Still getting a few air bubbles in my line after kegerator upgrades.

[EvanVanVan]

I just upgraded several parts of my kegerator and for a week or two it was pouring absolutely perfectly. Recently though I've noticed a few air bubbles in the line right at the sanke-d coupler (actually there's a 90-degree stainless steel angled tailpiece) that are causing a little foam when they are evacuated. It doesn't foam initially but after a second when the air gets to the faucet it does.

I have a new taprite regulator (the pressure is at ~12.5 psi), a little less than 10' of Ultra Barrier Silver Beer Hose (3/16 ID x 7/16 OD, 1/8" Wall), and a tower cooler fan. The tower is cold, the pressure is up, maybe I could increase it a little more? Reading, I'm seeing the two causes of air in the line is the line temperature or the pressure not being set high enough. Right now it's keg of the Ballast Point Grapefruit Scuplin IPA... Should by PSI be higher for that?

On a related note, does it matter how the line is hung/stored? I've read a few things but haven't seen anything definitive... Right now it's looped a couple of times and hung around the coupler, draping down the side of the keg a little bit.

Thank you

[pvs6]

Ballast Point Grapefruit Scuplin IPA. Co2 volume 2.65% To set psi you must know real beer temp. At 38F. psi would be 13#
Search here "Balance" and read up till you understand what you're doing.

If your unit has a cold plate then care must be taken to keep beer line from touching that or getting too close. Coiled on top of the keg is fine.

[EvanVanVan]

Cool, thanks I'll increase it a touch. Did you just happen to know the co2 volume, or how did you know it? I did some searching looking for it but couldn't find it. I also should have included my temp is set to 38 degrees, tested using a cup of water left in the fridge overnight and a digital thermometer.

[pvs6]

On this forum there is a thread "The "Beer Carbonation Levels" Thread!" Member's post the V\v of beers there. Also googling you can find that V\v too or Emailing the brewery.

Your water measurement is not real beer temp. You need to measure 2nd pour temp of the beer as explained here. Draw a pint in your mug either drink it right away or just pour it into another mug. Then pour another pint, you measure the temp of this 2nd draw using a calibrated thermometer.

[EvanVanVan]

Thank you. I have read most stuff on balancing which is why I'm posting here. My 2nd beer temp is 38.4 degrees, PSI is at 13 for two days now. I guess the .5 psi increase could still be equalizing. Not sure what else to to do.

[pvs6]

You're Psi @ 13# is right for 38.5F If you still see bubbles then something else is going on. Sometimes you get a bad keg, the rubber sealing gasket might have a nick or crack and this will cause the kinda of bubbling you report. Untap the keg and inspect the gasket.

[RRL]

Not every keg is carbed to the exact perfect spec especially on micro brews...some kegged brews will take less or or more then others... I stock micro brews in 50L kegs and they have always ranged as far as 2-3psi or so for that perfect pour. If 13psi is the recommended setting try going up 1-2 psi above that and see if the bubbles go away or not.

you might end up with a slightly fast pour, but thats an easy fix if raising the psi does fix your issue.... if raising the PSI doesnt do anything... then id tell you to start looking into seals and what not... again as mentioned too... sometimes used kegs have damaged seals ect that can cause that kind of problem as well

[EvanVanVan]

I'll try to raise the pressure a little more. But I'm wondering if it's not as big an issue as I think it is. Before I made all my kegerator improvements I would end up with large sections of air in the line (inches and inches of it). Now after 24 hours I'm only getting the attached picture. Probably not ideal but still better than what I was dealing with before. I'm not sure why it was pouring so well initially but my glass temperature is probably a bigger issue.
IMG_20160921_183919.jpg

As far as the gasket being the problem, pretty much everything that touches the beer is new. New 304 SS Sanke-D coupler, new SS elbow tailpiece, new 10' Ultra Barrier Silver beer line, new Micromatic 304 SS elbow shank, and Perlick 630SS faucet. Then I cleaned and sanitized everything with BLC and StarSan before tapping this keg.

[PremiumVADraftTech]

No the kegs gasket, not the couplers, check the KEGS gasket for any little rips in it, use a flashlight too cause some you cant feel

[djc]

That little pocket of CO2 will cause foam. Needs to be all beer. Raising the pressure a bit should solve it.

[JohnnyG]

Looks like possible keg seal micromatic has a probe lube they sell could try that on coupler I usually only see break out whene pressure is way low or temps get to high

[pvs6]

Not likely the seal. Crisco shortening lightly smeared on the gasket works too. It doesn't impart any off taste and it's non toxic. You might try that 1st before investing in probe lube.

As per breakout, That's to be expected since both conditions you mention throws a keg out of balance.