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JoeTap Brew System Troubleshooting

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  • #Beverage Equipment
  • #JoeTap
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JoeTap-Brew-System-Troubleshooting

From corner coffee shops to large restaurants, many establishments love having a wide selection of coffee brews on hand. JoeTap makes some of the best coffee dispensers to serve up delicious Nitro cold brews. If your dispenser ever has a rare hiccup, don’t panic. Below are JoeTap brew system troubleshooting tips to help you diagnose an issue quickly.

This guide provides troubleshooting for popular Single and Double Door models.


Won’t Chill, Cool or Run

  • No power – See if the power cord needs to be plugged in or if the outlet is dead. The dead outlet will need to be changed by an electrician.
  • Tripped circuit breaker – Reset the circuit breaker to restore power.
  • Thermostat is set to “Off/Thaw” – Turn the thermostat knob until the compressor turns on. Make sure to change the ambient temperature inside the unit to 34-38 degrees Fahrenheit.


Won’t Dispense

  • Empty tank – See if the tank is empty and fill it accordingly.
  • Unseated or incorrectly sealed tank lid – Reseat the beverage tank lid so the gasket is on correctly and it’s locked in place.
  • Closed regulator shutoff – Turn the regulator shutoff into the on position.
  • Gas source is off – Turn the primary gas source at the tank into the on position.
  • Reversed gas and product inlets on the tank – Remove the tank’s connections so the blue line is gas to IN and the opaque line is the beverage line on OUT.
  • Frozen product lines – If frozen, remove the lid off the unit and unplug the machine. Open the faucet lines and let it thaw for about an hour. Then, change the ambient temperature inside the unit to 34-38 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Improperly connected product and/or gas line to the container – Make sure the product and/or gas lines are connected to the 5-gallon container.
  • Open “Purge/Clean” valve after connecting a new nitrogen tank and turning gas on – Close the valve and draw fluid until product dispenses from the faucet. Then, open the purge valve.
  • Clogged filter – The 5-micron filter could be clogged and needs to be cleaned or replaced. Follow the disassembly and assembly instructions in your operator’s manual.
  • Dirty brew system – Clean the unit with JoeTap-approved cleaning chemical. Follow the instructions in your operator’s manual.


Product is Too Warm

  • Filled with warm product – Check if the beverage tank was filled with warm product. If so, replaced with pre-chilled product.
  • Hot glassware – Make sure the glass you use is either at room temperature or pre-chilled.
  • No power or off – See “Won’t Chill, Cool or Run” section for how to correct power issues.
  • Incorrect thermostat setting – Turn the thermostat knob until the compressor turns on. Make sure to change the ambient temperature inside the unit to 34-38 degrees Fahrenheit.


Product Doesn’t Taste Right

  • Incorrect gas to the unit – Make sure the gas is 100% N2 or 25% CO2 and 75% N2, depending on the brew’s guidelines.
  • Dirty brew system – Clean the unit with JoeTap-approved cleaning chemical. Follow the instructions in your operator’s manual.
  • Expired beverage – If the beverage is out of date or stale in the tank, disconnect the unit and remove the product immediately. Then, clean the tank thoroughly with JoeTap-approved cleaning chemicals and follow the instructions in your operator’s manual. Refill with fresh cold brew.
  • Non-cold brew beverage is in the tank – Disconnect the unit and remove the product immediately. Then, clean the tank thoroughly with JoeTap-approved cleaning chemicals and follow the instructions in your operator’s manual. Refill with fresh cold brew.
  • Incorrectly diluted coffee – If the coffee wasn’t diluted to specifications, disconnect the unit and remove the product immediately. Then, clean the tank thoroughly with JoeTap-approved cleaning chemicals and follow the instructions in your operator’s manual. Refill with properly diluted cold brew coffee.
  • Incorrectly used non-diluted concentrate – If you used straight, non-diluted concentrate, disconnect the unit and remove the product immediately. Then, clean the tank thoroughly with JoeTap-approved cleaning chemicals and follow the instructions in your operator’s manual. Refill with properly diluted cold brew coffee.
  • Switched brands before cleaning – If you switched brands before cleaning the machine, the old flavor could linger. Disconnect the unit and remove the product immediately. Then, clean the tank thoroughly with JoeTap-approved cleaning chemicals and follow the instructions in your operator’s manual. Refill with properly diluted cold brew coffee.


Product Won’t Cascade

  • Incorrect gas to the unit – Confirm that the gas is 100% N2 or 25% CO2 and 75% N2, depending on the brew’s guidelines.
  • Incorrect minimum pressure on the regulator – The regulator’s minimum pressure should be set to 20 PSI. Increase in 5-pound increments until it reaches the proper cascading levels. Don’t exceed 70 PSI.
  • Warm product – Chill the product between 34-39 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • JoeTap cleaned with the incorrect chemical – Clean the unit with JoeTap-approved cleaning chemical. Follow the instructions in your operator’s manual.
  • Clogged Nitrogenator from incorrect filtering – The coffee should be filtered with a filter of 5 microns or less. If incorrectly filtered the Nitrogenator clogs with particulate. Clean the unit with JoeTap-approved cleaning chemical. Follow the instructions in your operator’s manual.
  • Wetted Nitrogenator infuser – This occurs when there is no gas pressure on the unit, but liquid is present. Disconnect the unit and remove the beverage tank. Place the empty tank in JoeTap, connect accordingly and open the creamer faucet. The unit will blow out liquid. Repeat the opening and closing of the faucet until there is no liquid and only gas comes out. Turn off the “Clean/Purge” valve, and remove the empty tank. Replace the beverage tank filled with brew and connect accordingly. Run liquid through both faucets and turn on the “Clean/Purge” valve. The product should pour normally.


Product Cascades Too Much

  • High gas pressure – If the gas pressure is too high, bring it back down to 20 PSI and vent the gas from the tank. Increase in 5-pound increments until it reaches the proper cascading levels. Don’t exceed 70 PSI.
  • Clogged faucet – Remove the creamer faucet’s tip and clean both the restrictor disks and nozzle. Reattach when cleaned.
Please contact a local authorized service agent who can help with these specific units and all your commercial kitchen equipment needs.
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