Leaky tap

[Pickles Jones]

1 hour ago, Cee said:

Then maybe this is my problem, not the taps' problem. I'll try less hot water for the taps

Last year or the year before the locking tabs on the Coopers snap tap were cracking then separating from the taps body. This in turn caused the two halves of the tap to separate. I had about five taps fail. Big mess!!

Coopers eventually found that the cause of these tabs failing was due to the use of olive oil to lubricate the tap parts. The olive oil was reacting with the type of plastic they were using.

The use of olive oil as lubricant was recommended by Coopers at the time.

I stopped using olive oil on their advice - no more failures.

Perhaps Coopers can advise what is the safe water temperature for washing these taps.

[Shamus O'Sean]

On 12/23/2021 at 11:50 AM, Pickles Jones said:

Last year or the year before the locking tabs on the Coopers snap tap were cracking then separating from the taps body. This in turn caused the two halves of the tap to separate. I had about five taps fail. Big mess!!

Coopers eventually found that the cause of these tabs failing was due to the use of olive oil to lubricate the tap parts. The olive oil was reacting with the type of plastic they were using.

The use of olive oil as lubricant was recommended by Coopers at the time.

I stopped using olive oil on their advice - no more failures.

Perhaps Coopers can advise what is the safe water temperature for washing these taps.

Same as you PJ, I had a run of breaking taps.  Luckily no leaks though.

I lubed with olive oil as recommended at the time.  This worked fine for about 2 years.  Then I got some new taps and then had the fails as I continued with the olive oil lube.

Sounds like I stopped using olive oil about the same time as you.  No failures since.

[Cee]

Ok now I'm not a happy Cee

My Coopers FV Tap blew mid-brew in the kitchen, my Devils Half Ruby Porter all over the floor. 

The top part came away from the main part, as I went to test my SG 10 days in.

You can see in this thread I have written here - quite forgiving and understanding and supportive of Coopers - on this issue over 2 years.

It seems, from my previous posts here, that this mess was always going to happen. These taps... I kopw some people have no problems - this thread says that very well - yet this has been well and truly coming - also shown well in this thread. 

I bought extra taps (as I said a year ago) so I have extras but this has put the mozz on my Coopers brewing. If I'm going to lose vats of beer all over the kitchen floor my days of brewing are numbered. Who can afford that? In many senses. It's also not fun. I also need to replace my brew now. That gets expensive too - tins and malts and postage and packaging and cleaning products and the dramas that go along with the mess in a shared kitchen. 

 

Bah. 

Not a happy Cee

 

I'd link the Coopers team but can't find their link. 

 

[Classic Brewing Co]

2 minutes ago, Cee said:

Ok now I'm not a happy Cee

My Coopers FV Tap blew mid-brew in the kitchen, my Devils Half Ruby Porter all over the floor. 

The top part came away from the main part, as I went to test my SG 10 days in.

You can see in this thread I have written here - quite forgiving and understanding and supportive of Coopers - on this issue over 2 years.

It seems, from my previous posts here, that this mess was always going to happen. These taps... I kopw some people have no problems - this thread says that very well - yet this has been well and truly coming - also shown well in this thread. 

I bought extra taps (as I said a year ago) so I have extras but this has put the mozz on my Coopers brewing. If I'm going to lose vats of beer all over the kitchen floor my days of brewing are numbered. Who can afford that? In many senses. It's also not fun. I also need to replace my brew now. That gets expensive too - tins and malts and postage and packaging and cleaning products and the dramas that go along with the mess in a shared kitchen. 

 

Bah. 

Not a happy Cee

 

I'd link the Coopers team but can't find their link. 

 

@Cee That is unfortunate, contact Frank from this link & he will help you. 

@Coopers DIY Beer Team

 

[Cee]

11 minutes ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

@Cee That is unfortunate, contact Frank from this link & he will help you. 

@Coopers DIY Beer Team

 

Thank you, @Classic Brewing Co that's the link thing I wanted

[Shamus O'Sean]

12 hours ago, Cee said:

My Coopers FV Tap blew mid-brew in the kitchen, my Devils Half Ruby Porter all over the floor. 

That's no good, C.  Luckily it was a shared kitchen and not your wife's.

Hopefully @Coopers DIY Beer Team can help you out.  They're only around in business hours, so see what they say on Monday.  Although I have not had a tap failure in over 2 years, one of my taps does not engage with the securing lug.  I use a couple of elastic bands to hold the two lugs together.

Perhaps, if the taps only last a certain warrantee time frame, Coopers should indicate this.  Much like the PET pressure fermenters have a "best before" date on them.

