The HBO pressure barrel/keg tap - tightening

lymplymp Member Posts: 3
edited August 2012 in Beer Brewing
Hi,
This is about HBO's own pressure barrel.

HBO Starter Equipment Pack - Barrel

I'm half way through a brew, so I can't play with the tap to check.

I need to tighten the tap to stop it leaking, of course, but now the tap is horizontal. Delivers sideways, which is a pain. Tighten any more and it will come out as a 12 o'clock fountain.

Is the tap direction independent of how tight it's screwed into the barrel? Or do I have to really over-tighten it, right around the clock, to get the tap pointing down?

Cheers
Steve
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Comments

  • JohnBJohnB Member Posts: 11
    edited August 2012
    I had exactly the same problem but found it easy to solve.

    At the end af the outlet from the barrel you should see two 'wings'. These allow you to get a grip (either with fingers or, better, with a spanner or stilsons) to tighten the tap against the back nut. I found I needed about half a turn to get a full seal.

    This of course meant the tap was now pointing at the ceiling! No problem. Holding the 'wings' in one hand, to stop the tap rotating further, grab the outlet nozzle with the other and rotate clockwise until it's vertical. The nozzle part spins independently, sometimes they can be turned by hand, other times it may need a pair of grips or similar just to help.

    Hope this is of help.

    John
  • lymplymp Member Posts: 3
    Thanks John,
    Hmmm. Unfortunately the HBO one (which I got in the complete kit purchase) seems to be a single mould. I've got it out now that the barrel is empty. There is no join.

    The one I have is:

    "Quick Serve Tap for Bucket/Barrel"

    I think.  But it doesn't say how the spout angle is adjusted. I must be missing something (my brain). If HBO says it can be swivelled, I will get some grips and put my weight behind it!

    I am about to siphon another brew into the keg, which means another 40 pints squirted out horizontally.
    :-(

    regards
    Steve

  • lymplymp Member Posts: 3
    Sorry - It DOES move independently. Had to give it a really good twist.

    Great. Thanks again John.
    regards
    Steve
  • HBO_StaffHBO_Staff Administrator Posts: 2,115
    They can be a bit stiff sometimes, a pair of grips or spanner sometimes helps, and it is often easier to turn clockwise to make sure it doesn't begin to unscrew from the barrel
  • CelticTwilightCelticTwilight Member Posts: 29
    I think that I got lucky with my HBO barrel. I tightened the whole housing by turning clockwise with grips until the washer contracted what looked like enough which by that point the tap was pointing vertically downwards. Filled it with water and couldn't see any coming out. Moment of truth will be when I fill it with carbonated beer and tighten the lid of course. I too thought that the whole tap section was a single mold, I haven't had to turn the tap independently yet but this helps for if and when that time comes.
  • CelticTwilightCelticTwilight Member Posts: 29
    Sorry, I meant compressed not 'contracted'.
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