Shut Of The Co2 Or Leave It On?

[Hillbilly]

I'm trying to balance my keg sytem, I carbonate @ 220KPA for 2 days once chilled that works great for me. To dispence I drop the pressure to 100 KPA and I draw it through 5 meters of 5 mm line, I'm finding that with a full keg that it pours nicley but after a while I start to get more and more foam, so my question is, is it because I'm leaving 100KPA on it all the time I'm over carbonating the brew? Should I shut off the CO2 when not in use?
Any idea's?
Hillbilly

 

[PostModern]

I'm trying to balance my keg sytem, I carbonate @ 220KPA for 2 days once chilled that works great for me. To dispence I drop the pressure to 100 KPA and I draw it through 5 meters of 5 mm line, I'm finding that with a full keg that it pours nicley but after a while I start to get more and more foam, so my question is, is it because I'm leaving 100KPA on it all the time I'm over carbonating the brew? Should I shut off the CO2 when not in use?
Any idea's?
Hillbilly

I find 7psi (about 50kPa) is right for carbonating ales @ about 6C. It just happens to be about the right dispensing pressure for my 1.7 metre line, so I can just set and forget. 100 kPa would be way overcarbonated for my tastes, so my advice would be yes, burp the keg down to the pressure you like to store your beer under.

 

[Wortgames]

'Balancing' your system is more about your lines than your pressure.

The pressure is dictated by your desired carbonation level and temperature. You need to adjust your lines accordingly so that the pour is acceptable with that amount of pressure.

It always takes a day or two for your beer to stabilise after any adjustments, so it's best to set and forget your pressure then tweak your line length (and diameter) over time to get the most comfortable flow rate for your beer selection.

Theoretically you need different lines for different carbonation levels, but over time you'll be able to pick a happy medium.

 

[James Squire]

100kPa would be overcabonated and pouring lots of foam on my system also. I dispense through about 3.5m of beer line and I find 70kPa to be ideal for me.

Also, I'd suggest definately shutting off the C02 when not in use. A slow leak in any seals or valves could easily empty your bottle in no time.

Cheers,

JS

 

[Hillbilly]

100kPa would be overcabonated and pouring lots of foam on my system also. I dispense through about 3.5m of beer line and I find 70kPa to be ideal for me.

Also, I'd suggest definately shutting off the C02 when not in use. A slow leak in any seals or valves could easily empty your bottle in no time.

Cheers,

JS

I was heading in the same direction, 3.5 meters with 5 mm line @ 70kpa.
So if I get this right I should carbonate @ 220kpa for 2 days, release pressure to 70kpa and leave it at this setting but only turning the CO2 on and shutting off before and after dispencing.
Hopefully this will give a consistant pour all the way through the keg.
Hillbilly.

 

[James Squire]

That should help you out yeah.

You could leave the CO2 on during nights of heavy use but just make sure to turn off after you've finished for the night.

Regarding the 220kPa for 2 days... That will work to carb up for you but I tend to use the 'Ross Method' if im wanting to drink ASAP. Search 'Ross Method' and you will find. Otherwise if Im not in a rush I will just let the brew carb up at the pouring pressure.

Cheers,

JS

 

[Hillbilly]

That should help you out yeah.

You could leave the CO2 on during nights of heavy use but just make sure to turn off after you've finished for the night.

Regarding the 220kPa for 2 days... That will work to carb up for you but I tend to use the 'Ross Method' if im wanting to drink ASAP. Search 'Ross Method' and you will find. Otherwise if Im not in a rush I will just let the brew carb up at the pouring pressure.

Cheers,

JS

Cheers JS, will give that a go.
Hillbilly :beer:

 

[sqyre]

I always leave my gas on at about 7-8 psi...

the first pour after an extended period ( say a week) will always have a bit of foam.

but that makes for nice creamy looking head..

every glass after that is fine...

Just over pour the first 1slightly..thats what the driptray's for.. :lol:



as for carbing up..i have pretty much got it down to 90seconds..for an 18Litre..

(i am very impatient)

 

[Offline]

Also, I'd suggest definately shutting off the C02 when not in use. A slow leak in any seals or valves could easily empty your bottle in no time.

Cheers,

JS

I have to agree with JS here

Plus turning the CO2 off will tell you if your pressure is higher then your current level of carbonation.
i.e. if your 100kPa drops to a steady 70kPa, with the CO2 off, then your current level of carbonation is approximately 70kPa.
If you left your CO2 open at 100kPa it would continue to increase the carbonation (i.e. over carbonate)

Offline

 

[PistolPatch]

Hope I'm not getting too off topic here but I've recently changed my mind on turning the gas bottle off...

I had the flu recently and accidentally left my gas bottle on for 2 weeks without having a beer. It's been 3 weeks now and I've found that my beer is not only stable but also, I haven't used any gas.

