Non Return Valve Question

[Budron]

Hi guys,

Will be setting up my new keg system over the weekend. I plan to force carb using the ross method. My question is, if my regulator has an in-built non return valve, is it still necessary to have one on my gas line to stop beer coming up at all?

Cheers,

Budron.

 

[altone]

Hi guys,

Will be setting up my new keg system over the weekend. I plan to force carb using the ross method. My question is, if my regulator has an in-built non return valve, is it still necessary to have one on my gas line to stop beer coming up at all?

Cheers,

Budron.

I hope not, coz I rely on my regulator non return valve. No problem so far.
( only on my 4th keg)

 

[seravitae]

For the 20 bucks or so for the nonreturn, all i can say is, better safe than sorry... paranoia is healthy when you've got a regulator at stake.

 

[Batz]

Hi guys,

Will be setting up my new keg system over the weekend. I plan to force carb using the ross method. My question is, if my regulator has an in-built non return valve, is it still necessary to have one on my gas line to stop beer coming up at all?

Cheers,

Budron.

No, one is all you need.

Batz

 

[kirem]

I have one on the keg side of my regulator.

But....

I have recently worked out I need one on each gas leg of my keg system.

If I have an over full keg, (quite often) and it is all gassed up and then I add a keg that isn't gassed up to another leg of the gas system, I get 'gas' supplied from the existing keg and from the regulator.

The result is beer sucked/push up the gas line from the existing overfull keg to try and equalise the pressure in the newly added keg.

There are ways around it but if you forget and just add another keg then beer does get sucked up the line.

So I have put a non-return as close to each gas connect on each leg of my gas system.

I found out the really hard way - gassing up a keg of red wine (sparkling durif)....doh!

 

[brettprevans]

you have a keg of sparkling durif? you lucky bugger!

yeah i had a similar experiance. my nrv was between reg and gas manifold. stopped beer getting to the reg but not going through the manifold. still havent fixed that yet.....

 

[kirem]

you have a keg of sparkling durif? you lucky bugger!

:icon_offtopic:
I had a keg of sparkling Sauvignon Blanc as well, well half is left. It has some gin botanicals infused.

both made for a wine competition.

 

[Pennywise]

Rather than start a new thread I'll ask here. Yesterday I fitted a non return valve to my system (surprisingly easy to fit), I noticed that after I pull a pint and the gas is going through the line I can hear a little squeeky sound comming from the valve. Is this normal? It sorta sounds like when you inflate a balloon and let the air out real slow and it makes that farty/squeeky noise. A test revealed no leaks either end of the valve, so it's deffinatly coming from inside of it.

Cheers

 

[Frag_Dog]

Rather than start a new thread I'll ask here. Yesterday I fitted a non return valve to my system (surprisingly easy to fit), I noticed that after I pull a pint and the gas is going through the line I can hear a little squeeky sound comming from the valve. Is this normal? It sorta sounds like when you inflate a balloon and let the air out real slow and it makes that farty/squeeky noise. A test revealed no leaks either end of the valve, so it's deffinatly coming from inside of it.

Cheers

Yeah my Non-Return valve makes that same sort of noise. I havn't had an issue, 10-20 kegs later.

 

[Pennywise]

Good to know, I thought it wouldn't be an issue but wanted to be sure. I guess it's just a little flange thing in there that stops backflow wobbling around or something. Cheers Frag_Dog

 

[Fourstar]

A test revealed no leaks either end of the valve, so it's deffinatly coming from inside of it.
Cheers

Give it a tap the next time it does it, you'll find it stops. It must have something todo with the valve along with the dribble of pressure from the CO2 bottle.

 

[Pennywise]

Give it a tap the next time it does it, you'll find it stops. It must have something todo with the valve along with the dribble of pressure from the CO2 bottle.

I'll give that a go, it is quite an annoying sound to put up with every time I pour a beer

 

[Fourstar]

I'll give that a go, it is quite an annoying sound to put up with every time I pour a beer

I thaught it was the regulator doing it all the time, tunrs out it was the valve!

 

[bL@De]

As a side note should the one way valve only work under pressure? For instance if I were to turn off the gas (fault finding co2 leak) the needle drops down to zero and sounds very much like the leak is coming from the one way valve. I've left the bottle on for the past couple of days and my bottle isn't empty yet (keeping fingers crossed).

I have my regulator set at 10psi and let it be.

 

[Supra-Jim]

One way valve should only work one way (sorry bad pun).

It depends on the construction of your valve, if it is a simple needle/seat type then flow in the intended direction will push the needle out of the seat allowing gas to pass through. Flow in the undesired direction should push the needle back into the seat and block the flow. However with this design if there is any crap in the valve, it will not seat/seal properly and your gas can leak past.

If it is a spring loaded valve (not very likely) then a pressure differential greater than the spring force.(low pressure in keg side/higher pressure in reg/bottle side) will cause your gas to flow past. once the gas pressures on either side equalise the spring pulls the valve closed.

Grab yourself a spray bottle and some soapy water. Spray around all of your connections (with the gas turned on) and look for bubbles.

<Possible silly question> Are you turning the gas off or turning your reg down to zero?

Cheers SJ

 

[Screwtop]

One way valve should only work one way

Yeah....................................well swallow me knob :lol:

Screwy

 

[komodo]

No, one is all you need.

Batz

IHMO, and feel free to ignore my oppinion, I feel that a check valve / non-return valve should be placed on each gas line from the manifold. The non return at the reg should be an absolute last resort to save the reg from back flow. As other have said if you have over filled kegs and you connect a new keg to carb up you can get beer coming up the lines - not good. Particularly if you get an infection in one batch and then it ends up in all your kegs. Also if you have a cider or soda water (or wine) in any of your kegs you dont really want them getting beer in them and vice versa. When you concider your only talking about $30 ( less than the cost a slab of commercial beer) per keg to save you a great deal of heart ache... Most of us only have 3 - 4 kegs "tapped" at any one stage. Your not talking massive $'s

 

[eric8]

I am going to get some NRV's, are they best near the keg or the manifold/reg?

 

[Pennywise]

I have mine about 20cm from the reg, I don't think it really matters though.

 

[komodo]

NO AFFILIATION Never used these guys or anything. But a quick google revealed this source for john guest style pushfit fittings in the US
$12.37 USD for 5/16" check valve. NFI if they send OS or not but might be worth a go for anyone in the market...
http://www.freshwatersystems.com/p-1410-ch...16-push-in.aspx