National Homebrew Club Ireland

I just had an issue with a plastic tap for the third time this year (3 separate taps) and I'm beginning to think there might be something more to it than faulty equipment. The problem always manifests as a constant dripping from this part of the tap;

(http://i.imgur.com/6pFrzOT.gif)

Has anybody else experienced this? Is it common? Are they just shit taps? Am I going mad?

Are they all identical?
I have a major issue with these 2 piece type taps, they hold liquid in the central joint.
This means a source of infection.
That said, they should not leak.

You're probably going mad anyway!

Ive had the same problem with what looks like the same type of tap. Got one from get er brewed and another from the health food place in cork and both leaked from the outer edge. I only use them on my bottling bucket now, a few drips dont make that much difference there.

Yeah, I had that exact same problem with a tap before. I stuck a rubber washer on the outside of the tap and it sorted it

The leak is less of an issue than the infection risk.
How do you clean in there? With difficulty.

can you get a really close picture of the leak?
Does it look like its cracked?

Bought 2 fermenters with taps and both of them leak in the same spot.
Bought the  in the last 2 weeks

Hi lads, we are aware of this issue. The problem seems to arise only if you use very hot / boiling water to clean the taps.

We are launching a new BrewSmarter "hot" tap in about a week. This is a special new tap using new materials and it has been thoroughly tested with boiling water.

Quote from: HomeBrewWest on June 28, 2015, 01:23:33 PM
Hi lads, we are aware of this issue. The problem seems to arise only if you use very hot / boiling water to clean the taps.

We are launching a new BrewSmarter "hot" tap in about a week. This is a special new tap using new materials and it has been thoroughly tested with boiling water.

Unfortunately it happens even if you use cold water... 1 of mine had the same problem but was only cleaned in cold water then sprayed with star San.  The other is fine. Both were new when it happened (unfortunately I had just started a €100 wine kit in the leaky one):( but got it to seal and no problems since

Use a soldering iron or hot knife to seal, if you make a balls if it use that lsx wras approved silicone from plumbers merchants

Quote from: Oh Crap on June 28, 2015, 06:36:37 PM

Quote from: HomeBrewWest on June 28, 2015, 01:23:33 PM
Hi lads, we are aware of this issue. The problem seems to arise only if you use very hot / boiling water to clean the taps.

We are launching a new BrewSmarter "hot" tap in about a week. This is a special new tap using new materials and it has been thoroughly tested with boiling water.

Unfortunately it happens even if you use cold water... 1 of mine had the same problem but was only cleaned in cold water then sprayed with star San.  The other is fine. Both were new when it happened (unfortunately I had just started a €100 wine kit in the leaky one):( but got it to seal and no problems since

The problem is that if it was ever used with hot water, it may leak when cooled down. It a problem with all these taps, I guess they ultimately all comefrom the same manufacturer. We will be the first to get the new ones (next week) and they don't leak.

Quote from: HomeBrewWest on June 28, 2015, 08:21:27 PM

Quote from: Oh Crap on June 28, 2015, 06:36:37 PM

Quote from: HomeBrewWest on June 28, 2015, 01:23:33 PM
Hi lads, we are aware of this issue. The problem seems to arise only if you use very hot / boiling water to clean the taps.

We are launching a new BrewSmarter "hot" tap in about a week. This is a special new tap using new materials and it has been thoroughly tested with boiling water.

Unfortunately it happens even if you use cold water... 1 of mine had the same problem but was only cleaned in cold water then sprayed with star San.  The other is fine. Both were new when it happened (unfortunately I had just started a €100 wine kit in the leaky one):( but got it to seal and no problems since

The problem is that if it was ever used with hot water, it may leak when cooled down. It a problem with all these taps, I guess they ultimately all comefrom the same manufacturer. We will be the first to get the new ones (next week) and they don't leak.

That may be BUT they were new, washed in cold water then sanitised. No hot water used at all. Not giving out as I got them sorted but it is not from using hot water that they leak

We replaced our taps in our starter kits about a year ago and have heat tolerant taps as standard in every starter kit, we only use premium quality taps in our Get 'er Brewed equipment sets, the taps used are found here;
http://www.geterbrewed.com/homebrew-tap/
http://www.geterbrewed.ie/homebrew-tap/

To be fair to get er brewed I should point out that they posted me a working replacement tap free of charge when I emailed them about the leaky one.

Quote from: Ciderhead on June 28, 2015, 10:55:06 AM
can you get a really close picture of the leak?
Does it look like its cracked?

The Leak is happening where the 'disk' type part which the tap is mounted onto attaches onto the 'barrel' part of the structure. I have used hot water to clean them before, so this could definitely be the cause. I don't recall ever seeing a warning about this however - it would have come in handy! I'm going to try to seal it and the others now.....

This has happened to me so many times with those bog standard taps.
I use plumbers tape to seal them up but it is a total pain.

I will definitely be getting the taps that the guys from Homebrewwest and Geterbew have mentioned.