Initial assembly questions - BM23 and lots of Micromatic hardware

[danox574]

I have a BM23 delivered to me here and a pile of hardware from Micromatic. I have run into a few questions.

Although I'd really rather being doing more craft type beers, I am starting with a 1/4bbl of Labatt's to make sure I am able to set everything up. I can live with a problem on that if it occurs and once I'm through it, I will add some variation.

Here are my questions:

1. If I have a liquid thermometer inside the BM23, and it's calibrated properly, and it's showing 38deg, and I have a chilled tower that comes with the BM23-B, do I still need to measure beer temperature out of the glass to do my calculations? It seems like there is nothing that could actually stop it from being 38deg at point of delivery. Is there anything that could affect that temp that makes the beer delivered worth measuring?

2. The carbonation level thread shows Labatt's as a range - 2.6 to 2.8. This makes for a significant difference in pressure of 12.3 to 14.4 psi at 38deg F. Should I just middle it, or should I be looking for a more accurate number from the manufacturer? Does anyone have a more accurate number for this beer? Is this enough variation to be concerned about?

3. A quarter barrel to the top of my tower is about 2ft, so assuming my pressure is at (let's say) 13psi - I am allowing for .5/ft drop with the 2' climb (13 - 1 = 12psi) and I'm using micromatic 3/16" vinyl tubing (calculated @ 3psi/ft drop), to hit 0-1psi at the tap, I would need 3'8" to 4' of line. Should I chop my 5' line now during initial assembly? Is that calculation accurate enough to go ahead and trust the math, or should I stay at 5' and cut later? In theory, the math says if I use the 5' line, I wouldn't even get beer out of the tap, but that's hard to imagine.

4. Assuming it would take me a couple months to go through a keg, is there any issue with removing the keg tap every two weeks to run the pressurized cleaning system? I assume it's smart to lube the rubber gaskets when doing so. When re-tapping, would there be any 'time' required for things to settle, or after re-coupling would the gas pressure in the keg simply allow it to start working again immediately?

5. For those of you adjusting your line length of beer line, how are you doing it? The elbow shank inside the tower is very difficult to change the line on without disassembling the tower, I'd hate to do that every time. I was considering one of these:
Beer Line Hose Splicer
with a known amount of beer line attached, say 18", going to the tower, so it would be easier to change out the line to play with length. Is there a better way I'm not thinking of?

I hope I'm not over-thinking all of this, just trying to minimize heartache the first time around.

-Dan

[KillianBoy]

Dan,
You are over and under thinking things:
1. Tower cooler isn't really about keeping beer in line same temperature as keg (though that is the ultimate goal), it is about foam. Main thing tower cooler does is to cool the shank, this being cooled prevents 1st glass foam, tower cooler really isn't meant keep beer at keg temperature, just tries its best. The reasoning behind taking the 2nd glass, that it gives the best estimation of temperature of beer in keg. 1st pour acclimates glass, second glass give a good/best estimate of keg temperature. Liquid temperature of small glass vs. a 5-15 gallon keg might be the same but sometimes different because of mass, take second glass to confirm temperature of keg, this was under thinking.
2. Check with North American Breweries and see what that say, the referenced thread is about 3 years old, if you can't get recent v/v try 2.7, use flashlight test if foamy or gaps in line.
3. Over-thinking, most use 7 feet+ of beer line, restriction tables and calculators are mainly for pros who run long runs of beer, look through forum regarding length of beer line and see reasoning behind why we go long.
4. Most run from 1-12 weeks, I clean at end of every keg (12 weeks, I plan on cleaning faucet more often), most say clean faucets every 2-4 weeks, couplers really don't need cleaning that often, just wait till keg change.
This link is when you get a new keg:
Dispensing Beer Immediately After Transportation
Unless you have a keg already acclimated, you have to wait (unless you risk foamy beer), but you still have to clean gear. You could set up a full cleaning schedule say every 4 weeks, then keep a 1/6 ready to go when old 1/6 kicks and you should be fine.
Been told not to lube anything other than coupler (keg seal and probe seal and "O" rings), I still use light coat (I put on and wipe off) on the part that stops beer in faucet. If you find that you have a sticky faucet, try a little there or change to a forward closing faucet.
5. I don't think anyone changes beer line when they change beer, 7+ feet should work on every beer, really over-thinking.
KB

[danox574]

All good info, I'll re-read about why you are using long lines and see what the latest information from North American Breweries is.

Two things I may have not been clear on in my questions:

1. The question is not about equipment or measurement methodology - I understand the concept of normalizing the glass to not bias the reading - it's about how beer at delivery could ever be different from liquid temp in the cooler. You indicated above that it could occur because of mass - any references or details on this? I can't seem to find any references.

5. I didn't suggest changing beer line per keg, I was wondering what people may have put in place to make line length adjustment easier since the tower is such a constricted area.

[PointPleasantNJBeerguy]

All good info, I'll re-read about why you are using long lines and see what the latest information from North American Breweries is.

Two things I may have not been clear on in my questions:

1. The question is not about equipment or measurement methodology - I understand the concept of normalizing the glass to not bias the reading - it's about how beer at delivery could ever be different from liquid temp in the cooler. You indicated above that it could occur because of mass - any references or details on this? I can't seem to find any references. Beer temp will be a higher temp at faucet because tower chiller will not maintain exactly the same temp of the rest of the unit.Will cool it but will not keep it "cold". Not enough cool air velocity to keep at 38F.

5. I didn't suggest changing beer line per keg, I was wondering what people may have put in place to make line length adjustment easier since the tower is such a constricted area.

Most people will just do the initial line change over to the longer line.Yes its a pain in the a$$. But can be done with some care.Or the correct $40 wrench

[KillianBoy]

danox574,
Sorry for misunderstanding, when I read "adjusting", I assumed you meant to adjust flow for different beers, not changing or replacing line.
As PointPleasantNJBeerguy says all it takes is right wrench, I dug up what I suggested to another member, post #310 starts it off:

http://www.micromatic.com/forum/us-en/kegerators-kegerator-kits-home/1567-nostalgia-electrics-kegerator-really-works-8.html

Taking off is fairly easy, getting back on is a PITA, just remember to use the faucet as a holding point. Once new line is on, as long you clean regularly and check line and make sure beer doesn't sit uncleaned and unchilled too long, beer line should last a long time, couple of years is fairly normal. But you have to remove shank to replace beer line.

The reasoning behind checking beer vs. small cup is just to double check. For me, 15 gallons vs. 6 ounces, never worked, I poured 38 degree beer that froze a cup of water. You are talking about 1 foot of exposed surface vs. several feet. A kegerator will chill to a maximum of cold temperature, all the thermostat will do is turn the compressor on and off, max cold vs. total off. Just like any other refrigerator, throw a can of Heineken and a mini keg of same (both at room temperature), will both get to 38 degrees at the same time? Say if the can gets to 38 degrees, will the mini keg be the same temperature? Say if the mini keg finds a stable 38 degree temperature, will the can be at 38 degrees? Honestly both will react differently because of mass.
For you, 5 gallons, cup vs. keg might be the same, but it doesn't hurt to double check. The beer is pushed from the center bottom of the keg, cold applied to the steel keg, while a cup is exposed directly to the cold. All I'm saying, don't assume the cup of liquid is equal to the temperature of beer in keg. There are no references for this, just basic science. It doesn't hurt to double check the "actual" temperature of beer in keg, which the v/v tables are based on.
KB