Before, I'd turn it on and off and it would take around 40 seconds to pressurise back up even after only a day. My gas also dropped at a noticeable level. I suspect that leaving the gas on is making all the seals hold tight.

As for overcarbonating, one of the beers I have on tap now is about 12 weeks old and shows no signs of over-carbonation.

Cheers
PP

 

[Sammus]

I use 5mm flexmasterII tubing, and leave my kegs at 10-12psi (68-82kPa) with 1.5m line length, kegs at 2-3C.
I balanced my system using the guide on hbd. I leave my co2 on permenantly...I've always been unsure of how people get leaks in these systems and fear loosing their gas? My tubing is thick and tough and (so far) I've been able to hear if any of my kegs are leaking...I guess I'll probably find out the hard way though one day...

 

[tonydav]

I also leave mine on 24/7. Spent quite some time checking for leaks and finally found a couple of PITA leaks in the manifold. Retaped everything with gas tape and no probs now.

I run mine at around 90kpa with a temperature range of 2-4 degrees and have it fully balanced up to around 130kpa (if I wanted it carbonated that high!).

Personally I just carbonate a keg by connecting it to the system. Within a week it's pretty well perfect to drink and hasn't become unsettled and stirred up as will happen using a force method. You also can't overcarbonate - something that I've had happen a few times using the force (and shake) method. OTOH I have 8 x 22L kegs + 4 x 12L kegs so a week or a months wait will rarely worry me.

 

[James Squire]

I agree that for the majority of the time leaving the gas supply on will not cause any probs.

I write the suggestion as a 'just in case' point of view. Say one of your hose clamps holding your gas line to your disconnects is leaking at a rate of less than 5kPa per hour... you probably wont hear it but it will be losing gas. Unnecessarily.

To be honest though its all just precautionary for me. Each to their own and all that! Do whatever floats your boat.

Cheers,

JS

 

[frogman]

Before, I'd turn it on and off and it would take around 40 seconds to pressurise back up even after only a day. My gas also dropped at a noticeable level. I suspect that leaving the gas on is making all the seals hold tight.

Just tested my system by turnig gas off when not in use and had the same thing happen.
Gas will now stay on at all times.
Use high quality parts when assembling gas system and you should never have a problem.
Always keep a full soda stream for back up. cos it will only ever leak/empty on a saturday afternoon. :angry:

 

[Bobby]

i think i will start leaving the gas on too. lately the carbonation of my beers has all over the place.
wrong carbonation can make a good beer ordinary.

 

[Ross]

Before, I'd turn it on and off and it would take around 40 seconds to pressurise back up even after only a day. My gas also dropped at a noticeable level. I suspect that leaving the gas on is making all the seals hold tight.

Just tested my system by turnig gas off when not in use and had the same thing happen.
Gas will now stay on at all times.
Use high quality parts when assembling gas system and you should never have a problem.
Always keep a full soda stream for back up. cos it will only ever leak/empty on a saturday afternoon. :angry:

This is because your beer was under carbonated in the first place, it has nothing to do with leaks. Leaving the gas on is bad practice - The day you come home to to find your kegged discharged & your bottle empty, you'll understand why - that's without the potential danger from the CO2 as well, depending on where you store it...

cheers Ross

 

[Slurpdog]

I guess I'm lucky in that I run a CO2 extinguisher (thanks Linz) for my gas and so to gas the keg I just squeeze the handle.
Have the reg set to 80kpa and I only need to re-charge when the flow from the tap starts to slow.
Only problem is that I can't store the bottle beside the fridge due to space constraints and so have to connect the gas to the keg with the fridge door open, gas, disconnect and then close the fridge.
Small price to pay though as the system works a treat!

 

[Tony]

I would leave the gas on

I use the same method as you..... 200+ Kpa to carbonate and them drop it to 100 Kpa

I find that my keg (50 liters) keeps absorbing gas and it it starts to foam in the glass a bit i drop the gas back 10 kpa overnight and see how it goes.

I find some beers need more or less pressure (between 70 nad 100 kpa) to give the right carbonation ballance for the beer.

I am always playing with the regulator tweaking it up and down to suit the beer and adjust for how it is pouring.

cheers

 

[Keifer]

Surely you can do a simple test for very small leaks, i don't have heaps of kegs on tap at the moment, so i was thinking disconnect the lines from the kegs, gas up the lines and then leave them for a day or a few to see if the line pressure has dropped ?

 

[tonydav]

Surely you can do a simple test for very small leaks, i don't have heaps of kegs on tap at the moment, so i was thinking disconnect the lines from the kegs, gas up the lines and then leave them for a day or a few to see if the line pressure has dropped ?

Spot on. That's how I found I had a very minor leak that I certainly couldn't hear. Took me about 3 hours to find it and had to totally dismantle the manifold. Mine was so minor that using this method it only dropped from around 100kpa to 90kpa in a day. Now it doesn't drop ever (having said that I only tested it for a week so I suppose ever is too long a time ).

tony