Switch to MLF and stainless QD's

[MastersBrewery]

So considering switching over to MLF fittings, but as with everything there's a reason behind it. For the last year I've had drama's with leaks, now as best I can tell it's the ball valves on my gas distribution, so I was going to upgrade the ball valves to high pressure and I can get 1/4 to MLF with built in one way.

1. I thought when I do it I may as well switch the lot to John Guess fittings

2. Doing so would mean changing out all my ball lock QD's (which I can do a bit at a time) to MLF

3. Are the all stainless QD's like that available from keg king good quality/ worth the money.

4. Is the switch to MLF going to make trouble shooting leaks easier or worse

5. Yes I've replaced all appropriate o rings, I lube them each keg change and used enough soapy water to wash my son for a year.

In short I've done my best to run this down a few times, I've replaced all the lines only a few months back and my thought is do it right and stop fighting the thing.

 

[GalBrew]

What are you using to split your gas lines?

 

[MastersBrewery]

similar to this

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

You mean MFL right? As in the threaded with oring type disconnect? If anything that would be another leak point over barbs fittings right? I recently changed all of my gas side to a thicker gas line from National Homebrew, barbs disconnects and a gas splitter like you have pictured. The gas manifold had some minor leaks which some thread sealant fixed up. One ball valve also leaked on the front thread which the barb screws into. Tightening it up stopped it. I tested everything under water in a bucket, it's the only way to know for sure! But yeah stick with barbed over MFL would be my advice and crimp the clamps on correctly, the thicker wall gas line helps heaps to get a gas tight seal. Sorry if I'm misunderstanding.

 

[Spiesy]

Personally I'd go with genuine Cornelius disconnects and either genuine John Guest MFL push ins or a barb. At the end of the day it really doesn't cost that much and you should get plenty of happy years out of them. Keep the inside of the disconnects lubed up with some beer lube.

 

[MastersBrewery]

Ok so the plan is to strip down and dunk in water, hopefully I find the problem, 6.8kg of gas in 6mnths is a bit to be losing. We'll see if I still need to switch stuff out.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

...I ghad a quick read over the topics and read " Change to MILF and stainless....".... h34r:

 

[GalBrew]

You need to check if your manifold is leaking, it is most likely the source of your leak. I use a similar one that needed a bit of attention with some engineering silicone to make it fully gas tight. I would recommend keeping your regular barbed connections. They are much easier to prevent a leak with barbed fittings IMO. I personally think JG fittings are the tool of the devil and have never had much luck with them (a keg fridge full of beer was the last straw for me).

 

[MastersBrewery]

UPDATE: pulled the gas manifold out, (replaced the main line to it in the end) stripped the QD's and rebuilt, dunked the whole lot in water and found 2 of the outlets leaking between the ball valve and the barb, hit that with plumbers tape, failed, then hit it with pink plumbers tape and all good. In between thread tape changes I noticed a leak at the tap of the ball valve itself, though seams to have sorted itself out with the final install. Now to get into some beers cheers lads!

MB

 

[GalBrew]

Now that it's not leaking, seal the join between valves and the body with RTV silicone and never worry about a leak again.