Wilkinson’s 4inch pressure barrel

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alfie09
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Wilkinson’s 4inch pressure barrel

Post by alfie09 » Sat Apr 13, 2019 12:36 pm

Hello

I’ve kegged my beer into this it’s been in keg for a week with 80grams of sugar. No pressure at s no apparent leaks. So I undid the lid re applied Vaseline, undid the s30 valve vaselined all that up and retightend that not over tight. The fitted lid and re primed left for a few days in a warm place and still nothing no gas what so ever ?

It’s leaking air somewhere but I ain’t got a clue we’re. Never had this trouble with the old type keg ?

Any ideas

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Eric
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Re: Wilkinson’s 4inch pressure barrel

Post by Eric » Sat Apr 13, 2019 7:07 pm

Gently screw down the lid, then unscrew slightly and retighten, but not too much. Give it a little squirt of gas, listen and feel for leaks then open tap a little for a moment to check beer flows with some internal pressure.

Look for leaks using a paintbrush to apply some water and washing up liquid around the cap and valve.
Without patience, life becomes difficult and the sooner it's finished, the better.

Linus
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Re: Wilkinson’s 4inch pressure barrel

Post by Linus » Sat Apr 13, 2019 7:27 pm

Check the rubber ring in the cap is not split.

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Kev888
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Re: Wilkinson’s 4inch pressure barrel

Post by Kev888 » Sun Apr 14, 2019 7:54 am

If it has had the usual amount of sugar, time and warmth then it will almost certainly be caused by a leak, rather than the priming. But unless the leak is reasonably fast it might well not be apparent by sound or feel. So just as Eric suggested, I'd pressurise with gas and then test with water & washing-up liquid (around the valve as well as around the lid seal).

(BTW if you haven't previously pressurised the barrel, it could be worth first putting it somewhere where spills are unimportant in case it has any problems)
Kev

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Horden Hillbilly
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Re: Wilkinson’s 4inch pressure barrel

Post by Horden Hillbilly » Sun Apr 14, 2019 11:30 am

If it's a new barrel, the valve seals may have been on for a while, and stretched. I got caught out with that with a new King Keg many years ago, a full new set of valve seals cured it.

alfie09
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Re: Wilkinson’s 4inch pressure barrel

Post by alfie09 » Sun Apr 14, 2019 9:36 pm

Cheers all been to wilkos today for gas. But they don’t sell the bulb holder? So she I’ve had to order of flea bay

Don’t think it’s gonna last much longer at this rate. Already tasting strange when I tried some Friday

Gutted

alfie09
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Re: Wilkinson’s 4inch pressure barrel

Post by alfie09 » Sun Apr 14, 2019 9:37 pm

Nothing seems split rubber wise and I ain’t over tighten anything. I don’t like the gas valve set up on the top.

alfie09
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Re: Wilkinson’s 4inch pressure barrel

Post by alfie09 » Mon Apr 15, 2019 9:29 pm

Drew 5 pints off tonight for drinking it’s flat but tastes ace. Last pint a drew was in silence no kids no missus around. And it’s sucking in like crazy from somewhere I can’t tell we’re, Sounds like Somone who As smoked 20 a day for 20 years. Can’t work out we’re. Just need to wait for bulb holder now to work it out

Dave.T
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Re: Wilkinson’s 4inch pressure barrel

Post by Dave.T » Sat Oct 16, 2021 8:48 pm

I came across this old post, i have a couple of these kegs and have had similar issues. Firstly the tap, i had to cut off a couple of threads as i found that they bottomed out before the washer sealed.
Then the cap, firstly with a flat board and wet & dry rub over the top of the barrel to remove any high spots. Then i have found that the cap seems to run out of thread before it tightens on the seal, so i have had success with the thicker wine barrel seals and also Ballihoo do a square section O ring that has more chance of covering the neck of the barrel.
Hope this helps anyone who has one of these barrels.

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