Trouble Resealing a Keg

Patrick Donnelly · 02-06-2009, 05:45 PM

I bought a keg, followed the instructions here for opening it, washed it out, and filled it partway with water. Now I'm having trouble resealing it. The spring will roll back in fine one loop around, but on the second loop, I can only get it in partially. This is causing the keg to leak, and has even let the spring pop out (fortunately, not while the keg was in use). I put the pipe/valve assembly back in, twisting the thing a fraction of a turn to line up the nubs with the notches, but it seems that it isn't going down as far as it should be.

Here's a rough mock-up of the notch on the keg, with the black bit being the nub on the pipe/valve assembly. Regardless of how much force I apply, I can't get the nub down an further. I think that if I could, that the spring would fit in properly.

Any suggestions?

Dave Van Skike · 02-07-2009, 09:50 AM

I've taken about 20 of these apart and can't for the life of me understand the hitch you described.

start over.
lube the assembly with like KY or some other non petroleum jelly.
get about seven different screwdrivers of varying blade width and work the spring in gently.

alternatively. go to a plumbing supply and get an Oatey block off plug, there's a bunch of different kinds but many have a screw that allows the plug to be easily removed so you can add water and sand.

Jacob Rowell · 02-07-2009, 03:35 PM

I've only done it twice, but don't quite understand myself.

I drilled out the snap ring, pulled out the entire assembly, and used rtv sealant. A somewhat permanent solution, but I don't see why you would really need to be changing keg weights around all the time.

Patrick Donnelly · 02-07-2009, 03:38 PM

Here's the notch I described. The pipe/valve fits in the first part, turns a smidgen, but won't go down to the bottom of the notch for the life of me, and I think that's what's making it impossible for the spring to fit in place.

Adam Gagliardi · 02-08-2009, 05:14 PM

we have like 8 kegs of varying weights, so we just sealed ours with rubber cement or something like that....obviously that wont work if you're trying to change the keg weight numerous times....just a thought

Patrick Donnelly · 02-08-2009, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adam Gagliardi

we have like 8 kegs of varying weights, so we just sealed ours with rubber cement or something like that....obviously that wont work if you're trying to change the keg weight numerous times....just a thought

Yeah, I'm pretty weak at the moment, but naturally don't plan on staying that way, so I'd like to be able to bump the weight up later on.

Ken Urakawa · 02-08-2009, 08:46 PM

FWIW, we just used a screw driver to depress and hold the ball down, and then just poured water into it until it was as full as needed.

Of course, we didn't clean out the stale, so every now and then someone will push down the ball and we'll get a blast of that oh-so-yummy rotten beer/AZ water smell.

Although one keg did leak a little when dropped, so we just threw some 'Shoe Goo' on it to seal.

Patrick Donnelly · 02-09-2009, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Urakawa

FWIW, we just used a screw driver to depress and hold the ball down, and then just poured water into it until it was as full as needed.

Oh, that's a good idea! A bit late for me now, but still interesting!

Joe Hart · 04-13-2009, 08:58 PM

Dave,

The Oatey block off plugs stayed in okay when you toss the keg around. I take it you turn the wing nut and it deforms the rubber plug to fill the hole?

Thanks

Joe

Don Stevenson · 04-14-2009, 03:51 AM

I'm even less sophisticated than you guys.

I cut a hole in the sode of my keg, filled wit with pebbles and lead scrap and then duct taped a piece of plastic over the hole.

When I want to add more weight I take the tape off and redo it.

But then I'm lazy like that, figuring out how to dismantle the valves looked like way too much effort