Perlick 545SS Stainless Steel Flow Control Taps - Problems & Solut

[DJ_L3ThAL]

Hey guys,

In light of the bulk buy and recent influx of these taps. Many have indicated isues with the force required to move the flow control lever arm. I have sent the below to Perlick USA and await a reply:

Hi, Recently some friends of mine and myself purchased some 545SS flow control taps in Australia. All of us are concerned at the force required to move the flow control lever.

I have removed the bonnet over the flow control level and applied food grade lubricant to the seal but this does not seem to help. You can hear the seal squeaking as you turn the flow control level as if it has too much pressure on it from the bonnet. Loosening the bonnet over the flow control lever helps but it leaves an obvious gap and eventually fouls the flow control lever arm. I am concerned loosening this will prevent maintaining a good seal on this side lever also.

I have removed the normal pouring arm bonnet, the pour lever and the floating o-ring and lubricated these with food grade lube also after cleaning but this does not change the flow control arm motion.

We have friends who have the original 545PC flow control taps and their flow control levers are very easy to move.

I was also wondering if you can provide advice as to whether it matters to have the flow control level arm point "forwards" (towards direction of flow) or "backwards" when it is mounted to the shank?

Many thanks I look forward to your reply!

In addition to the above which I hope get's addressed adequately by Perlick, please post any other concerns or problems you have with these taps whether it be general maintenance, cleaning etc.

Personally apart from the above problem, I think they are extremely well built and easy to take apart (I cleaned mine apart and lubricated the o-ring and re-assembled sanitized).

Cheers! :beer:

 

[professional_drunk]

I bought 4 of these. None exhibit these issues.

How often should you be taking these apart for clean and lube? Currently I've just been rotating some soda water through the taps.

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

Where did you buy from and when if you don't mind me asking?

 

[professional_drunk]

barwon homebrewing. 18 feb.

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

Right so part of the bulk buy or would have been same batch anyway... so could you turn your floe control lever with your pinky finger easily?

 

[professional_drunk]

Got it before the bulk buy. It's a bit firm for a pinky. Thumb and index finger is ok. No squeaks. Come to think about it, my perception about how difficult it is to move the lever maybe different as I've never used the older perlicks before.

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

Spoke to Nibbo from Barwon Homebrewing today and he whipped up the attached instructions on how to remove the flow control shaft. I lubed up the two o-rings and now the tap flow control glides very smooth and is firm (not too hard and jerky to move as it was before). Problem solved, thanks Nibbo!

View attachment Perlick 545SS Flow Control Removal.pdf

 

[Wilkensone]

Spoke to Nibbo from Barwon Homebrewing today and he whipped up the attached instructions on how to remove the flow control shaft. I lubed up the two o-rings and now the tap flow control glides very smooth and is firm (not too hard and jerky to move as it was before). Problem solved, thanks Nibbo!

I know I loosened the backing nut to make it a bit smoother, now that you have lubed it up is this tightened all the way?

Also thanks for taking it upon yourself to play Sherlock for us!

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

Yeah mate tightened right up and its HEAPS better no stress or strain required to operate the lever. Nibbo did say loosening that backing nut is ok and it will seal if need be. But mine are tightened right up and feel normal to operate!

Keeping my levers facing backwards to the norm to keep lever clear of the glass when pouring

 

[Wilkensone]

Yeah mate tightened right up and its HEAPS better no stress or strain required to operate the lever. Nibbo did say loosening that backing nut is ok and it will seal if need be. But mine are tightened right up and feel normal to operate!

Keeping my levers facing backwards to the norm to keep lever clear of the glass when pouring

Great thanks for that, going to have to get some lube!

Stupid question but am I going to get covered in beer thats in the hose when taking the tap off?

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

Yes if the line is under pressure be careful it will spray beer. Theoretically if you hold the flow control position shut it shouldn't but with the lever out it moves very easily so I'd recommend taking disconnect off the kegs and opening tap to discharge line pressure and then do your work...

 

[Donske]

Great thanks for that, going to have to get some lube!

Stupid question but am I going to get covered in beer thats in the hose when taking the tap off?

You shouldn't, what I tend to do is disconnect from the keg, open the tap and then depress the shaft in the quick disconnect, this will let most of the beer drain out of the line and avoid too much mess when pulling taps apart.

 

[Nibbo]

Stupid question but am I going to get covered in beer thats in the hose when taking the tap off?

Make sure you disconnect from the keg and then bleed the line through the tap to take off any pressure in the line before taking out the flow control mech. That would be messy and a waste of beer if you didn't.

 

[Beerisyummy]

My new taps have emptied all my kegs. Every time I walked past them the beer would leak out and subsequently vanish.
The problem is they work too well!

Nice tip about the flow control levers. Mine were seriously tight when I received them.
It surprises me that they don't lubricate the seals during assembly.

 

[Beerisyummy]

Now it turns out I do actually have a complaint. It may not be sensible, but I tried turning the lever into the backwards facing position on my taps, and it turns out they seem to snag a little on the return run.

Does anybody else feel this in the flow control lever?

Note:
This is not a defect as I'm pretty sure they are meant to face forward.

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

Did you lube the orings?

 

[Beerisyummy]

Yes. I did the whole disassemble and lube thing.

It's more of a mechanical "snag". It occurs just after you take the control lever out of the fully closed position from the backwards orientation.
Obviously, I'm talking about the lever facing backwards and not myself. Not tonight at least!

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

Hmm strange, so its doing the same thing on both? If the cap over the control lever is not tight enough it does foul the lever are you sure its not that simple? Does putting it back to other orientation fix it?

 

[Beerisyummy]

Yep. It does the same thing on both.
It only does it with the control lever pointing backwards and the caps definitely aren't fouling it.

I'll have another play with the taps later and suss things out.

 

[mr_wibble]

My new taps have emptied all my kegs. Every time I walked past them the beer would leak out and subsequently vanish.
The problem is they work too well!

The problem is with your drinking hardware - it's probably too big.
Try using a smaller tasting glass.