Flow problem with KK flow control taps

[Truman42]

Ive just finished building my kegerator and am using some keg King flow control taps I scored.

However the flow seems really slow even when the flow control is set to full. At fully open it flows at a rate that would take a good 15 seconds or more to fill a pint glass.

Is there something else I need to adjust on these taps? At the front there is a screw which connects to the actual valve arm that moves when you pull the tap forward. I tried adjusting this screw but it made no difference. I also tried increasing the pressure to 20 PSI but that didn't help either.

I have had them apart and cleaned them up and fitted new seals before using them.

 

[WarmBeer]

How long is your beer line?

Edit: And what I.D.?

 

[Truman42]

The lines are about 5 or 6 mm and there both around 1-1.4 metres long.

 

[WarmBeer]

The lines are about 5 or 6 mm and there both around 1-1.4 metres long.

That rules that out, then. Thought you might have still been running 3+ metres of line inside your kegerator.

I don't know the design of the internals of the KK F.C. taps. It's possible they're designed to just flow at that rate?

 

[Truman42]

Bump....anyone??

 

[Screwtop]

Seems to me like it's a matter of balancing your system. Takes some time to understand, but that is the way to go! Study balancing a draught system!

Cheers,

Screwy

 

[TBird]

I also like Warmbeer not sure of KK taps, but I had the same problem with Dorado taps. I stripped both taps (from a Kegerator) down and soaked all parts in pink stain remover for a couple of days. Using a small bottle brush , scrubbed the inside of the taps. I don't know if KK taps have an adjustment at the back, but Dorado has. I backed this off a little and now both taps run freely.

I repeat this at least every second keg.

I haven't bothered with beer line length, just using the short (about 1/2 metre but larger diameter) hose supplied. But then all of this is based on Dorado taps, but I hope it helps.

If I had the money, I'd replace them with something like Perlicks.

Cheers

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

I have had a similar problem before but with Celli's, if the tap is not put back together properly then you dont get the full range of movement, are you getting the full range ?
If not this will restrict the sliding cone from moveing forward and allowing flow to open.
Nev

 

[Truman42]

Nev,

The flow control handle will move from about 8 oclock through to 10 oclock. When I tried this with the tap unscrewed it moves further but the cone opens fully then closes again.

@Screwy...I dont think its a balancing problem. The beer trickles out, its way to slow to be normal. Something isnt right on these taps but the problem is with both of them not just the one.

 

[hsb]

Both behaving identically would suggest balance/pressure, rather than the tap maybe?
20PSI sounds very low, but I don't use flow control taps.

 

[dougsbrew]

is your keg frozen truman? an ice problem maybe? at 20ps should be gushing..

 

[Truman42]

When I used a bronco and pluto gun I had the gas set at 12 PSI. I have no idea what Im supposed to set it at with these taps but I cranked the reg as far open as it would go and I still got no difference with the flow.

Maybe Im just used to a pluto gun and the fast flow out of that and this is normal, so Ive attached a short video of the flow rate.

Should it be faster than this? I think it should. But I dont know.

http://s1244.photobucket.com/user/truman43/media/IMG_4097_zps31d90925.mp4.html

 

[Smokomark]

Are your flow control levers still facing the same way as before the stripdown?
The flow controls that were on my kegerator when I first got it had to be reassembled with the levers forward towards the spout. If you reassembled them the other way they behaved as you have described. Flip them over and no problems.

Do your taps have the tapered cone on the back of them? If so, are the seats in your font tapered to allow full movement of the cone of the seat?

 

[Truman42]

i removed the cone from inside the tap and it poured as quick as a pub tap would pour so all that side of things is fine. (No frozen kegs either)

I then pulled the tap apart and there is a brass spring loaded screw on the valve rod that if it were screwed out would push the cone further back restricting flow even more. So I made sure I tightened this right up. (unfortunately I unscrewed it first before working out which way I needed it to be so not sure if it was fully screwed in or not in the first place.)

Put it back together and it flows a bit better now so I can probably live with that.

 

[GalBrew]

With my Perlick flow controls I had more than enough flow at 12psi. You shouldn't really need to go much higher I would have thought (though I haven't used KK taps).

 

[Truman42]

Are your flow control levers still facing the same way as before the stripdown?
The flow controls that were on my kegerator when I first got it had to be reassembled with the levers forward towards the spout. If you reassembled them the other way they behaved as you have described. Flip them over and no problems.

Do your taps have the tapered cone on the back of them? If so, are the seats in your font tapered to allow full movement of the cone of the seat?

Yeh they are both forward. I noticed that if you have them back it holds the cone further back even with the flow control fully open.

 

[pk.sax]

Is there some sort of seal that the cone seats into which you changed?
When fully closed, is the cone pressing hard into the seal? I'm guessing the seal might not be fully seated on the tap or is too large causing a slowdown of the pour. Even at full closed the flow controller is supposed to just stop the flow, not clamp it shut hard. If you are seeing a lot of the seal with the controller fully open then try to trim back the rubber to enlarge the gap the beer gets to flow through with the lever open but just stops it when closed. gl.

 

[Camo6]

Hey Truman, I have a couple of these from my first setup. I found the flow control was only good for fine tuning and the lines still needed to be balanced to your setup. I think they are a fairly restricted tap to begin with. Maybe you could try shortening a line to less than a metre and comparing the flow then. I now have four perlick flow controls and have great control over the pour. Love my Perlicks!

 

[porky4776]

I found with this style of tap that the position of the flow control cone when attached to the font/shank effected the flow. I found with mine that they would sit further into the cone if the flow control was not in the full stop position when installed, reducing the space between the socket and the cone, causing restriction even when fully open. If I installed the tap with the flow control in full stop (or as much as it can be when fitted) that I got the full range of flow control.

 

[WarmBeer]

I run Perlick flow control taps, with about 50cm of line, just enough to reach from the tower to the keg(s).

Using the flow control to keep a nice, compact head, it probably takes me about 15 seconds to pour a pint. I know I could loosen it up a bit for a faster pour, but this works for me (Regulator is set at at around 10 psi).

Unless you're planning on pulling 20 pints in quick succession, I say relax, let the pour take as long as it takes, and bask in the glory of watching your own beer slowly fill your glass.