Leaky Celli

[remi]

I've got 2 chrome Celli's on my chest freezer. They are 3 years old. The left one has started leaking since I cleaned it 2 or 3 months ago (a phenomenal amount of crap came out of the insides).

Ever since then, I can't get the tap to seal. With the flow restrictor set to off, and the handle just in the right position, the flow will stop (although sometimes still drip). The faintest touch of the tap, set's beer pissing out (as my girlfriend found out while I was at work- she wasn't happy, laundry covered in beer).

I've dissambled/ re-assambled the tap 3 times now, everything is screwed together correctly. I've keg-lubed the internal seals, which all look fine- without any effect. I'm not sure if the connection of the tap to the shank that runs through the collar could be to blame- but the tap screws down onto the mount just fine, just like it's well behaved brother next door.

I'm running out of ideas...a new seal kit? Those internal seals don't look too easy to change, and I'd be surprised if they were shot already. A new tap? It's pissing me off enough that I'm considering it...

Any tips/ ideas?

Thanks

Remi

 

[raven19]

I have had my taps stick open when in use - after a prolonged period of not cleaning them! But have not had any drips as such. Is the small hole under the main shank clear (although this would not explain continual drips)?

I reckon Ross would sell seal kits for them though, however there is not much in the tap itself that can wear and then leak...

 

[remi]

Thanks Raven- very different to being stuck open/ closed, had that in the past as well. Little hole on underside is unobstructed.

Extra bit of info- just ran both taps. With the good tap, I can be pouring a beer, and rotate the flow restrictor through it's full range of motion without any resistance.

With the leaky tap, as I pour beer and rotate the flow restrictor from 'off' to 'full bore' it gets stuck half way down, and I can't push it further without moving the tap handle back.

It seems therefore more of a mechanical issue than a seal issue- anyone have a problem like this before?

Thanks again...

Remi

 

[Pennywise]

Sounds like the cone may not be seating properly. I've not pulled my Celi apart yet bit if their anything like the rip off celis there should be a screw on the inside that sits in front if the cone, maybe give that a bit if a fiddle?

 

[michael_aussie]

Thanks Raven- very different to being stuck open/ closed, had that in the past as well. Little hole on underside is unobstructed.

Extra bit of info- just ran both taps. With the good tap, I can be pouring a beer, and rotate the flow restrictor through it's full range of motion without any resistance.

With the leaky tap, as I pour beer and rotate the flow restrictor from 'off' to 'full bore' it gets stuck half way down, and I can't push it further without moving the tap handle back.

It seems therefore more of a mechanical issue than a seal issue- anyone have a problem like this before?

Thanks again...

Remi

something isn't sitting right mechanicially...
you need to strip down and re-asssemble.

maybe you should use the "good" tap as your model. take them both apart one piece at a time.... lay the parts out on a systematic manner ... even take photos of the "good" tap as you disassemble if you need to.

 

[michael_aussie]

Remi,

I've had similar trouble with one of mine.

View attachment 47284

I found that I had not located the the ball of the flow adjuster lever (part 11) correctly into the restrictor(part 7).

The range of movement was much different to the ones I had correctly assembled.

Hope this helps you.

Wally

great pic wally .. where did you get this from??? is there a parts list that goes with this .. with o-ring sizes?? are there assembly instructions???

 

[remi]

Thanks guys- I've re-assembled at least 5 times now, and did the other tap tonight as well.

The restrictor lever ball sits properly in the cone as far I can tell, the lever moves through the full range without trouble, with appropriate movement of the cone whilst the tap is not screwed on. Once the tap is screwed on, it no longer moves through the full range as described above...and leaks like buggery.

I'm wondering whether I have a problem with the amount of shank there is for the tap to screw onto- would that be possible. I just can't find any other problem. Maybe I should try the good tap on the leaky side to see if it helps.

Remi

 

[michael_aussie]

Thanks guys- I've re-assembled at least 5 times now, and did the other tap tonight as well.

The restrictor lever ball sits properly in the cone as far I can tell, the lever moves through the full range without trouble, with appropriate movement of the cone whilst the tap is not screwed on. Once the tap is screwed on, it no longer moves through the full range as described above...and leaks like buggery.

I'm wondering whether I have a problem with the amount of shank there is for the tap to screw onto- would that be possible. I just can't find any other problem. Maybe I should try the good tap on the leaky side to see if it helps.

Remi

swapping to the body of the "good" tap may point you towards your problem.

where exactly is it leaking from???
is the tap not closing off?? or is it leaking from a joint somewhere??
Mine has a screw at the front, that I can't see in wally exploded picture..... from memory to do with the small spring and when you push the tap back to squirt/dribble rather than pull the tap forward, and I can remeber this gave me troubles once.... if you have a screw at the front ...do you have the small screw at the front correctly seated?

as an aside ... I hope you are using a keg of water .. rather than beer to test .... horrible to waste good beer fault finding a leaky tap.

 

[remi]

just leaks from the tap, not around any joints. mine have the screw in the front, it's seated okay- spring action on handle works correctly forwards and backwards.

i don't have any empty kegs at the moment- have ended up drinking a fair bit more beer tonight than planned as a result of this leak (so there is an upside).

have disconnected the tap for now... will face it again another day.

 

[remi]

So- thought I'd post the solution.

Tried leaky tap on non-leaky shank fitting- tap still leaked. Good tap on leaky side shank fitting...no leak.

Confirmed, for the 100th time, that the leaky tap had be re-assembled correctly. Decided to dismantle each tap piece by piece and compare the pieces to see if I could see an issue (was expecting perhaps a slipped seal or something).

Noticed this (crappy phone pic):


Bingo... on the leaky tap, this screw down section was loose- screwed it down as tight as I could, reassembled- problem fixed, perfect tap!

Hope this is of help to anyone who comes across this in future.

Remi

 

[raven19]

That is a great news result fella! Well done on nailing it.

I might check mine next time! Never adjusted that spring since day 1 personally.

Thanks for sharing!!!

 

[michael_aussie]

That is a great news result fella! Well done on nailing it.

I might check mine next time! Never adjusted that spring since day 1 personally.

Thanks for sharing!!!

it doesn't need to be correctly "adjusted" ... it just needs to be tight

 

[Logman]

How often do you guys dismantle and clean them? I clean them out after each session with a rinse, only had them a few months...

 

[Pennywise]

That's the bit I was talking about, good to know as I will need to dismantle mine soon for a clean

 

[Pennywise]

How often do you guys dismantle and clean them? I clean them out after each session with a rinse, only had them a few months...

Bout every 6 months h34r: