Beer Forum

bazookazilla wrote:

Bad Goat Brewing wrote:Leaking check valves, or lack of check valves, can cause the pressure on the gauge to change with tempature changes.

What are check valves? How do you use check valves??

They're a device built into most regulators (except the bottom of the line, budget ones). They prevent back flow by only allowing gas to flow through them in one direction.

For instance, when beer warms up, CO2 comes out of solution which would increase head pressure in the keg. The check valve wouldn't allow that gas to flow backwards through the system. Most Sankey keg couplers also have check valves built into them. You don't have to "use" them per se, if they're working, they just work... but as Goat pointed out, if one is leaking or has failed it can cause all sorts of pressure problems.

Mine is acting crazy. After it has been undisturbed for 30 minutes or so the first pour comes out crazy foamy. The pour right after that comes out fine. If I come back 30 minutes later and pour 2 more beers I get the same thing.

bazookazilla wrote:Mine is acting crazy. After it has been undisturbed for 30 minutes or so the first pour comes out crazy foamy. The pour right after that comes out fine. If I come back 30 minutes later and pour 2 more beers I get the same thing.

That happens when I over-carbonate beer. It took me a while to figure out what in the hell was going on, replacing poppets and hoses until I realized I had it carbing too long for the temperature I had it at.