King Keg Rant :o)

[Graz]

I've got three of the bloody things (King Kegs) and it seems very hit and miss as to whether I can get the things to seal properly.

Last two brews I've gone to pour the first pint and after a little bit of pressure then nothing.

The current issue is that I replaced all the brass valves with the new stainless ones but the washers they come with are utter cr*p, you tighten up the valve and it just squashes / deforms so much it comes out from under the valve and pops off. Doing the valve up finger tight so as not to squish the washer too much sometimes provides a seal but then the valve often comes loose after adding some gas. I tried to fix them in place with a little Fernox LS-X (flexible silicone sealant - safe for drinking water) but as soon as you try to tighten the valve it just breaks the seal. So I need to get new washers, seems like you can buy replacement ones that are better...

Also not convinced the lids are sealing well, have read on here about sanding the top of the barrel to make it smooth for a better seal, will have to try that. The O rings in the lids seem to sit below the level of the grove they go in, is that normal? Is the neck of the barrel thin enough to slot into that groove and seal against the O ring?

I've also bought some bolt in Schrader valves so I can check pressure, I plan to fit these, put some water in the keg then pressure it up and see if I can get it to hold pressure for a few days, if not I guess a bit of dilute washing up liquid might help to see where it is leaking or submersing it in water to look for bubbles. Guess I could even pressure it up with air using the Schrader valve, save a bit of CO2!

Is it worth changing to these lids that Balliihoo sell? Sounds like they've got a better chance of sealing with the flat seal rather than the O ring: https://www.balliihoo.co.uk/#ballii...o-valve-pressure-test-point-gauge-p-1516.html

I know the ultimate answer is to change to Cornies but I can't afford to at the moment. I do some bottling but prefer the ease (yeah right) of kegs for my regular beers.

At the moment they're somewhat spoiling the enjoyment of home brew for me and costing me a fair bit in CO2. I'll get there eventually I'm sure :)

Anyway that's enough from me, feel better now :lol:

 

[Spapro]

I fitted those ballihoo lids with their square section seals to both my king kegs, also changed the 0'ring seals around the taps with flat section washers (I mean the tap on the side of the barrel for dispensing beer) - no more problems with dodgy sealing, solved all my issues.

 

[chewie]

A second hand cornie is far cheaper than a new king krap, no one should have the botheration of trying to seal them when they are new, badly designed and manufactured but until people stop buying them shops will continue to sell them. Downside to cornies is sourcing gas and buying a regulator but the longevity of them far outweighs those.

 

[IainM]

King kegs have really put me off kegging. I tried a couple, both with the stainless steel valve, and they didn't seal at all. I don't think I'm going to bother trying with them again. One day I'll have the space and money for cornies.

 

[Graz]

I fitted those ballihoo lids with their square section seals to both my king kegs, also changed the 0'ring seals around the taps with flat section washers (I mean the tap on the side of the barrel for dispensing beer) - no more problems with dodgy sealing, solved all my issues.

Good to know thanks. Might have to invest in some for mine if all else fails :thumb:

Never had problems with the taps, all the kegs are the bottom tap variety so if the taps leaked it would be evident as I'd be losing beer. Think the washers on them are flat, not O rings.

 

[Graz]

A second hand cornie is far cheaper than a new king krap, no one should have the botheration of trying to seal them when they are new, badly designed and manufactured but until people stop buying them shops will continue to sell them. Downside to cornies is sourcing gas and buying a regulator but the longevity of them far outweighs those.

Appreciate that, if I was starting over again it would be with Cornies assuming I could get hold of a pub sized CO2 cylinder. I bought my kegs (x2) about 15 years ago and inherited one more recently. They did used to work well most of the time but after a long spell of not using them (and not brewing) I decided to refresh the seals etc. before using them again, seems that may be part of the problem but then again I think I bought new bits as they had had problems holding pressure more recently.

When the wife gets back to work I'll look into Cornies again.

 

[Sandimas]

Yes they can be a PITA.

My standard response to these postings - get a gauge (or your cycle valve) and get a CO2 canister so you can squirt some in immediately after putting in the beer. That way you'll be able to watch the pressue build (or not) and listen for any leaks. I've not had any problems since doing this as I know exactly what is happening with the pressue and am leaving nothing to chance. In my experience, it's usually the lid seal - too loose or too tight. Worth getting one of those keg lid spanners.

 

[chewie]

Appreciate that, if I was starting over again it would be with Cornies assuming I could get hold of a pub sized CO2 cylinder. I bought my kegs (x2) about 15 years ago and inherited one more recently. They did used to work well most of the time but after a long spell of not using them (and not brewing) I decided to refresh the seals etc. before using them again, seems that may be part of the problem but then again I think I bought new bits as they had had problems holding pressure more recently.

When the wife gets back to work I'll look into Cornies again.

The homebrewcompany both English and Irish sites occasionally do sales on 2nd hand cornies, worth keeping an eye out for, last time round i got 3 for about £28 each.