Maybe think about changing to a pressure fermenter.  Just because it is a pressure fermenter does not mean you have to pressure ferment with them.  They can be fiddly., though  I like the Coopers FV's simplicity.

Sorry about your tap incident.

[Malter White]

9 hours ago, Shamus O'Sean said:

That's no good, C.  Luckily it was a shared kitchen and not your wife's.

Hahaha. Cheeky boy, Shamus. Mrs Cee is not amused. 

[Cee]

13 hours ago, Shamus O'Sean said:

That's no good, C.  Luckily it was a shared kitchen and not your wife's.

Hopefully @Coopers DIY Beer Team can help you out.  They're only around in business hours, so see what they say on Monday.  Although I have not had a tap failure in over 2 years, one of my taps does not engage with the securing lug.  I use a couple of elastic bands to hold the two lugs together.

Perhaps, if the taps only last a certain warrantee time frame, Coopers should indicate this.  Much like the PET pressure fermenters have a "best before" date on them.

Maybe think about changing to a pressure fermenter.  Just because it is a pressure fermenter does not mean you have to pressure ferment with them.  They can be fiddly., though  I like the Coopers FV's simplicity.

Sorry about your tap incident.

Monday is fine - everyone needs a weekend off

I'll look into other FVs but I too like the simplicity the Coopers FV system provides, and absolutely agree that IF the taps have such a design which MAY deteriorate through usage, a kinda "Best Before" stamp would be welcome. Maybe I just lucked out on a few from a dodgy batch though, or maybe I am still using too hot water on them.

It is significant though that most taps seem to hold their integrity...

[Cee]

4 hours ago, MUZZY said:

Hahaha. Cheeky boy, Shamus. Mrs Cee is not amused. 

In my blustering I missed the humour

It seems the tap issue and the ensuing mess has raised their estimation of me

Now, instead of being simply "Cee..."

I am known as a "Right Royal C..."

 

[Cee]

...Dang...

I sure hope the team are not ill...

 

[Cee]

On 7/1/2022 at 4:36 PM, Cee said:

...Dang...

I sure hope the team are not ill...

 

Double Dang

[Cee]

So for fairness to Coopers - these posts insinuate Coopers have not replied - well now they have replied.

I just wanted that to be reflected here.

 

This tap issue is ongoing.

 

My reply was thus:

 

Hi XXXXX

Thank you for your reply. I understand you have been away and busy, so no worries about reply time - life happens 

I tried to email - I was advised from the forums to direct a response through you and Coopers Team as well, and yes  the email you are replying to is the one I sent last week.

 

Thanks for the offer to replace the tap.

As my email said, I already purchased a stockpile of taps due to this problem already existing previously.  My posts in the forums reflect this. Another $4 tap is not what my $45-ish brew is currently missing as it swishes across the kitchen floor.

I already had to purchase spare taps after to my earlier episodes with this problem.

My problem does seem to be with the taps.

My confidence to use the product is of course affected. As I said in y email, I am unsure as to what I want in response but I reckon I'd like to know how to avoid my money, time, beer, fun,  etc etc etc from ending up on the floor.

I have been very, very clear in all my posts about this. I seek a way to prevent the mishaps. So I can brew beer..

Please keep the replacement tap, and instead of sending it to me, please advise me as to how I can maximise my ability to not lose my, "already bought" taps mid-brew.

 

Sincere Regards

Coopers Customer

Cee

[Cee]

Maybe this needs a Tap Care Thread?

 

...

The tap care hints I got from the forum a year or so ago were some great ideas - if wear and tear is an issue it is something to keep in mind. How to work out how much strain the taps can take over time - well like a good bridge that would depend on many stressors and I dunno if there is any way to Coopers realistically guide or advise about that? 

The Coopers FVs with Kraussen Collar and Tap have been simple and easy to use, great for visibility, tough, easy to clean, and made good brews. Other FVs may have their own qualities but this Coopers system has worked well for me. 

I know the little lugs have snapped off before on the odd tap but as @Itinerant Peasanthas noted in replies, Leaky or Blowing Snap Taps are not a problem that seems to come up a lot for people here. 

@Itinerant Peasantalso suggested not pulling apart the taps to clean them - I would agree completely. Also agree to wash, sterilize and flush the taps out. With a really good rinse/flush.

I reckon I wanna keep the Tap Talk to the abandoned old Leaky Tap thread haha - I guess these posts morphed in the What's In Your Fermenter thread - my bad! Sorry folk.

[Pezzza]

34 minutes ago, Cee said:

suggested not pulling apart the taps to clean them

I sorta am saying more like - I don't pull my taps apart - and also - whether inextricably linked or not - I also have not had a failure fortunately...

