Pin-Lock liquid disconnects not releasing "cleanly"

[J2W2]

Hi,

I have pin-lock kegs and quick disconnects. Each time I put a new keg in my keezer, I disconnect all the liquid lines and clean them. I'm not sure when this started (I'm sure it hasn't always been this way), but lately when I remove my liquid disconnects, I often have to work them back and forth and really pull to get them to release. This often results in at least a little beer spilling out and possibly running down the side of the keg. The last time I did this, one of the poppets did not fully seat, and I had a very fine stream of beer shooting out about five feet before hitting the wall behind my keezer. Fortunately I got that stopped quickly, but I'd really like to avoid having that happen again! It's very possible the gas disconnects are doing the same thing - I haven't really noticed that as they obviously don't make a mess like the liquid ones do.

When I remove the liquid disconnects from the posts, it feels like they are stuck together. All I can think is that the o-ring on the post is really grabbing the disconnect and not wanting to let go.

I built my keezer in 2014, but I was kegging before that. All of my kegs are used pin-lock, that were purchased with new o-ring kits, so the o-rings and disconnects would be original from then. I remove and clean all the o-rings every time I swap out a keg, and they don't show any visible signs of wear. I also dissemble and clean my disconnects every time I clean my lines. When I assemble a keg for filling, I put keg lube on all the o-rings, including those on the liquid and gas posts.

I've just brewed an IPA that will be going in the keezer in about a month, and I'd really like to avoid this issue again. Does anyone have any thoughts or recommendations? Thanks for the help!

 

[IslandLizard]

You need to put keglube (or simply vaseline) on the post o-rings, quite liberally, too.
Those disconnects can really bind down on them and damage the o-rings while trying to remove (or reseat) them if you don't.

I have a few poppets that ooze a little when removing the disconnect, and need a little persuation from time to time to get them to seat correctly. I use a small screwdriver or a nail set and jiggle them until they stop oozing or leaking gas.
Again, keglube on the poppet o-rings/seals will help.

On the gas posts I squeeze a few drops of Starsan from my sanitizing cloth on top. When I can see little bubbles I jiggle them in place. Or push them down a little more for a fraction of a second, to reseat. Then add some more drops. That's my test.

Also use keglube on the poppets o-rings inside the QDs.

 

[J2W2]

You need to put keglube (or simply vaseline) on the post o-rings, quite liberally, too.
Those disconnects can really bind down on them and damage the o-rings while trying to remove (or reseat) them if you don't.

That's one thing I hadn't thought of. I lube the post o-rings when I fill the keg, but with five kegs in my keezer, the older kegs would have their disconnects removed (and cleaned) several times before they are removed. That could probably remove most or all of the keg lube that I'd originally applied. When I keg my IPA and clean all the lines, I'll re-lube all the posts before I put the disconnects back on.

On the gas posts I squeeze a few drops of Starsan from my sanitizing cloth on top. When I can see little bubbles I jiggle them in place. Or push them down a little more for a fraction of a second, to reseat. Then add some more drops. That's my test.

I do spray some Starsan on both poppets after I pressurize the keg, to check for any bubbles, When I started kegging, I bought a two-keg kegerator with a 5lb CO2 tank. Now I use that as my fermentation chamber, and when I fill a keg, I usually let it set in the kegerator and carb for a week before I put it in the keezer. That lets me really keep an eye on the keg before it goes into the keezer.

Slightly off-topic, but since we've mentioned keg lube, does anyone have a way to really clean that off when you clean a keg? I wipe as much off as I can with a paper towel before I soak everything in PBW, but that stuff never seems to completely come off.

Thanks for your help!