Keg seals - maintenance

[Grott]

As I see it the keg seals needed to be maintained are:-

. lid
. beer connect
. gas connect
. beer tube
. gas tube

How are you maintaining these? on a time schedule, per number of uses, visual checks or as needed when they "bugger" up.

I apologise if this has been raised before.
Cheers

 

[spog]

I recondition my kegs every 2 years maximum,I have 5 usable kegs but my fridge only holds 2 .
They will all get an overhaul when I get back into kegging some day. planning a kegerator that will hold all 5 and then I'll get back into AG brewing.

 

[Yob]

What happened to you man? You used to be cool

 

[spog]

What happened to you man? You used to be cool [/

AG brewing went on the back burner when I lost my job almost 4 yrs ago,I've had to pick up work when and where I can which has meant a large pay cut.
Two kids at Uni etc blah blah.
But I'm brewing with concentrate so I've got beer but its just not the same...sniff...sniff.

 

[Yob]

On a serious note...

If i have an issue with a keg leaking (normally gas), I just tag it and replace all seals when it's done and I'm cleaning it. If it's a bad leak I might strip it down insitu and try an fix on the fly or if it's required, transfer to agoid keg and completely strip and replace the seals.

Liberal use of keg lube will increase the life of the seals

 

[Exile]

Would you need to strip and lube the seals on a new keg?

 

[barls]

i would but thats me.

 

[mofox1]

Liberal use of keg lube will increase the life of the seals

Potentially dumb question but hey, newb to kegging so it's allowed

I've got two plutos I'm swapping around 5 kegs in the keezer (actually 1 between 4 at the moment, the other pluto is on the only stout in there). Gas also gets moved to whichever one is being used at the time. Which means I usually move theses around several times a night... h34r:

Do I need to lube up the seal on the keg posts more regularly? And more in line with Grotts original post... how many batches would you put through a keg before breaking down and cleaning/lubing up the poppets?

 

[Florian]

Adding to that list:

. lid
. beer connect
. gas connect
. beer tube
. gas tube
. poppet seal beer
. poppet seal gas
. PRV seal

 

[QldKev]

Budwiser put together some seal kits many years back, I've only reconditioned 1 keg since

I've got some kegs over 10 years still waiting for their first service

 

[Moad]

I rebuild all new kegs coming in to rotation, haven't redone any yet but will probably do them at the 2 year mark.

 

[madpierre06]

Appreciate threads like this....ahev picked up a few kegs over last 12 months and this is the sort of info that is important to getting into using 'em. :beer:

 

[Yob]

Potentially dumb question but hey, newb to kegging so it's allowed
I've got two plutos I'm swapping around 5 kegs in the keezer (actually 1 between 4 at the moment, the other pluto is on the only stout in there). Gas also gets moved to whichever one is being used at the time. Which means I usually move theses around several times a night... h34r:
Do I need to lube up the seal on the keg posts more regularly? And more in line with Grotts original post... how many batches would you put through a keg before breaking down and cleaning/lubing up the poppets?

I've completely done 1 Keg in about 3 years.. As I say, look after them and they'll last year's

Ed, the odd poppet here and there though

 

[MastersBrewery]

I have a few myton rodd kegs that I absolutely love, I just switched one over to ball lock, and found it won't hold a seal(with in a day it wont push out a beer if not topped up with gas)> the plan is to fill it with water 3/4 full and gas it at force carb pressure (40psi) in a 220 drum of water, I suspect the PRV, and will kit the whole thing out prior to testing with new seals. I usually do a few kegs at a time when I do seal kits and include a good hot run with pbw as part of prep. Unfortunately I got a little lazy and that coupled with a leaky manifold cost me a 6.8kg bottle over the last14mths. I HATE FLAT BEER. Do it once, do it right, keg lube is cheap at the rate we use it .... go to town with the stuff.

MB

 

[Grott]

I use keg lube on my keg lid seals and although still sealing well I've noticed that a few seals has "stretched" a bit. Is this normal? Not trying to be a miser but as they say " if it ain't broke.....".
Cheers

 

[Kingy]

Should see my seals I've had my kegs for 8 years never replaced them. When I do I wouldn't mind some silicone ones.

 

[Moad]

The soft silicone lid orings are soooo much better than the stiff plasticy ones.

Ive been rebuilding if I have issues however just rebuilt about 10 of my oldest with the soft orings.

Grab some kits including the universal poppet valves to have as spares. You could probably replace the orings on those valves but for $1 or so for the whole poppet I just replace the whole thing to make it easy.

Also an oring pick and deep sockets in your rebuild kit are handy.

 

[Mr B]

I use keg lube on my keg lid seals and although still sealing well I've noticed that a few seals has "stretched" a bit. Is this normal? Not trying to be a miser but as they say " if it ain't broke.....".
Cheers

After a year or so of kegging, I have found that the post orings have all started to stretch, to the point that they are not working (they pinch when I connect them and beer goes everywhere). Just replaced a couple of kegs ones, more will be coming.

I have been contemplating whether it is the use of keg lube, it may be, or maybe that I use hot water to clean between fills. I'd place my money on the lube, but regardless, replacing $3 of seals every year or two is not a biggie.