Newbie Kegging And A Beer Explosion

[daveisbludging]

Last night was to be the grand finale for a newbie kegger - the first beer pour. Unfortunately it went horribly wrong and I'm looking for suggestions.

I've mounted 2 beer taps on the front of my fridge door and am using "pushlocks" to connect the beer line to the taps. I haven't seen them elsewhere but they were supplied by GMK. It has a small round ring with plastic legs which hooks into the main part that screws onto the tap. I'm hoping you know what I'm talking about rather than relying on my vague description.

I hooked up the liquid disconnect and all hell cut loose when the beer got to the tap and it started pouring out of the pushlock. I didn't have time to pay too much notice but it didn't appear to be coming from the small round ring but from the centre of the pushlock. From what I can see the rest of the unit doesn't pull apart but I may be wrong.

I wasn't too happy after cleaning the fridge and gave up late last night. I'm not too keen on repeating the experiment and am looking for any suggestion.

 

[dane]

I am also using the small gray pushlocks (with 4mm beer line) supplied by GMK.

I have never had a leak or a problem with these.

All I can suggest to to pull the beer line out (the outer sleeve of the push lock pulls back and releases) and just try to inesert it again. Just make sure the line is firmly put in. It goes in a little way into the tap itself.

Make sure you burp the keg and turn the pressure down. Slowly start putting some pressure on and pull the tap to see if this fixes your problem. If not you can check to see where the leak is comming from.

Did you try both taps? Even if there was a problem with one of the pushlocks it would be nlickely that two would be affected (not that I can really see what can go wrong with them - they are a very simple design).

Let us know how you go, and I'm sure GMK will drop in to see how things are going.

Good luck with it all and welcome to the board

 

[swiller]

I also had the same problem the first time.
Your beer line just isn't in far enough.
You will notice there is a quiet a bit play in the connection when you pull on the beer line if the line isn't in far enough, but once the line is in correctly there is very little play.

Hopefully this helps out.

Cheers Swiller
:chug:

 

[GMK]

Hi Dave,

Just as Fiscus and Swiller said.....
"You need to treat the Pushlocks like a woman....Ooh...it does get in!

You need to put in all the way!"

Let me know if you have any more troubles....
And whether this has fixed it.

 

[daveisbludging]

Guys,

Thanks for the advice - this has fixed the problem.

I've pushed the tube in as far as I could and no more beer explosions. It still doesn't extend past the legs of the grey connector but I assume this is OK.

I finally got to enjoy that first kegged beer.

 

[GMK]

Congrats fellow KEGGER!