Demand valve for beer engine

[Chris Wooffindin]

keg back filled with co2. It also helps to counter balance the hand pull operation.

I’m having a slight issue with half foaming. For reference the pressure I set is around 1-2 psi so it’s not over carbed. I think it might be the demand valve as I can definitely hear air being drawn in during serving. I’m now wondering whether it’s not working well or whether I’ve positioned it incorrectly. Essentially it’s screwed to one of the vertical legs.

how do others fixed their valves out of interest?
Many thanks
Chris

 

[Dads_Ale]

I'm not sure where you put the demand valve makes any difference.
I used to use one but found similar problems with foaming. At the time I had a clear hose coming out of the valve and could see it foaming in the line. At this point I changed to a cask breather set up which has worked better but did show that if the beer is over carbed (for a real ale) then you still get foaming. You have to get the carbonation just right.
At some point I may retry the demand valve now I have the beer at a much lower carb level.

 

[Chris Wooffindin]

Thanks for your reply. I too can see foaming in the line between the valve and the engine. You're certainly right on getting the right carbonation level. It's not a massive problem to be fair, it just means I have to wait a bit for the head to settle before I top up.

 

[BlackRegent]

I'm not sure which model hand pump you have, but I have an Angram CQ and the demand valve slots straight onto the cylinder inlet via a JG elbow joint - see the picture below. I've not had any problem with foaming based on a similar setup to your own.

 

[peebee]

... I set is around 1-2 psi so it’s not over carbed ...

So you say/think? But looking at your pictures you appear to have your keg connected to the CO2 cylinder via a fairly basic (single stage) regulator. Such regulators may hold to 10 PSI fairly reliably, but certainly wont hold to 5PSI let alone 1-2PSI. It will let you set it, but the mechanism can't hold it (a bit of "agricultural engineering" step 860PSI down to 1PSI ; it might be possible but you are probably looking at equipment costing many £1000s!).

Ordinary secondary regulators couldn't step down the 10PSI output of your regulator down to one either, which is why I recommend the 50-150mbar LPG regulators (Clesse) as secondaries (they'll take about 200PSI, 16BAR, input pressure).

 

[thegrantickle]

Try taking your sparkler off as a temporary fix. If bubbles are forming in the line, there's no need to knock the CO2 out of solution any further. In a pub setting, I wouldn't use a sparkler until a couple of days into service when the secondary fermentation is much left active.

 

[LeeH]

You need a LPG reg as peebee stated.

I have my check valve in the middle as this was convenient.

 

[Chris Wooffindin]

So you say/think? But looking at your pictures you appear to have your keg connected to the CO2 cylinder via a fairly basic (single stage) regulator. Such regulators may hold to 10 PSI fairly reliably, but certainly wont hold to 5PSI let alone 1-2PSI. It will let you set it, but the mechanism can't hold it (a bit of "agricultural engineering" step 860PSI down to 1PSI ; it might be possible but you are probably looking at equipment costing many £1000s!).

Ordinary secondary regulators couldn't step down the 10PSI output of your regulator down to one either, which is why I recommend the 50-150mbar LPG regulators (Clesse) as secondaries (they'll take about 200PSI, 16BAR, input pressure).

You’re definitely right. The pressure regulator cannot adjust to such low pressures with any accuracy. What I do is naturally carb the beer then try to backfill with co2 to keep the beer a bit longer than if I let it vent. I always disconnect the gas line when I’m not serving. It’s not a perfect system certainly but I enjoy the results but just wish I could get less of the foaming but perhaps it’s not possible

 

[Chris Wooffindin]

Try taking your sparkler off as a temporary fix. If bubbles are forming in the line, there's no need to knock the CO2 out of solution any further. In a pub setting, I wouldn't use a sparkler until a couple of days into service when the secondary fermentation is much left active.

The sparkler is off

 

[Chris Wooffindin]

So you say/think? But looking at your pictures you appear to have your keg connected to the CO2 cylinder via a fairly basic (single stage) regulator. Such regulators may hold to 10 PSI fairly reliably, but certainly wont hold to 5PSI let alone 1-2PSI. It will let you set it, but the mechanism can't hold it (a bit of "agricultural engineering" step 860PSI down to 1PSI ; it might be possible but you are probably looking at equipment costing many £1000s!).

Ordinary secondary regulators couldn't step down the 10PSI output of your regulator down to one either, which is why I recommend the 50-150mbar LPG regulators (Clesse) as secondaries (they'll take about 200PSI, 16BAR, input pressure).

Oh by the way, thanks for the recommendation. I’m going to look into it!

 

[Chris Wooffindin]

So you say/think? But looking at your pictures you appear to have your keg connected to the CO2 cylinder via a fairly basic (single stage) regulator. Such regulators may hold to 10 PSI fairly reliably, but certainly wont hold to 5PSI let alone 1-2PSI. It will let you set it, but the mechanism can't hold it (a bit of "agricultural engineering" step 860PSI down to 1PSI ; it might be possible but you are probably looking at equipment costing many £1000s!).

Ordinary secondary regulators couldn't step down the 10PSI output of your regulator down to one either, which is why I recommend the 50-150mbar LPG regulators (Clesse) as secondaries (they'll take about 200PSI, 16BAR, input pressure).

is this the one?

 

[peebee]

is this the one?

It is. Note you'll need adapters (John Guest?) to attach your gas lines to the 1/4" and 3/8" BSP female threads on the regulator. There's more on why you'd do it in my "treatise" (linked in my "signature" below).

Loads more rabbiting on the subject >here<.

 

[Chris Wooffindin]

It is. Note you'll need adapters (John Guest?) to attach your gas lines to the 1/4" and 3/8" BSP female threads on the regulator. There's more on why you'd do it in my "treatise" (linked in my "signature" below).

Loads more rabbiting on the subject >here<.

Brilliant. Thank you very much for your help

 

[LeeH]

I

You’re definitely right. The pressure regulator cannot adjust to such low pressures with any accuracy. What I do is naturally carb the beer then try to backfill with co2 to keep the beer a bit longer than if I let it vent. I always disconnect the gas line when I’m not serving. It’s not a perfect system certainly but I enjoy the results but just wish I could get less of the foaming but perhaps it’s not possible

It is possible! Use an LPG reg like the one above.