Keg dispensing problem

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Don
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Keg dispensing problem

Post by Don » Mon Feb 28, 2011 6:53 pm

I haven't been able to figure this out and wanted to see if anyone else has experienced this.
I have a corney (ball lock) in the kegerator, with 2 other kegs all hooked up to the same distributor system @ 12 psi at 43 F.
The beer in this one keg (of Old Ale) will only trickle out. I have switched gas lines and dispenser lines and it still does the same and the other beer dispenses just fine.
So it has to be the out poppit or pickup tube right?
In thinking that there might be something in the out poppit, I hooked up my root-beer gas line (@24 psi) to the outlet of this keg and forced gas back into the keg. Then released the pressure, hooked up a new dispenser line and it still only trickles out.

Any ideas.
I know this is a heavy beer but this just isn't right.. :lol:
Don Heisler

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Dutch
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Re: Keg dispensing problem

Post by Dutch » Mon Feb 28, 2011 9:01 pm

What if there is some mechanical restriction like a kink in the dip tube? The exit flow stationary part of the ball-lock could be damaged not allowing full flow?
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john mills
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Re: Keg dispensing problem

Post by john mills » Mon Feb 28, 2011 9:27 pm

Sounds like a poppet problem. Releave all co2 pressure and see if you can depress the out poppet with a pen/screwdriver/etc. The spring could be bound. Worst case, take the out stem off, and check out the poppet/ dip tube. You will still be fine with a protective layer of co2 on the beer in the keg. Repressurize, and bleed off a few times to make sure you've purged all the o2 out.
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Chris Norrick
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Re: Keg dispensing problem

Post by Chris Norrick » Tue Mar 01, 2011 7:59 am

What about the ball lock fitting? Is the plastic pin broken a little short? Does it trickle out a cobra tap?
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Don
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Re: Keg dispensing problem

Post by Don » Tue Mar 01, 2011 8:21 am

Chris Norrick wrote:What about the ball lock fitting? Is the plastic pin broken a little short? Does it trickle out a cobra tap?
That's the first thing I tried. I changed all of the out fittings and even used them on another keg and they worked ok.
I would of thought that by blowing 24psi into the out port I would have unstopped any blockage. So it must be a mechanical problem and I will replace the poppit tonight.
Don Heisler

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Don
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Re: Keg dispensing problem

Post by Don » Thu Mar 03, 2011 7:21 pm

The Old Ale is flowing fine now.

Seems that when I labeled the shutoff valves on the distributor bar they didn't align with the labels on the gas lines.
I turned on the right valve and we be serving now.

I have to stop doing all the technical work until after I have a couple of beers..

Thanks all for the help.

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Don Heisler

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