WTF did I get myself into....

[BKBuilds]

No worries. I have the regulator set at 12PSI, so I'll clean the beer lines, Coupler, and Faucet when I get home. Then I'll tap the keg. I should be watching for beer color liquid coming out of the keg and watching for CO2 Bubbles or foam in the line right? If I have beer color liquid but foam out of the tower it could be line length, the shank elbow, or temps?

[KillianBoy]

BKBuilds,
Make sure the connection to coupler from gas is tight (not over tight though), snug would be the best description. It is good to clean but not necessary, most units come with a cleaning kit and thought it would be nice to do while you waited for gear but if you have everything in, give it a whirl without cleaning.
Since you don't have a tower cooler, the flow would be flash of white, white with beer color, then pure beer color. I'd get a smallish glass, quick pour till you see pure beer color, stop pour, dump in pitcher, pull full glass (same one) to top, test temperature and foam, dump in pitcher, etc. The flow will be fast (if using stock beer line), when you change out the faucet, then change the beer line, taking the shank off is a major PITA.
With fan, the 3rd and 4th should have the same temperature and foam, if it does everything should be good, double check temperature to v/v and see.
I wouldn't worry about bubbles in line right now, DON'T OPEN DOOR after you set PSI and put keg in, read about acclimation in the resource section, after finished drinking beer and find too foamy and PSI is off (temperature vs. v/v), reset the PSI to the right one, close door and WAIT, till you drink beer again, pour beer, don't open door to see if fine or temperature is right or bubbles in beer line, just pour beer as stated above, after finished drinking to reset PSI if needed and check if regulator isn't drifting.
KB

[BKBuilds]

Cleaning kit arrived. Cleaned everything, faucet, line, and coupler. At first I didn't know how to install the coupler and beer got all over the keg. Got it installed and started at 14PSI, all foam... beer temp 37.5 on third glass of foam. 12 PSI, no change in the amount of foam.

There is no foam in the beer line... beer is flowing very fast, fills glass in about 3 seconds. Currently at 12 PSI and I'm getting all foam first glass, inch of beer in second, and maybe 2 inches of beer in third glass but never more then 2 inches after third...

Suggestions at this point?

Thanks.

[KillianBoy]

BKBuilds,
Did you do the measuring as I suggested? Unit without tower cooler AND 5 foot stock line will have serious 1st glass foam, pouring out a short pull of beer will get rid of foam (pouring fast moving beer on foam will cause massive foam), 2nd glass full pull of beer with 2 inch isn't that bad for 5 foot line.
If 37.5 is of beer, for Coors should be 12 PSI, could be acclimation (2-4 hours according to the Beer Questions), could be warm environment (not letting unit cool down after opening door), make sure the beer line is coiled on top of keg and not leaning against cold plate or sides of unit.
Also in beer questions (resources tab), that you make sure coupler is in OFF position before tapping otherwise super mess, read through beer questions, but really take your time, take it slow, read my newbie thread and be patient.
KB

[BKBuilds]

Did you do the measuring as I suggested? - Yes
could be acclimation (2-4 hours according to the Beer Questions) - The temp has been steady for days prior to tapping
could be warm environment (not letting unit cool down after opening door) - I never opened the door after the keg was tapped and inside cleaned after the mess, the foam continued all night.
make sure the beer line is coiled on top of keg and not leaning against cold plate or sides of unit. - The extra line is laying on top of the keg
that you make sure coupler is in OFF position before tapping otherwise super mess - I couldn't find the directions, wife threw them away so I didn't know what position off was.
read my newbie thread and be patient - I did, and I'm trying

I'll see if things are better tonight. I was able to enjoy a few good glasses last night, pouring off foam till I got enough beer in the glass then topping off from the foam pitcher after it settled. So far I think I've only lost about 3 pitches from the keg.