But I do try to keep them clean and washed through and do use quite hot water...  and also have never have lubricated them ever... for better or for worse?

@kmar92 KMar - mate I think you do pull your taps apart to clean?  But you do also use your pressure FV more ?

 

Anyway - hopefully things will improve @Cee on the tap failure front... as losing a brew onto the floor is a horror... only one thing worse - losing an AG Brew haha!

Well I only lost half - bad transporting on my behalf.... and brewed a catch-up batch the very next morning cos I was cranky... and the resultant DRA was gold..

DRA = Disaster Recovery Ale... back when I was bottling : )  

p.s. u an make great beer in bottles hey 

Edited July 9, 2022 by Itinerant Peasant

[Classic Brewing Co]

1 hour ago, Itinerant Peasant said:

I sorta am saying more like - I don't pull my taps apart - and also - whether inextricably linked or not - I also have not had a failure fortunately...

But I do try to keep them clean and washed through and do use quite hot water...  and also have never have lubricated them ever... for better or for worse?

@kmar92 KMar - mate I think you do pull your taps apart to clean?  But you do also use your pressure FV more ?

 

Anyway - hopefully things will improve @Cee on the tap failure front... as losing a brew onto the floor is a horror... only one thing worse - losing an AG Brew haha!

Well I only lost half - bad transporting on my behalf.... and brewed a catch-up batch the very next morning cos I was cranky... and the resultant DRA was gold..

DRA = Disaster Recovery Ale... back when I was bottling : )  

p.s. u an make great beer in bottles hey 

Lovely looking beer IP, interesting colour & nice head.

Just on taps, I have 2 x Coopers Fermenters & usually remove, pull apart, inspect & clean the taps every 2-3 brews. While cleaning I put enough water in the vessel & run the taps into the sink pulling on the to check for any signs of leaking etc. Then I just assemble them & continue to use.

I have only ever experienced 1 faulty one & it was replaced the next day by our good friends at Coopers. I did lose 23l of Czech Pilsner all over the brew room floor as it popped out as I was moving it closer to the edge of the fridge door to take a reading.

I continue to check them regularly & replace them every now & again.

[Cee]

Just a note to acknowledge Coopers customer service. I feel they went above and beyond to respond to my upset at the leaky tap issue. 

 

I put it a certain way that kinda sums it up reasonably well - 

 

 

Unfortunately in our modern Australia the whole,"Fair Go" concept of business trading has all but disappeared - it's refreshing and heartening to discover a company that still seems to value such practices. The Customer - in this case, me - seems to matter to Coopers, and they went way above what they needed to in order to resolve a (relatively minor) issue. This is the spirit that Aussie companies can still thrive on, and customers will respond to. Thank you.

 

 

I know this may be a little off-topic but it follows on from things I posted earlier publicly, so I had to likewise publicly acknowledge this too. I'll probably cack-on about it elsewhere too because great customer service is rare and precious.

 

Ok back to topic, sorry for the digression...

 

 

 

[Classic Brewing Co]

20 minutes ago, Cee said:

Just a note to acknowledge Coopers customer service. I feel they went above and beyond to respond to my upset at the leaky tap issue. 

 

I put it a certain way that kinda sums it up reasonably well - 

 

 

Unfortunately in our modern Australia the whole,"Fair Go" concept of business trading has all but disappeared - it's refreshing and heartening to discover a company that still seems to value such practices. The Customer - in this case, me - seems to matter to Coopers, and they went way above what they needed to in order to resolve a (relatively minor) issue. This is the spirit that Aussie companies can still thrive on, and customers will respond to. Thank you.

 

 

I know this may be a little off-topic but it follows on from things I posted earlier publicly, so I had to likewise publicly acknowledge this too. I'll probably cack-on about it elsewhere too because great customer service is rare and precious.

 

Ok back to topic, sorry for the digression...

 

 

 

Good Stuff @Cee

[BreweyMcHops]

On 2/18/2021 at 1:11 AM, Cee said:

Yes I have had issues. 

Mine leaked like yours, and then broke as I was examining it. It did 2 brews. Luckily it did not happen mid-brew.

My local brewshop says he often gets requests for replacements for these Taps due to leaks/breaking. He does not stock these taps so yup - ordered a couple today for backup from the store here.

They often get requests for the taps . You can't brew without the taps. They don't stock the taps . 

It's like they are using Homer's idea not Barts

[Tricky Micky]

1 hour ago, BreweyMcHops said:

It's like they are using Homer's -Tricky Micky's idea not Barts