Beer Forum

I can make an argument on why it should leak and why it shouldn't.

Has anyone tried to force carbonate and try this at the same time w/success?

I've been dry hopping using a bag suspended with dental floss for the past 7 years and have never had a problem with a leak.

Wayne

Bugeater wrote:I've been dry hopping using a bag suspended with dental floss for the past 7 years and have never had a problem with a leak.

Wayne

Thanks Bugs.. just needed a reality check.

I swapped out the O ring and top/cap with another keg. Let me pose two questions... or more

The food grade grease just makes the parts move, nothing to do with sealing right?

Do the large O-rings wear out? Not for the valves but for the lid. I'm going to replace than anyway.

Is it ever best to over charge and set the seals and than bleed off? Like if you are crash cooling and the keg is already 32F.

Is it better to buy new kegs or old? I guess old and do a pre-test, but that's what has me wrapped around the axle. All my kegs had been sitting over a year charged and still had pressure. Now I'm getting fits!!!

yinzer wrote:
The food grade grease just makes the parts move, nothing to do with sealing right?

Do the large O-rings wear out? Not for the valves but for the lid. I'm going to replace than anyway.

Is it ever best to over charge and set the seals and than bleed off? Like if you are crash cooling and the keg is already 32F.

Is it better to buy new kegs or old? I guess old and do a pre-test, but that's what has me wrapped around the axle. All my kegs had been sitting over a year charged and still had pressure. Now I'm getting fits!!!

Some folks think the grease helps seal. I don't buy that myself.

Yes the big rings do wear out. On old kegs, especially ones that have set for quite a while with the lid clamped down, the rings will often flatten out and not seal right. Other times they develop cracks. Lubing them now and then will help prevent that. When I replace the large rings, I generally get the oversized ones from Williams Brewing. They are a little thicker and softer that the regular rings and seal really well on old kegs that have had the lids banged around a bit.

Definitely overcharge and then bleed off.

If you have money to burn, get the new kegs because they are pretty. Most of the time used kegs are just fine. You should expect to replace all the O-rings when you get them. Now and then you will need to replace a poppet and rarely you might have to replace a post or a lid.

Still pressurized after a year? You have kegs with no problems at all! When I clean kegs I go ahead and sanitize and pressurize them even if I plan to have them sit for weeks or months. When I get ready to use them I pop the relief valve. It there is still pressure I know the seals are still good and nothing could get in to contaminate the inside. I still resanitize if it has been sitting for more than a couple of weeks.

Wane

I have purchased many used kegs and have been very pleased with them. Yes I do replace O-rings when I receive the kegs. I have personally found food based lube to be very important in lubing the rubber parts of a keg. The food grade lube is simply mineral oil, so using some vaseline works great. The lube helps keep the rubber parts supple and sealing very well. I do not use a keg without lubing all of the rubber parts, including the two poppets and the pressure release valve.