cornie newbie questions

[fuji6100]

Ok, I got my kegging supplies via UPS today. (There was much rejoicing)

So I'm putting all the pieces together and I ran across a problem.

My gas line is 5/16 ID and fits very snugly onto my reguator's barb fitting. So when I go to hook the other end of the gas line into my quick-disconnect, I notice the barb fitting is somewhat smaller... so much that it can slide in and out of the 5/16 hose with no resistance. I had thought about putting the hose clamp on as tight as it would go, but I'm afraid I'd still leak air. Has anybody else come across this problem?

Also, when the quick dissconnects are on the corney, do they usually seem kind of loose and turn quite easily? I was wondering how far down ot push them. After one "pop" they don't seem to go much farther, but they just don't seem that tight.

[fuji6100]

wow, that was my 200th post.

[Fast_Eddy]

Congrats on 200.

I'll check my hoses when I get home.

And yes one "click" and they should be locked in.

-Eddy

Originally posted by fuji6100
Ok, I got my kegging supplies via UPS today. (There was much rejoicing)

So I'm putting all the pieces together and I ran across a problem.

My gas line is 5/16 ID and fits very snugly onto my reguator's barb fitting. So when I go to hook the other end of the gas line into my quick-disconnect, I notice the barb fitting is somewhat smaller... so much that it can slide in and out of the 5/16 hose with no resistance. I had thought about putting the hose clamp on as tight as it would go, but I'm afraid I'd still leak air. Has anybody else come across this problem?

Also, when the quick dissconnects are on the corney, do they usually seem kind of loose and turn quite easily? I was wondering how far down ot push them. After one "pop" they don't seem to go much farther, but they just don't seem that tight.

[Tweek]

the disconnect will be able to turn on the posts but should not be able to wiggle, if that makes sense. They should be on snug but there is nothing to prevent them from turning left ond right on the post.

as far as teh barb thing goes, I dunno mine fit snug. I would just clamp it down tight. if it leaks you will either hear it hissing out of the line or you will hear your tank dispensing.

[Jughead]

I seem to recall the disconnects usually have a 1/4 inch barb. If it leaks with the hose clamp, you might have to get a 5/16th to 1/4 inch splicer and a short piece of 1/4 id hose.

[toneyc]

I use 3/16 no foam beer line for the liquid side and larger stuff for the gas side.

:)
Toney.

[BucksBrew]

Originally posted by toneyc
I use 3/16 no foam beer line for the liquid side and larger stuff for the gas side.

:)
Toney.

Ditto.

I read that to get proper head on the beer you need to max out the gas line and reduce the beer line.

5/16'' on the gas side and 3/16'' on the beer side with at least 5 feet of hose.

I also experimented with threaded hose connects too. They work great for cleaning. Other wise when you pull the beer line off to clean you have to take it all apart to flush it out. The threaded connect unscrews so you can run hot water/cleaner/sanitizer through.

[danno]

Originally posted by BucksBrew
I read that to get proper head on the beer you need to max out the gas line and reduce the beer line.


Bucks, gas line size doesn't matter at all. You size your beer line due to the resistance that liquid creates, but a gas has no (for our purposes anyways) resistance, so gas line dimensions don't matter...

[Professor Frink]

Just quick question, would a keggerator freeze if exposed to extended sub-zero temperatures? I live in Minnesota with an unattached garage, and would love a keggerator out there, but assume the winter temperatures would freeze the brew.

[BucksBrew]

Originally posted by Professor Frink
Just quick question, would a keggerator freeze if exposed to extended sub-zero temperatures? I live in Minnesota with an unattached garage, and would love a keggerator out there, but assume the winter temperatures would freeze the brew.

I have an attached garage, but it gets pretty cold out there. I'll keep ya posted. First year with a converted freezer. So far pretty good with keeping the temperature constant.

I thought I might have to put a reptile heater in there to warm it up if need be.

[Jughead]

Yup, the fridge just acts as insulation. Eventually the temp inside will meet the temp outside.

You could easily rig a thermostat with a relay and a light bulb inside the fridge. When the thermostat senses the temp getting too low in the fridge, it would trigger the relay to allow current to the light bulb, which heats the fridge.

[danno]

Minnesotan here too. if you have an external thermostat, you can also use it to run either a lamp or a small heater. (what I mean, you can wire in the same thermostat you use to keep chilled, to keep warm...) I use a 750 watt heater/fan for my 15cf chest freezer in the garage, works great...

[bigmf]

Thanks to fuji for starting this thread and to others for the many other threads on this subject. Because of these my kegging has gone off without a hitch.

If you are worried about a keg of beer freezing in your garage, put a small bucket of water on the floor. It will freeze before your beer. Last winter none of the pop froze in our fridge in the garage, but if any was left out of the fridge, it would. It gets below minus 30 degrees celsius (farenheit isn't much different at that temp., is it?) in the winter.

M.