 

[Bigjas]

Yes they can be a PITA.

My standard response to these postings - get a gauge (or your cycle valve) and get a CO2 canister so you can squirt some in immediately after putting in the beer. That way you'll be able to watch the pressue build (or not) and listen for any leaks. I've not had any problems since doing this as I know exactly what is happening with the pressue and am leaving nothing to chance. In my experience, it's usually the lid seal - too loose or too tight. Worth getting one of those keg lid spanners.

I have found this to be the answer too. I have 3 King Kegs with guages on them so I know what's going on inside with pressure. I think it is pot luck regarding the sealing of these kegs, but I have been fortunate and not had any problems. I think the lids and taps can be over/under tightened which can also cause problems. I also have a Youngs budget over and I have fitted a schrader tyre valve to it to monitor pressure with my tyre guage. This is a really cheap way of monitoring pressure.

 

[Graz]

Well, first time for everything and all that...

The beer kit that I've finished drinking, a Bulldog Cobnar Wood, got all of it out of the King Keg without adding a single drop of CO2. Think this has to be the first time this has ever happened. Nicely carbed, good head on the beer, bit difficult to pour initially due to the pressure but it was fine. So they can work!

Only thing to note is that the secondary fermentation must have been pretty lively as there was quite a bit of yeast sediment left in the barrel, flocculated well though as the beer was clear when poured.

 

[foxbat]

Yes they can be a PITA.

My standard response to these postings - get a gauge (or your cycle valve) and get a CO2 canister so you can squirt some in immediately after putting in the beer. That way you'll be able to watch the pressue build (or not) and listen for any leaks. I've not had any problems since doing this as I know exactly what is happening with the pressue and am leaving nothing to chance. In my experience, it's usually the lid seal - too loose or too tight. Worth getting one of those keg lid spanners.

Where did you get the brass pressure valve that fits into the hole that you drill in the cap? I've got a pressure gauge with a 1/8 BSP male brass thread on it but can't seem to source one of those pressure valves that it screws into.

 

[The Idiot]

I started out bottling everything, then moved to King Kegs. That was the dark days of brewing for me. I had gas leaks, beer leaks, malformed taps, malformed lids and once a malformed fist where I punched one of them across the room. I bunged them on Fleabay and some poor deluded soul gave me about £5 less than I'd paid for them all 6 months previous.

I went back to bottling and worked out a bottling process that was simple. Then I went to a mix of Cornies and bottling because nothing beats draught beer in the living room!

I like cornies, but I also like bottles, and having cracked the code of simple bottling I don't mind the process one bit. However, I'd rather hammer rusty screws into my eyeballs than contemplate King Kegs again. By the time you've worked around the design flaws you might as well have splashed out on decent kit!

 

[aamcle]

Bottles are good, reliable, cheap and nothing beats the joy of looking over a nice full crate. I have a Corny that has managed to ruin ever batch that has gone into it Grrrrr....

However I have 2 of the 1/2 size cheap plastic barrels that I've fitted with gas posts and that have never let me down, 1/2 in bottles, 1/2 in a barrel. Great :)


aamcle

 

[johnnyboy1965]

Ive got 3 KK Top Taps now and they work fine. Yes they have their design faults but you need to follow a few basic rules.
1, Brew to 25li....this will take the beer above the tap, so you can see if the tap assembly is leaking.
2, Tightening the lid. All it needs is a pinch...let the "O" ring seal do its job. A tiny smear of Vaseline on the ring will help it slide into place. Vaseline will not stop leaks.

Speaking to my LHBS owner about why are not pressure tested before they leave the factory and he said that all the components are make by different companies and only assembled at the factory.

A pressure gauge is a good idea to check that they are holding pressure, but also, somewhere else for them to leak.

 

[Godsdog]

Got Schrader valves in both mine and yesterday a week after kegging the bottom tap one took a psi reading and it was a tad over 17 psi and was fine.I dropped the pressure to 10, I also fiddle with the S30 valves as well to get a higher psi,that's the confidence I have in them

 

[IainM]

Bottles are good, reliable, cheap and nothing beats the joy of looking over a nice full crate. I have a Corny that has managed to ruin ever batch that has gone into it Grrrrr....

However I have 2 of the 1/2 size cheap plastic barrels that I've fitted with gas posts and that have never let me down, 1/2 in bottles, 1/2 in a barrel. Great :)


aamcle

How has the corny ruined your beer?

 

[aamcle]

How has the corny ruined your beer?

1 x Contaminated
2 x Pressure loss/beer gun problems

I have replaced all the "O" rings, the big one, all those in the posts including the poppets and the pressure relief valve.

After use I clean it, before uses I strip it down to it's components clean and sanitise each of them. I then re-assemble sanitise again before use.

I should be Ok but...

I'm not very bothered to have beer on tap but I do want to force carbonate then bottle so I have no sediment and can transport/drink right away.


aamcle