Igloo Kegerator- AAHH Finally Good Pours- New Shank Solved the Foam Problem

[hzlin70]

A couple months ago, I purchased an Igloo Kegerator from Home Depot on clearance.

I was very excited to pour from my first keg, but I wasted most of my first sixtel of Sam Adams adjusting and pouring (and tossing the foam).

The beer line out of the coupler had little or no bubbles, separation, or foam.

I first tried an 8ft 3/16 line, but that didn't help.

I then bought a new regulator, but that didn't help either.

Tried a tower cooler- that also didn't solve the problem.

On my next keg, I bought a Perlick 650SS flow control faucet, and that worked as band aid. If I had it opened all the way, all that came out was the white stuff- glass after glass.
When I had the flow control set way down to trickle, I could pour a good looking glass, but I knew that something was still wrong.

As soon as I re-installed the faucet on a new Stainless Steel Elbow shank, my pours were perfect with the flow control even wide open.

Thanks for everyone's posts on this site and I hope this may help someone looking for a possible solution.

Cheers,
Hans

[KillianBoy]

Hans,
Thanks for the info, have to ask, is this shank a 90 degree? Some Igloos' look like Nostalgia kegerators (and some Kegcos' or visa versa). I have a funny feeling all these foam problems on the 3 mentioned above come from a manufacturing defect in the shank.
KB

[hzlin70]

Yes,
It did have a 90 degree shank.

I replaced it with another 90 degree shank, but with no turbulence causing issues.

[KillianBoy]

Hans,
Much thanks, makes me wonder if they used a smaller ID than MM, I measure the MM shank with a digital caliper and got .180 which through my caveman mathematics at 2.8/16 inch, those of you who still have the original shank and a digital caliper, can you post what you get, thanks.
KB

[hzlin70]

Hans,
Much thanks, makes me wonder if they used a smaller ID than MM, I measure the MM shank with a digital caliper and got .180 which through my caveman mathematics at 2.8/16 inch, those of you who still have the original shank and a digital caliper, can you post what you get, thanks.
KB

I don't have a digital caliper, but here are some images of the Igloo supplied shank.IMG_2627.jpg
IMG_2624.jpg
IMG_2625.jpg

[hzlin70]

This is the supplied 90 degree tailpiece. The soldering looks pretty bad.
IMG_2628.jpg

[KillianBoy]

Hans,
I truly appreciate that you don't have a digital caliper, there are Nostalgia, Igloo and Kegco owners out there that replaced their shank and if they do have digital calipers, I'd appreciate them measuring what the ID of the shank is.
KB