Beer does not remain in keg tap line.

[djc]

Pulling the pressure relief proves that CO2 is getting to the keg past the check valve properly. It should be a steady hiss with no signs of stopping.

BTW You don't need to turn off the CO2 to switch kegs.

[Swalker818]

Pulling the pressure relief proves that CO2 is getting to the keg past the check valve properly. It should be a steady hiss with no signs of stopping.

BTW You don't need to turn off the CO2 to switch kegs.

Does my 4' line have any contribution to my problem?

[djc]

Nope. CO2 line length has no effect on anything, beer line length is used to slow the flow of properly balanced beer to prevent foaming. With 4' your next problem will be foaming, but we aren't there yet.

[KillianBoy]

Swalker818,
As djc says one problem at a time, OK, doesn't matter you don't know much guys helping here do, I'll try to be as simple as I can, attached is a rough sketch of how gas gets to keg, when lever is up (what my pictures shows), keg is disengaged from gas, it will only reach the indented area, when you engage coupler (down position, probe gets pushed into keg), gas will flow to keg. Pressure release valve on the coupler is connected to this indented area, when lever is in up/off position gas will not get to keg only pressure release valve. Pulling the little ring will release CO2 coming from tank, if loud and steady then you are getting good gas, if falls off and gets quieter, you ain't. No air can get into system unless you put it in, a minuscule amount may enter when you hook coupler (after cleaning), after you attach coupler and turn gas on, no air can get into a working system, period. As the picture earlier presents, gas pressure is applied from top pushing beer down, then up through spear to faucet, if no pressure the beer falls back, again my feeling is you have no pressure.
OK, think of your system like a juice box with straw, if you press the sides of the box hard, the juice will shoot out, this is what happens when you pour beer, if you press just hard enough to keep juice at top of straw, this is a working unit at rest. Once you release pressure on box, the juice flows back into box, if all of the beer in line flows back past the coupler then your backflow check valve isn't working and you have 0 PSI or negative pressure in keg.
OK, even if keg is empty, try this, gas on at tank, switch gas on at regulator, make sure lever on coupler is in up (off position), then pull on little ring (pressure release valve), post what you hear.
Before putting in new keg, take faucet and coupler apart and clean, look for parts on coupler that we have been describing.
BTW, How many kegs have you run through unit (size + number)?
If you have been going through a 1/2 keg every couple of days by yourself, contact AA, if 1/6 or corny, switch to 1/2 to save money, then contact AA.
KB

[pvs6]

The only way that what you're describing could happen is if the spear had a split up in the head space.

Place your finger over a straw in a glass of coke and remove the straw and the coke stays in the bottom of the straw till you remove the finger and break the vacuum.
Once you close the tap it's putting a finger on the straw creating a vacuum so there's no way beer can return to the keg unless the vacuum gets broken.
Something is replacing the space the beer took up in the beer line as the beer recedes thus breaking the vacuum.
Since this is a closed system we know that it must be Co2.
The breakout out process is a gradual one it doesn't occur in under 20 seconds so we know that's not where the Co2 is coming from.
The only other place we find Co2 in the system is the head space, so this has to be where the Co2 is coming from.
The only way that can be the case is a breech in the spear up in the head space.

It explains the symptoms perfectly.
You have a check ball unless you removed it and we know you didn't or you would know what it was.
The check ball alone would not permit the beer to flow backwards.
It isn't stuck because you keep it bathed in beer if your consumption is accurate. (LOL Killian! If I didn't have to head out every 2 weeks to replace my 1/2 barrel I might have free time to Sponsor Swalker at AA)

The head space pressure is great enough if it can bypass the beer in the bottom of the keg to float the check ball up allowing beer to flow down at the same time passing the gas up to replace the beer in the line.

I'd get a Red Sharpie and put a big "X" on his keg and write "split spear" on the side of the keg.
Then when returning it tell them what happen and they may discount the replacement or give you a free one.
I'd want to keep your return business.
Your next keg won't have this problem but we should work on your understanding of balance because they are going flat at 10 PSI.

[Swalker818]

It hasn't just happened one time though, it happens every weekend with a different 1/4 keg.
Killian over there with the jokes! I don't have time for AA either haha! And anyway, everyone knows AA is for quitters.

I will be posting plenty of pictures and videos of everything on Friday for you guys.

[KillianBoy]

Swalker818,
So, roughly 1 3/4 a case a day, with a few friends, not too bad. Over consumption ain't no joke though, have a friend that drank a cold pack + (roughly 15 beers) a day for years, now has some serious health problems, everything in moderation my friends.
OK, can you lay out what happens when you have this problem, if different kegs then probably not a bad keg. Dunno if like every 3rd keg and different beers, kinda strange.
For sure take the coupler apart, won't hurt to take the faucet apart and see if anything is wrong there.
If you kill the keg in 2-3 days I really wouldn't worry about keg going bad but very strange problem.
For sure something wrong with the beer back flow valve.
KB

[djc]

The back flow valve may not be working, but it isn't the root cause of this. If it were working it might have masked the problem from ever being detected.

[djc]

I'm going to vote for a compromised or missing probe seal. It might act like a broken spear and let the beer come back into the head space.

[Swalker818]

Well I hooked everything up, this time I have yuengling light beer, I set the psi to 12, pulled the pin a few times and pressure was consistent. Beer is now in my line. I'm thinking you guys were right with the psi. Everything is perfect and I really appreciate the time you all took to help me.

Happy 4th of July everyone.