Only getting air and a little foam out of the beer line.

[Gslice]

I noticed a lot of similar posts, so I apologize if this has been covered before. You guys all seem very knowledgeable about this, so I figured I'd give this a shot.

I just bought a used Danby Chill'nTap that fits 1/4 or 1/6 barrels. I set it up last night with a brand new 1/6 of my favorite beer (Dogfish Head 60-Minute IPA).

In the process of trying to get it to work, I wasted a good deal of beer, CO2, and soaked my carpet with delicious beer.

As it stands right now, I only get mostly CO2 out of the beer line. The gas manages to carry a little bit of foam with it, but no the whole, there is almost zero beer coming out of the line. So it's not a "wild beer" situation, per-se, cause I can't even fill up a glass with anything other than gas and a dribble of foam.

My regulator is set to 10 PSI, and I have played with different pressures. This only seems to change the rate at which pure air and foam comes out of the faucet. I haven't measured the temperature yet (no thermometer), but I am not sure if this is the issue, because I am literally getting like no beer out of the beer line.

I am pretty sure the problem lies in the coupler, but I am not sure what to do. I took the coupler apart so I could clean it, and I may have put it back together wrong, as I wasn't paying careful attention to how the parts were assembled. I compared it to the exploded view of the coupler at this site, and noticed my ball-retainer assembly is a little different, and I also have a little rubber nipple that I assume acts as a one-way valve. I have been assembling the coupler back together as shown below:

(click the thumbnail for larger)

You can see the nipple I mentioned at the top of the photo. I popped this into the white ball retainer underneath it, cause it seems to be the only place it fits.

As far as the ball goes, is it really just supposed to sit at the bottom of the probe in the coupler? It seems like it would impede flow, and in fact, I think it may be all or part of the problem. How does it allow the pressurized CO2 around it?

So does anybody have any suggestions on what my problem could be?

I really appreciate it - thanks!

[Gslice]

Ok, I have somewhat of an update after playing around with this confounded contraption a little more.

Basically, I have disassembled and reassembled the coupler like 8 times and reconnected it to the kegerator. Each time I do this, I get slightly different results. This final time had the most interesting results, so I'll share the outcome.

I thought perhaps the ball was causing some trouble, so I washed the thing again, and made sure it could travel up and down the probe if I gave it a gentle shake.

Once I did this, I finally getting actual beer in the beer line, but it was flowing so slowly that it tookforever to fill a glass. When I looked at the actual beer line, it was like 70% beer on the bottom, and the rest bubbles.

So then, I let it sit for a few minutes with the faucet off and came back to it. This time, the beer was coming out as a mad rush of foam. My flow-rate was very high and foamed beer was blowing out at a pretty high speed (see photo below). The beer line was completely opaque with white foam.



I played with the regulator pressure a little and released the pressure from the keg via the air-release valve. So then I turned the faucet off and left it for a few minutes again. When I came back to test it a third time, I am exactly back at square one - the is no beer flowing out of the beer line now.

I have no idea what can be causing these varied results, and I am getting quite frustrated.

Anyways, I figured this info might help anybody diagnose my problem.

Thanks again, guys.

[Scott Zuhse]

Do yourself a huge favor - buy a thermometer and calibrate it. Regardless of whether this is the issue or not.

The link you had in your first e-mail was of a Micro Matic "D" style coupler. Similar to the one you are using. If you look at the exploded view of this coupler a little closer, you will realize that the parts in your photo are incorrect. The one way pressure valve should be placed in the pressure inlet port on the side of the coupler backed with a beer washer on this model. the pressure tailpiece and hex nut should then be threaded to this port.

As to the beer outlet port (probe) on the top of the coupler, the check ball should be in the probe and a retainer on top to prevent the ball from blocking flow. Another beer washer should be placed on top of the retainer. Thread the fitting from the beer line to the top of the probe.

What is bothersome is the bottom tip of the probe. There does not seem to be a probe tip washer. Difficult to visually determine. Is there a washer on the bottom of the probe? Please reply.

Once you determine the temperature - hopefully 38F, try 14 pisg on the Dogfish.

[Gslice]

Scott,

Thank you so much for your reply. You actually fixed my problem! I hate to even admit this, but I hooked up the lines incorrectly (switched the beer line and CO2 line). I must be drinking too much beer.

Anyways, I do plan on getting a thermometer this weekend. Thanks for the pressure and temperature recommendations on the Dogfish.