Party Keg Drama- Going Mad Quckly

[Thorby]

Morning All,

Before i talk to a shrink, i thought i would ask for some help. Built a 5 litre party keg as per instructions found on this marvellous forum, but i have an ongoing issue. Assembled and filled her with 15psi of comprssed air, and it leak around the large lid. Have used food grade lube, even put in an additional rubber seal i go from a tap kit from bunnings but she still leaks. Looses pressure in around 20 minutes and no matter what i do it wont seal. After trying all weekend, i thought the sprayer may have a casting fault so went out yesterday and bought a new one. Transfered all the gear over, pressured her up and BANG it leaks to. Any ideas what i may have overlooked? Even tried thread tape around the lid. Got me stuffed please any advice would be appreciated.

Thorby

 

[joshuahardie]

Once it has pressure in it, spray some soapy water on the top of it, to see if you are able to isolate the leak.

you might find it is one small spot that might be able to be sealed with a bit of glue, or something similar

 

[afromaiko]

Hold it all under water in the bath and look for leaks including any valves, hoses, and taps you have installed onto it.

 

[Thorby]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the advice, have checked it carefully for glur, cracks etc but upsdie down in a bath it is coming from the actual thread underneath the green lid. Have sealed that twice, and thread taped it but cant seem to get it under control. It juts doesnt make any sense why i cant get a seal.

Thanks
Thorby

 

[Wrenny]

On mine, the lid didn't seal at the thread on the green lid. Instead, the green lid compressed a bit of plastic against the white body of the sprayer.

There was a black o-ring that came with the sprayer. It is critical that that black O ring goes between the white body of the sprayer and the plastic that you would have cut to seal up the hole in the green top. If this O-ring isn't put here, then the plastic will not seal properly against plastic and the gas will leak out.

If it is leaking through the thread and not through the big hole in the green lid, then maybe you have put the O-ring between the plastic circle that you cut and the green lid, instead of between the plastic circle and the white body of the sprayer.

Hope this is understandable.

Cheers,
Wrenny

 

[Thorby]

Wrenny,

Thanks for the reply but that oring seal is definately in the right place. Has anyone had to make an additional seal tto stop one of these things from leaking?

Thanks
Thorby

 

[joshuahardie]

I replaced my large o ring seal with an automotive rubber one....
I am thinking that using a silicone one could be the goods, even if it is cutting up one of those silocone baking trays to make a suitable one....

 

[Doogiechap]

Wrenny,

Thanks for the reply but that oring seal is definately in the right place. Has anyone had to make an additional seal tto stop one of these things from leaking?

Thanks
Thorby

I would replace the oring as a matter of course (I did for mine) bearing suppliers are a good place to go for such items. The other possibility i that there may be some residual plastic or a slight seam mismatch where the seam meets the top of the vessel causing the oring to sit proud of the face. A careful trim with a stanley knife may help. I think any additional layers of gaskets etc will only exacerbate the problem.
Cheers
Doug

 

[Beer Krout]

Hi Thirsty

Thanks for the fantastic guide.
Took me a while to get all the parts together.

I'm having a similar problem as Thorby.
Having issues with leakage around the John Guest bulkhead.
Is there supposed to be an o-ring on at least one side of the bulkhead screwdown on to the white disk?
My JG bulkhead didn't come with a o-ring.

Cheers
BK

 

[lagers44]

Hi Thirsty

Thanks for the fantastic guide.
Took me a while to get all the parts together.

I'm having a similar problem as Thorby.
Having issues with leakage around the John Guest bulkhead.
Is there supposed to be an o-ring on at least one side of the bulkhead screwdown on to the white disk?
My JG bulkhead didn't come with a o-ring.

Cheers
BK

Yes Beer Krout there is supposed to be an o-ring on the JG bulkhead , mine didn't come with it either but I added one.

To Thorby , check to see what you made the sealing disk from , if you used a nylon chopping board have a close look as some of these have dimpled surfaces which may not seal properly. If it's dimpled just sand it smooth aroung the mating surfaces.

Good luck



Lagers

 

[Thorby]

Lagers,

You bloody legend, so what you are saying, let me get it right, there should be an o ring between the guest fitting and the manufactured plastic dish? You may have just saved a party keg as it is sitting in the corner of the garage in disgrace, as I still cant get the bloody thing to seal.

Cheers
Thorby

 

[Thorby]

All,

BTW I did encounter the dimple problme and had already sanded that smooth, that thread may save other some heart ache.

