Keg Malfunction

[SpartanS]

Please help. Got a brew in a brand new Kingkeg and went to check it in the garage today and its standing in a pool of its own 'Old home wrecker'. Its been in there two weeks had it in the house the first week and it was fine. Looks like the balck seal around the tap is leaking. Presumably I can get my money back for the keg, but a more pressing urgency is how do I save me 40pints!

Any suggestions welcomed, thanks.

[Ditch]

My reaction? Drastic measures are needed and Fast! I'd turn that muvva f**ka upside down! What's the chances of the lid leaking too? Up ending it would allow the CO2 to form above the beer and afford it Some protection. That should give ye time to figure out what in hell ye gonna do next / Find a spare keg to get the beer into.

[EoinMag]

Please help. Got a brew in a brand new Kingkeg and went to check it in the garage today and its standing in a pool of its own 'Old home wrecker'. Its been in there two weeks had it in the house the first week and it was fine. Looks like the balck seal around the tap is leaking. Presumably I can get my money back for the keg, but a more pressing urgency is how do I save me 40pints!

Any suggestions welcomed, thanks.

I dunno about getting money back for a seal that works, and has probably been used incorrectly.
The problem with King Kegs if that you need to learn too much about them to be able to use them effectively. An essential purchase is the king keg spanner to tighten the top correctly, you also should take the tap apart and lube it up inside around the tap part to get it sealed and working correctly. Then there is the top valve on it which sometimes slips off and finally the tap washers are a pain if you overtighten them and deform the rubber they are no longer sealed. In all they are a good keg but need a bit of looking after.
The top O-ring also needs changing now and again, and lubing every time it's used.
I would suggest taking the lid off, wash your hands, then tilt the keg and take the tap off, if it's a bottom tap then stand it upside down as ditch says, then put a little vaseline on the outside washer and put it back on again after taking the tap apart and lubing it up.
Do not overtighten the tap seals, as soon as you see the plastic begin to deform then stop turning.

[Swiller]

Yep, I agree with Ditch and EionMag when I started using KKs I always spent a bit of time making sure the areas where the seals butt up against on the keg were nice and smooth and flat also gently removing any mould burr from the cap threads (on the keg) using some wet or dry. When fitting the tap I warmed up the surfaces with the wife's hair drier after lubing them with vaseline this helps the seal seat properly then filled the keg with water up to the 40 pint mark and give it a few squirts of Co2. Then I use an inch brush and some diluted washing up liquid to brush around the cap and tap if there is a leak bubbles will appear. All my KKs have needed this treatment it seems they all need a bit of a tidy up before using them for the first time, I know for the price of them they shouldn't but there you go.

Jules

[Lillywhite]

As above, don't assume that some monkey at the factory has correctly assembled everything correctly.
You need to check and tighten everything yourself before filling it with your brew.

Lesson learnt.

[SpartanS]

Cheers for all the tips and replies, much appreciated. I think my instant reaction last night after coming across the precious juice leaking across the garage floor - to pull a couple of pints off and start drinking it may have helped. It seems to have released some of the pressure and it (seems for now) not to be getting forced through the seal. Pure stroke of luck I didnt loose much, it would seem.

Constant monitoring from now on though, and then a maintenance job on this friggin keg. Taking on board the suggestions people have posted. For 46 hard earnerd quid you think it would be alright - still this game is all about experience, onwards and upwards, first crisis since I started last December.

p.s tasted ok considering its only been in there 2 weeks.