[KillianBoy]

BKBuilds,
You don't have lost (throw away?) the pitches (pitchers?), just let settle, foamy beer settled is still beer.
So, 2nd is 37.5 and 3rd is 37.5 4th?, my assumption is you did it 3 times (3 pitches), so temperature was 37.5 all three times? Did you calibrate thermometer?
The setting of the PSI is all dependent on an accurate reading of the temperature of beer in keg, if off by 3-5 degrees, beer will be foamy.
My assumption also that you still are using stock beer line, next post describe flow if all white, you might have the same problem as other Nostalgia (Avantco) owners, a bad shank, also if all white, it might be best to remove the backflow device in coupler on beer or check to see if installed correctly (ball side down).
I'm sorry if my questions are irritating and you are frustrated but the unit you bought was the most problematic one since most who did solve their problem never posted back or when they did they ended up replacing every piece of gear other than cooling unit and tank.
The last post regarding Nostalgia (Avantco) the owner replaced every piece of gear the beer touched except of the shank, when replaced, everything was fine.
Next post describe flow, if all white for 2 glasses with no beer color, stop, you need to replace shank or remove (or install correctly) check valve before pouring another beer.
KB

[BKBuilds]

Currently I draw a full glass of foam off and throw it out. I figure thats equal to the amount in the line. Since I don't have a tower cooler I figure this will be sacrificed until that is corrected.

I checked the temp accuracy on my probe using a glass of crushed ice and water and got a reading of 32.5. So my reading on the beer temp was taken again today and I dumped 4 glasses of foam in a pitcher and took the temp of the liquid beer left in the 5th glass at the bottom and it was 38.5.

As for the beer line, Yes I am using the stock beer line. As discussed above you told me to take thing slowly and to tap the keg and see how things were. So I put off replacing the beer line and shank until we saw how thing were.

Currently beer in the line looks like liquid beer. Coming out of the faucet it looks like 80% foam / 20% beer color liquid. And thats with attempting to fill 2 glasses pouring off foam into a pitcher on each then topping the glasses off with the contents of the pitchers.

As for the back flow device you speak of, are you talking about on the CO2 line or the beer line? As I mentioned earlier my wife threw out the instructions so I don't know all the specifics at this point. What I do know is I have a back flow preventer on the CO2 side, but I don't think there is anything on the beer line side. The CO2 back flow preventer looks more like a duck bill so I'm not sure its what you are referring to.

I am open to replacing the beer line and the shank if thats what is needed. Pouring glasses of foam is embarrassing and I'm not going to schedule a bar opening party until this issue is resolved.

[KillianBoy]

BKBuilds,
You really have to read what I post, DON'T OPEN THE DOOR, I and the beer don't care what the temperature of the glass of water is, the only temperature you need to worry about is the beer temperature, PERIOD. And yes check valve in beer line.
Good to know if the beer color in beer line, but opening door is a bad thing, stop doing it.
Yes I know wife threw away instructions, so how did you determine what pieces went where, guessed? Did kegerator come fully assembled?
OK, do you have any parts that are left over? Any look like attached picture?
You need to post EXACTLY what parts when where, a misplaced washer can cause your problem. Missing washer can cause your problem.
So confirm what parts went where (ID parts, faucet, shank, beer line, (beer check valve should go here), coupler, keg), if you can post picture of the bottom of the coupler.
You have to understand that foam doesn't come from new beer line (maybe old), it comes from something irritating beer as it flows to faucet, imbalance or drastic change in temperature. If balanced and no tower cooler, maybe the 1st 3-5 ounces should be foamy, no more, not entire line, not 12+ ounces, no such animal as sacrifice, especially THAT MUCH beer.
KB

[PremiumVADraftTech]

Im not reading the entire thread right this second, have to go clean 60 lines at my BIG account at 5am lol

OP, have you checked to make sure there arent any kinks or bends in the beer line, especially where it turns to go into the shank? Like its not pressed against the inside of the tower? If this has been asked and checked already I'm sorry.