Cheers
Thorby

 

[SpillsMostOfIt]

I'm using three of the buggers, now.

For a while, the JG bulkhead fittings sealed against the plastic disc just fine. I had quite a time on the second/third one and now all of them have a little O-ring washer helping to seal the bulkhead fitting against the disc. I use things that come in a pack of 8 and branded 'Neta' in the garden hose section of Bunnings.

And, to be totally sure, the bulkhead fitting is oriented so the nut is on the outside of the keg. This stops pressure leaking out the thread.

Some chopping boards have a slight stipple or dimpling on them which makes sealing harder too. I've never thought about replacing the big washer that comes with the sprayer, but it makes a lot of sense. I might have to seek one out... I've tried a softer chopping board from Ikea (cheaper) and on balance would not recommend it. The stiffer, thicker supermarket boards seem to work better for me.

 

[Beer Krout]

Thanks Lagers, Thorby and Spills

My next question would have been where do I get the o-rings from.

I haven't sanded the plastic disk "stipple" off yet.
But that will probably be the next weakest point (for when I encounter the slow leak)
Currently I can hear the gas leaking out immediately and the soap water test pointed straight to the JG bulkhead.

I will probably put an o-ring on either side of bulkhead just to be sure.
The silver nut is on the outside as per the fantastic guide.

I'm not worried about the big washer ... yet, as it is "new" and in theory supposed to handle a bit of pressure? Maybe not over the long term though, I guess the original purpose may not require indefinite holding of pressure.

BK

 

[lagers44]

Thanks Lagers, Thorby and Spills

My next question would have been where do I get the o-rings from.

I haven't sanded the plastic disk "stipple" off yet.
But that will probably be the next weakest point (for when I encounter the slow leak)
Currently I can hear the gas leaking out immediately and the soap water test pointed straight to the JG bulkhead.

I will probably put an o-ring on either side of bulkhead just to be sure.
The silver nut is on the outside as per the fantastic guide.

I'm not worried about the big washer ... yet, as it is "new" and in theory supposed to handle a bit of pressure? Maybe not over the long term though, I guess the original purpose may not require indefinite holding of pressure.

BK

for o-rings read post 13. <_<

Bunnings

 

[Beer Krout]

My next question WOULD HAVE BEEN where do I get the o-rings from.

I was actually thanking Spills for his "few steps ahead of me" answer.

BK

 

[Thirsty Boy]

Ahhh, an omission from the "How to" then. Sorry guys, my JG bulkhead came with an o'ring, I just thought they all would. That's what you get when you make an assumption I suppose. Looking back at the guide, I can even see that the picture of the JG fitting doesn't have an o'ring.... dammit.

In my defense though - the instructions in the guide do tell you to smear some food grade lubricant on the o'rings for the bulkhead fitting, so I did imply that they should be there. Oh well. I'm actually amazed that anyone has been able to make one of these things seal without those o'rings, I would just assume that it would leak like a sieve.

One o'ring is enough, put it on the inside. Two wont hurt, use both if you have two - why not. Use the lube.

Oh, and I used one of the chopping boards with the slight dimpling on it - with a little lubricant I didn't find that they made for any issues with sealing the keg. Of course, sanding them smooth isn't gonna hurt.

Sorry you've been having so much trouble Thorby. Let us know if sealing the bulkhead up solves your problem. You too Beer Krout.

Cheers

TB

 

[Beer Krout]

Just finished brewing an Oatmeal Stout.

Picked up the o-rings today (during the mash).

Now going to watch the last quarter of the Don's big win.

Then get on to that JG bulkhead.

Post later.

Cheers
BK.

 

[Thorby]

Arvo All,

Well added the dreaded oring and oooohhhh what a difference. Thirsty thanks for your great instructions, and yes i did use food grade lube but she just wouldnt seal. Thats what makes this forum so damm good, aveyone pulling together for a solution. My party kegs are no longer in the corner of the garage in disgrace, now prouldy chilling in the fridge for the first big test. Thanks to all for the help, advice, and mostly for restoring my sanity. Little bit of rubber makes all the difference....there is a birthday card in that line lol.

Thorby

 

[gap]

Little bit of rubber makes all the difference....there is a birthday card in that line lol.

Thorby

Would need to be a hole in the rubber to need a birthday card !!!!!!!!!!


Regards

Graeme