Nothing Coming From Keg...

[Slug]

Howdy all,

I recently bought a little keg, 9 litre, with pluto gun and little CO2 bulb charger. This morning in preparation to fill it i was giving it the once over and tried to run cleaning solution out of it as a trial run. Gas and hose ball locks had been lubed and clicked into place firmly, i gave a couple of bursts from the CO2 charger but nothing came out the gun when i pulled the trigger. I tested the pressure relief and sure enough, there was pressure inside. Does anyone have any troubleshooting tips, where should i go from here? Im new to kegs, been a bottle man until now.

As an aside i noticed after a couple of goes of the charger its now empty! I know thats why they cant be used for forced carbonation but i thought theyd have more life in them than that!

Any thoughts appreciated

Cheers

 

[barls]

is it one of these kegs or similar
http://www.brewerschoice.com.au/product-in...ty-keg-kit.html
i had one i had to shorten the liquid diptube as it was almost flush against the bottom and caused extreme turbulence in the beer as it tried to pour.

 

[NewtownClown]

Gas enters ok, liquid doesn't exit through the gun.
remove the liquid out disconnect, depress the liquid poppet with a screwdriver, nail, etc (somewhere that a liquid spry wont matter). If liquid comes out, you will have narrowed it down to the gun...

 

[bradsbrew]

Are the disconnects on the wrong posts?

 

[Bribie G]

If Newtown's method works, then disconnect the tap from the beer disconnect and check that it is actually pressing in the poppet enough to allow the liquid to escape. If the QD is allowing liquid through, then you'll need to start fiddling with the gun.

 

[Snow]

Just take the lid off the top of the keg and use a straw. :lol: :lol:

h34r: sorry - not very helpful....

 

[NewtownClown]

Just take the lid off the top of the keg and use a straw. :lol: :lol:

h34r: sorry - not very helpful....

Not UNhelpful either.
went to a BBQ with a party keg that had degassed enroute and a soda stream bottle with F all gas left.
Removed the lid and just poured like a 9 litre growler.

 

[Slug]

Thanks all for the thoughts, i will check the post tomorrow and see what comes of it.

Baris, yes very similar to that except with the little co2 charger and a gun on a bit of line, im told the longer the line the less chance of foamy beers, due to resistance etc. I thought this would be easier for camping etc being smaller but i was surprised how quickly the co2 bulb emptied, maybe a soda stream setup would be the go, but i may have put far too much in too.........

 

[barls]

im almost betting money on the dip tube being too long. you dont need much pressure to dispense one.

 

[bradsbrew]

im almost betting money on the dip tube being too long. you dont need much pressure to dispense one.

I have the opposite problem with mine. I have almost a couple of pints left in mine when she blows.

 

[barls]

thats why mine are the genuine italian ones not the cheap Chinese versions.

 

[Slug]

I tried to depress the "post pin" and could do on the gas one but not the beer one........as to the length of dip tube.....how far off the bottom should it be?

 

[Batz]

I tried to depress the "post pin" and could do on the gas one but not the beer one........as to the length of dip tube.....how far off the bottom should it be?

Sounds like you've found your problem.

 

[WeaselEstateBrewery]

The chargers are definitely not suitable for carbonation - unless you buy the bulbs by the pallet
Use sugar for secondary carbonation like you would do in bottles or as you say get a soda stream bottle (you will still go thru them though).

 

[barls]

about 5 or so mm off the bottom

 

[Slug]

Thanks barls, yeah no problem there i dont think. Still waiting to hear back to see what the mob that sold it has to say.

Someone mentioned good quality kegs as opposed to the chinese ones, are there good quality small kegs? Ie, 9 litre or so?

Thanks all for the help!

 

[mikec]

Thanks barls, yeah no problem there i dont think. Still waiting to hear back to see what the mob that sold it has to say.

Someone mentioned good quality kegs as opposed to the chinese ones, are there good quality small kegs? Ie, 9 litre or so?

Thanks all for the help!

There are, and they are feckin expensive. Close to $200 new, I've not seen them advertised used.
They look just like the regular 19L corny kegs, but shorter.

 

[Jazzafish]

Another possibility is something caught in the out post/dip tube. Try to blow gas back through the out if you can and listen for bubbles. Will require a black disconnect on your gas line...

 

[Maheel]

degas the keg and leave the pressure thing open and remove the the "beer out" lock and have a look at it (poppet etc)
sort it out
close it back up
add gas
drink beer
yum

 

[squirt in the turns]

Another possibility is something caught in the out post/dip tube. Try to blow gas back through the out if you can and listen for bubbles. Will require a black disconnect on your gas line...

"Something" caught in dip tube... lol.

The advice is worth following, I'm just tickled by the idea of some foreign object finding its way into the keg. What could it be? Chewing gum? A yo-yo? A g-string? An AOL CD?

 

[bignath]

I tried to depress the "post pin" and could do on the gas one but not the beer one

there's your problem.

If you cant depress the pin in the centre of the beer out post, you'll never get beer out. That pin is the "poppet".

De-gas keg completely, remove the beer out post and disassemble it. Check the poppet for an obstruction. If not use for a while, and not cleaned before being stored, those little poppet valves can get all gummed up.

Use a screwdriver and a fair bit of downward force to push the poppet down through the post to disassemble.

Clean, reassemble, re-gas, pour a pint.

 

[Jazzafish]

"Something" caught in dip tube... lol.

The advice is worth following, I'm just tickled by the idea of some foreign object finding its way into the keg. What could it be? Chewing gum? A yo-yo? A g-string? An AOL CD?

So that is where my AWOL CD's are!

I have clogged a keg with a bit of hop before, backwashing fixed it. Also froze my very first keg. fun way to learn the thermostat needed an adjustment

 

[squirt in the turns]

So that is where my AWOL CD's are!

I have clogged a keg with a bit of hop before, backwashing fixed it. Also froze my very first keg. fun way to learn the thermostat needed an adjustment

Yeah, I guess a bit of hop matter would be the obvious culprit. I like to expect the unexpected, though. Maybe it could even be.... a kitten?

 

[BigDaddy]

Some of the poppers in the 9l kegs are slightly different to the std corny ones. The feet seem to hook into the side of the post walls into a recess. U would practically have to destroy them to knock them out as u would the std one. I'm not sure how u are meant to actually disassemble them??

 

[Damien13]

"Something" caught in dip tube... lol.

The advice is worth following, I'm just tickled by the idea of some foreign object finding its way into the keg. What could it be? Chewing gum? A yo-yo? A g-string? An AOL CD?

HAHAHHAHA AOL CD... That is the wittiest thing I have heard all day... we are clearly the similar vintage....


A bart doll????

 

[squirt in the turns]

A bart doll????

Until Slug reports the results of the investigation, it's all of the above and more. Schrdinger's dip tube obstruction.

Although a re-reading of this thread suggests it's most likely a stuck poppet valve. Yawn.