of those suckers off without going spastic and turning it into a pretzel?!!

Thanks again to everyone for setting the record straight on QD's and connections.
Cheers,
TL

 

[ausdb]

I was given some "Cobra Clips" and trashed one just trying to get it off a beer line! I bought some SS clips from Bunnings and they are clamped on and off with a small screw which seems to be a hell of a lot easier to use than those cobra clips - how the hell do you get one of those suckers off without going spastic and turning it into a pretzel?!!

Cobra clips are one time use only, use a pair of pincer type pliers to install/tighten them by squeezing the ear together. To remove use the same set of pincers at 90 to the ear and cut the ear off, clip comes off easy as.

As for flare I like them cos I keep a few bits of tube set up to different lengths or attachments on the end of them. Its easy to change things around as all you need are a handful of extra mfl swivel fittings. IE a keg to keg transfer just needs two mfl diconnects and a bit of beer line about 1 foot long with two swivels on it, once you have done that you could swap the diconnects back to beer lines with taps on the end of them pretty easily.

Cheers ausdb

 

[BRAD T]

I know what you mean about those cobra clips TL, I had trouble just fitting it, wouldn't dream of trying to remove it now. for the rest of the QD's I used small hose clamps, you guessed it from Bunnings.
Cheers
BradT

P.S Will i see you at the Canberra Brewers Meeting Thursday

 

[Trough Lolly]

G'day Brad,
Sorry mate, can't make it to the club meeting tonight - hopefully next month will be ok - the missus works shift so guess who does the babysitting?!

Ausdb - thanks for the confirmation...I was wondering how the hell these clips could be re-used. Besides if they go on gas lines, I suppose there isn't too much of an issue when it comes to cleaning gas lines. Do you clean the gas lines as frequently as your beer lines???

Cheers,
TL

 

[KillerRx4]

Guys, these the cobra clips your having trouble with?

I have had no problem re using them.

I use a pick tool but could use a jewllers screwdriver, scriber or similar. Its just a matter of releasing the locking tang & it pops open.