Kegging Mystery

[uatuba]

I kegged some beer yesterday in a keg I haven't used before. I came in this afternoon to the smell of stale beer and discovered about two bottles worth of beer all over the bottom of the fridge. There is still CO2 in the bottle and beer in the keg. What could have happened?

 

[TallDan]

I kegged some beer yesterday in a keg I haven't used before. I came in this afternoon to the smell of stale beer and discovered about two bottles worth of beer all over the bottom of the fridge. There is still CO2 in the bottle and beer in the keg. What could have happened?

Slow leak. It's still leaking right now.

 

[Brew_Dude41]

^^^^^What he said.
Check all your connections. It is leaking somewhere.

 

[uatuba]

Not to sound like a smartass, but I realize it's leaking. WHERE could it be leaking from and how would one go about fixing it?

 

[wardens355]

Beer out poppet is common. If so, replace poppet.

 

[uatuba]

Could I confirm that by leaving the out line unhooked?

 

[Natdavis777]

Are you connections hooked up correctly? Reason I ask, I use sanke kegs as well. On my D couplers, I have ball-lock conversion kits. One kit I was sent contained two gas side connections, and when force carbing a Hefe, I had a huge leak in my fridge due to the liquid side connector also using a gas side post. It has since been fixed, but just stating that wrong post/wrong connectors=leaks.

 

[zachattack]

Liquid leaks are very easy to find; just follow the beer!

If the post was connected it's not the poppet. Is it coming out under the QD? The top of the QD? Around the barb? Etc.

 

[wardens355]

Liquid leaks are very easy to find; just follow the beer!

If the post was connected it's not the poppet. Is it coming out under the QD? The top of the QD? Around the barb? Etc.

Yeah, the leak can only be in a few places (assuming the integrity of the keg itself is OK). Post, disconnect, barbed fittings, tap. There should be sticky residue at the culprit.

 

[uatuba]

There wasn't any sticky residue. It was the barbed swivel nut that was leaking. I didn't have a barbed liquid fitting, so I just screwed the threaded end into the line and used a hose clamp to hold it on. It's all good now.

 

[raouliii]

..... It was the barbed swivel nut that was leaking. ..... It's all good now.

Was it leaking at the barb or the swivel end? Did you have a nylon washer installed?

While many here will state that the only place these are required are at a metal to metal interface, I have found they provide an added measure of sealing at a metal to hard plastic interface as well.

If the leak was at the barbed end, warming the tubing in hot water allows a better seal at the barb when tightening a clamp. I swear by oetiker style clamps.

 

[uatuba]

It was leaking at the swivel end. What I did ended up fixing the problem.

 

[day_trippr]

Adding a flare gasket to a union that already has a captive gasket makes no sense at all, imo...

Cheers!

 

[zachattack]

It was leaking at the swivel end. What I did ended up fixing the problem.

I'm confused, you shoved the tubing around the threaded flare fitting instead of the barb? I guess if it works for you...