[BKBuilds]

#1 I am reading what everyone posts

#2 I have already read your post, stop telling me that I really need to read it, because I have.

#3 I'm not sure what I'm posting that is giving you the impression that I keep opening the door. THE DOOR HASN'T BEEN OPENED since back when you asked if the line was laying on the keg or if it was off on the floor.

Yes I guessed at what went where. I do have the piece that you posted a picture of but I didn't know where it went so I didn't install it.

The CO2 line is connected to the coupler with the back flow preventer.
Beer line is attached to the keg with a o ring.
Beer line is already attached to the shank from manufacturer and doesn't appear to be removable unless you cut off the metal clip.
Faucet has a spring in it and I didn't see anything else washer wise to put in anywhere it came preassembled.

PremiumVADraftTech: Its hard to see down the tower very far there is some rubber foam surrounding the beer line. From what I can tell there are no kinks in the line, I can check the rest of the line inside the kegerator I think I need to install the piece mentioned above and I can check the line when I do that.

When I instal that piece the correct way is to put the shaft down into the coupler and the ball is on top?

[KillianBoy]

BKBuilds,
Post #37 I responded regarding opening door because you said "Currently beer in the line looks like liquid beer" (03:13 PM So at my time) what do you mean by "Currently". at this time or previously or did you see this "line looks like liquid beer" from top of tower? I am going by what you post, NOTHING ELSE, IF you are not looking at beer line "Currently" either in kegerator OR tower WHERE??????? OK, tell me how do you know "beer in the line looks like liquid beer" AT THIS TIME or as you posted "Currently", so
If you haven't opened the door or looked through top of tower (since you said you haven't opened "since back when you asked if the line was laying on the keg or if it was off on the floor"), I'M SORRY, I am going by what you post, OK.

Post #36 "best to remove the backflow device in coupler on beer" if you did not put ANYTHING in beer line side, say so, I did mention this in this post, that it was beer side, NOT CO2.

So DID THE FAUCET COME ATTACHED TO THE SHANK???? and did you put ANYTHING between the faucet AND shank???? This is all I am asking, AND do you have any parts that are not being used?

OK, "Faucet has a spring in it", honestly faucet should NOT HAVE ANY spring, so where did you find the spring, did you add it to faucet? How did you add spring to faucet?
Again, it is faucet, shank, beer line, coupler then keg, did you put any washer between faucet and shank???
The spring you may be the reason for foam but don't know EXACTLY where you added it but there shouldn't be ANY spring in faucet.
Yes, my assumption is that you are using stock beer line, can you confirm what is printed on beer line?
Yes, I did say "(ball side down)" not on top.
OK, just post what you put where, AS I POSTED BEFORE, like faucet (SPRING???), shank, beer line (WASHER), coupler, keg. what goes where really matters.
KB

[BKBuilds]

Saturday Morning was the last time the door was opened, that is when I checked to see if the beer line was laying on top of the keg. At that time I checked the beer line to see if I had foam in the line or not. So anything mentioned after that is based on the observation from Saturday morning. No foam in line.

The beer line, Shank, and Faucet were all factory assembled and arrived ready to mount the tower on the kegerator. I took the faucet off when I was attempting to figure out how to get the beer line off and that is when I found the spring. I think the spring acts as the faucet shaft assembly? based on looking at a detailed parts picture on MM website.

Yes I have left over parts, I can get a detailed list of all the parts when I get home. In particular I have the piece that you pictured, some washers, o rings, and some screw clamps.

My last post lists everything that I put in. Everything was already assembled so all I put in was the o ring when I attached the beer line to the coupler. Everything else, beer line, shank, faucet came pre-assembled.

When I go home tonight I can remove the beer line from the coupler, add the check valve (ball side down), and check the writing on the beer line.

