Line Balance Problems

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GuyQLD

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Hey all,

After hours of research I've given up. I can't get this beer to pour properly.

While I work on my collar and get some capital for some taps I'm just running a single keg. But I can't get the damned thing to pour anything but foam.

Using a Micromatic gauge, and 5mm ID flexmaster lines with a picnic tap. Originally had the picnic tap on a curly hose but had foam there too so with some line I had, tried to get a longer line going. Using the excel document on the Wiki with a few settings, but I had one for 1.7m of line @ 2.4CO2 volume - set the reg for 68kpa and the fridge for 3 degrees.

The result? Opening the tap and it's like turning on niagra falls - and foam everywhere.

I've just about given up - is it just impossible to balance a picnic tap? I really don't want to have to vent the gas just to pour the bloody thing.
 
Hey all,

After hours of research I've given up. I can't get this beer to pour properly.

While I work on my collar and get some capital for some taps I'm just running a single keg. But I can't get the damned thing to pour anything but foam.

Using a Micromatic gauge, and 5mm ID flexmaster lines with a picnic tap. Originally had the picnic tap on a curly hose but had foam there too so with some line I had, tried to get a longer line going. Using the excel document on the Wiki with a few settings, but I had one for 1.7m of line @ 2.4CO2 volume - set the reg for 68kpa and the fridge for 3 degrees.

The result? Opening the tap and it's like turning on niagra falls - and foam everywhere.

I've just about given up - is it just impossible to balance a picnic tap? I really don't want to have to vent the gas just to pour the bloody thing.


Pouring at 68 kpa??? thats near 10 psi

you need to pour at about 2psi from what i'v been lead to believe which would be around 15kpa

turn your reg down to that, purge the pressure off and give it a go
 
I've got two of these
mixer2.jpg

installed in the keg with my picnic tap, never get any foaming no matter what pressure I have the beer at, available from Craftbrewer.
I've actually put them in most of my kegs and only have 30 cm lines to the kegs now.

Andrew
 
Pouring at 68 kpa??? thats near 10 psi

you need to pour at about 2psi from what i'v been lead to believe which would be around 15kpa

turn your reg down to that, purge the pressure off and give it a go

You won't get much out of a keg at 2 psi. Depending on line length etc, 70 to 90 KPa is about right so your pressure of 68 KPa is in the ball park.
I have a picnic tap with about 1.3 metres of 6 mm tubing and I can get a decent pour from it.
How did you carb the keg?
If you have done it the quick way the keg maybe overcarbed.
 
Hey all,

After hours of research I've given up. I can't get this beer to pour properly.

While I work on my collar and get some capital for some taps I'm just running a single keg. But I can't get the damned thing to pour anything but foam.

Using a Micromatic gauge, and 5mm ID flexmaster lines with a picnic tap. Originally had the picnic tap on a curly hose but had foam there too so with some line I had, tried to get a longer line going. Using the excel document on the Wiki with a few settings, but I had one for 1.7m of line @ 2.4CO2 volume - set the reg for 68kpa and the fridge for 3 degrees.

The result? Opening the tap and it's like turning on niagra falls - and foam everywhere.

I've just about given up - is it just impossible to balance a picnic tap? I really don't want to have to vent the gas just to pour the bloody thing.

After 6 years of using picnic taps inside my conditioning fridge (aka freezer). At most carbonation levels these things will not pour without foaming!

Procedure:

Carbonate your beer: At the required level of carbonation, either over time at permanent pressure, using a method of forced carbonation or by burst carbonation.

To serve: Remove the gas QD or turn off your gas if using permanent pressure. Open the bleed valve dropping pressure in the keg to the point where it will just move the beer and serve without frothing. When serving a number of beers you may need to connect the gas QD and add a very small amount of pressure.

When finished serving: Reconnect gas QD of turn the gas on again if using permanent pressure, the keg will return to carbonation pressure. If you normally do not have the gas connected, hook up the gas QD for a moment and raise to carbonation pressure again.

A mix of carbonation methods here. Permanent gas pressure for kegs in the keggerator. For keg conditioning, a mix of forced carbonation and burst carbonation is used. Forced when time is short after filling, before putting kegs into the conditioning freezer. Mostly I use a burst of 300Kpa applied on day one, day two, and by day three or four the beer has usually absorbed close to required carbonation pressure. During conditioning, each week all kegs are checked for pressure and topped up (usually around 80kPA) if required. This suits my application where the freezer is not modified, with the exception of a temp controller, and has no entry for gas lines or taps, kegs are placed in the keggerator for serving.

Hope this helps.

Screwy
 
I've got two of these
View attachment 59131

installed in the keg with my picnic tap, never get any foaming no matter what pressure I have the beer at, available from Craftbrewer.
I've actually put them in most of my kegs and only have 30 cm lines to the kegs now.

Andrew


Smart move Andrew, will get some of these, saves on gas, purging and topping back up to pressure again!

Screwy
 
The jury is out a bit on the picnic taps.

Some say they are awful, some love them.

If i remember correctly, NickJD has them on his fridge door and raves about them. I think it was Nick...

My father has picnic taps in his keezer and loves them. I've seen them pour great beer, and poured great beer with them myself on his rig.

Your reg setting sounds about right. A little too high for my liking but really close. I typically serve my beers at 8PSI so there's not a whole lot in it. Probably wouldn't notice the difference.

My money is your keg is overcarbed. It's the number one thing that people that are new to kegging typically do - myself included. It's easy to do.

If it was me, i'd take the keg out, open up the PRV and vent all the gas. Come back in 10mins and do it again. Repeat this until there's no more gas coming out, and then re-gas it.

Failing that, THEN i'd start looking at line length/temp/tap height/pressure calculators, but id vent keg and regas first.
 
Was me. Picnic taps (Bronco) pour with a wonderful, creamy, 3cm head.

I have a 6-7C fridge with 2.3m of 6mm ID lines going to two taps that pour from the same height as the top of the kegs at a serving pressure of 50-60Kpa.

Guy - I reckon your keg is overcarbed.
 
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