Clamp Chaos

[edramshaw]

Ok, so yesterday started out well enough but about mid after noon I get a call back from an account that I had just re-opened for the season and they've got 2" of beer on the floor of the cooler. By the time I get there (10 minutes) another keg lets go and I've know got a total of two, brand new empty kegs in this cooler. Here's what happened; the 3/8" jumper from the coupler to the Micromatic FOB slipped off of the FOB. (these things should be barbed) and let loose like a garden hose slipping out of a kids hand on full blast. I mean we're talking 29 psi pushing this beer out. Long story short, a big mess. When this happens someone from the kitchen goes in an checks out the deal and tugs gently on another when and that one lets loose. I assume they closed the door and let it drain because that keg emptied too. I get there and get acquainted with the problem, figure out what is going on and notice that most of these suckers are loose. Plus some gas lines and the beer lines going in to the coupler. All were secured with Oeteker clamps (stepless). Why did this happen? My only guess would be that over the summer when the place was closed and the system was shut down, things got hot which in theory would cause things to expand. If this occurred then the clamp might expand as well so that when the system was fired back up, things cooled down and contracted and left a loose fitting (multiple loose fittings). I went back to another system on the premises that was also shut down and they too had loose clamps. I just went ahead and replaced them all so as to avoid more spillage and downed systems. Has anyone experienced this before? Is it advisable to reclamp everything when reopening a system that has been shut down for a few months?

[Brianatkcdraft]

greetings to all....morning ed.been down that road b4.i have college bars that shut down for the summer, and when i set them up in fall clamp failure abounds! i personally use stainless hose clamps. hog ring type (as us folks in forgottonia call them,) are a pain. my theory is similar to yours ,expansion&contraction, also using hottest water w/solution will make hoses pliable and come off couplings and shanks. dont know nothing abouta fob. never seen one until i joined the forum.(scott, would like to know more about these beasties!). b4 you start up seasonal bar,iball all hoses n fittings, wipe them down look for splits n cuts. hogs are savage on lines if applied incorrectly. dont reclamp everthing, cuts into overhead ntime if on route schedule.i handle 100 accts. by my self 4 15 years. time is a factor, but quality is #1!!!. expect the unexpected, if circulating goback to walkin and watch 4leaks or hoses flying off. hope these tips help,ed. cya...brian

[wineglow]

Ed, I have 90 accounts that I do myself and have many seasonal accounts like college bars, ski resorts, golf courses,baseball parks and hockey areans. I have had that happen only a few times and traced it down to accounts that were installed by persons other than myself and found that one installer was using a food grade lubricant to make the hoses go on easier before clamping. Best thing to do is cut an inch off the hose and start over again. I always have a bucket of hot water ready to dip the hoses in before making the connection. Just another view on the problem!

[psychodad]

I don't service any beer systems other than my own kegerator and home brewing equipment and I don't have a clue as to what a FOB is either, but I have a strong industrial background. Were it me, when shutting these systems down for the summer, I'd remove anything that wasn't a good quality worm drive stainless clamp and reinstall in the fall when recommissioning.

I hope all that beer on the floor was Keystone or some other crap the college kids consume rather than a good craft or micro-brewery beer.

[edramshaw]

No it was the good stuff, unfortunately. Worm clamps have a tendency to loosen up over time so I use the stainless steel step clamps. This is the only time they have ever failed me. The deal is I installed this system last fall and I am sure I used the right clamps. I didn't use any lubricant but noticed I was able to fit a smaller clamp on this time. Thanks for the responses!

[DCullender]

I've seen this happen before also. I too believe it is expansion and contraction. However, I have noticed in the last year or so that I've had to step down on some clamp sizes. Might just be difference in wall size on the tubing. Also, it may be a ******* variance in the size stainless tubing being used.

Dennis