[KillianBoy]

BKBuilds,
Sorry, when I see the "currently", my assumption is right now at this minute, not 24 hours ago, try to watch what words you use.
Understand again springs are not supposed to be in faucet, you are the 2nd person to report springs in faucet (a Nostalgia) link to thread has a picture of what spring looks like http://www.micromatic.com/forum/us-e...-lot-foam.html, there should be no spring in faucet, so you should take it out.
Same with the backflow on beer side as said before "best to remove the backflow device in coupler", if you didn't put in then fine leave it out. All this valve does is prevent beer from flowing back when you do take coupler off keg, just have a couple towels on hand for leakage.
Shank is the thing attached to tower, this should have been attached when you got unit, faucet was also attached to shank? You don't have to post pictures or list items left over but you need to clear up what you put in.
To be clear all you put in was a washer between beer line (at hex) and coupler and maybe duckbill gas valve between gas line (at hex) and coupler, that's it? No addition of anything else, no addition of washer between faucet and shank?
So when you pull faucet off (just turn gas off and pull beer till it stops flowing), take spring out and look for anything else (like the washer you put on beer line).
When you say "screw clamps" do you mean worm clamps?, these usually go on tailpieces on beer and CO2 at coupler and one at regulator end, if you want help with these, post pictures or describe or search 'net under "worm clamp" and see if the same.
KB

[BKBuilds]

The wife was not feeling well so I didn't get much time to work on this but here is what I did.

I turned things off, drained the line as you described and took apart the faucet. I removed the spring and reassembled the faucet. I turned the flow back on and noticed no difference in the amount of foam. Also the faucet level had no resistance to it, you could almost bump he kegerator and the faucet would open. So I put the spring back in. I just feared that some how overnight the tap would open a little and all that beer would leak all over the new woodwork.

Here is what I know is installed from the CO2 regulator to the faucet

Regulator barb
CO2 Hose
Clamp
Tail piece
Clamp
Backflow preventer
Wing nut
Coupler

Oring in wing nut on beer line
Tail piece
Clamp
Beer line

Shank
Clamp
Faucet assembly

There appears to be a o ring where the faucet attaches to the threads at the tower

The clamps on both ends of the beer line are not removable. I would have to cut them off.

And yes, I looked up a worm clamp and it is the same thing as a screw clamp. MM has it listed on their site as a screw clamp.

[KillianBoy]

BKBuilds,
Look, I don't know if you believe me or don't trust or what but there are no springs in faucets. If you were afraid of leaking all you had to was turn off CO2 and wait a few hours and wait for my reply.
All you had to do was tighten a part I noted in picture posted and the faucet will not leak. EVERY bar and most members here do not have a spring to HELP close faucet, it is a matter of friction, THAT"S IT, again it is a stupid company that wants to do their way, but again does the spiral spring look like the one I posted???? If you took out, then IMMEDIATELY (not waiting 20-24 hours) tried to pour a beer, then foam, again, it could be temperature difference. I posted this "You have to understand that foam doesn't come from new beer line (maybe old), it comes from something irritating beer as it flows to faucet, imbalance or drastic change in temperature". By turning the CO2 off and taking off the faucet you are creating a "drastic change in temperature", maybe if you pulled 7+ glasses you might get a foam free glass.
But again "There appears to be a o ring where the faucet attaches to the threads at the tower", could be the cause of foam, depending on the size of the washer ("O" Ring).
NEXT POST describe (or post picture) of washer ("O" Ring), there should ONLY be a flat washer, not the type that you put between beer line and coupler.
OK, just to be clear, faucet (NO SPRING), shank, beer line (worm clamp on tower side and coupler side), neoprene washer, (NO BACKFLOW DEVICE), coupler. Then to CO2, valve, gas line (clamps on both sides) then barb.
Post picture of bottom of coupler and "o" ring where the faucet attaches to the threads at the tower", this washer ("O" ring) should be very flat, NOT the same as the one as you put between beer line and coupler.
KB