I need to get a new gas dip tube. Had no idea they actually come in different lengths. The one that came with my keg is an inch and quarter. Should the gas dip tube be long enough so the end is submerged in the beer? Or should it not be submerged? Does it matter?
The gas dip tube should definitely not be submerged in the beer. I cut all of mine down (using a dremel cutoff wheel) so that there's just enough length to hold the o-ring and enter the keg. The shorter the gas dip-tube, the more wiggle room you have with overfilling the keg.
Technically, the gas dip tube length is irrelevant. Ideally, it should not be submerged. That said, it shouldn't cause any problems by itself, but it could multiply the effects of other problems. If the CO2 pressure drops, for whatever reason, it will likely suck beer into the regulator, for example. Best bet is to shorten it so it's not submerged. All it really needs to do is hold the o-ring in place.
