TheCrowsNest

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Last night we finally kegged our first homebrew. I'm pumped about this but ran into some leakage problems right off the bat. The only thing I've done to this soda keg is fill it with Iodophor/water, hook up CO2, and flush it. Then we added beer.

I immediately noticed that there was a small leak where the gas connected to the keg. I realize that I probably should have tightened the nuts before running gas through them - live and learn I guess. I removed the gas connect and there was some liquid on the valve of the keg - how would this get there? I dried it off and reattached the gas. I thought I had the problem solved but I woke up this morning and my pressure has dropped from 800psi to ~500psi. Frustrated.

Am I supposed to leave the CO2 connected while carbonating? Or do I just charge it and then disconnect? Do I need to prep the keg more than I did? Did I not tighten the lines enough?

Any help is greatly appreciated!

__________________
Primary - Loop Imperium #2, Horde Vine
Secondary - Warmstone Old, Horde Beer
Kegged - Oculis Negris, Auora Nobilis, Loop Imperium

Walker

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If I recall, the high-pressure gauge on CO2 regulators is almost useless. The CO2 is in liquid form in there, except for some that has evaporated and is a gas at the top of the tank. That gas at the top of the tank will always be the same pressure until you are ALMOST empty.

So, that gauge is pretty much a "tank is empty" or "tank is not empty" thing. It really doesn't tell you how much CO2 is left in there.

Did you stick your tank into a fridge last night? If so, maybe that's the reason for the gauge reading a lower value now?

As for having liquid on the gas connector post.... did you slosh the keg around at all after filling it up?

__________________
Ground Fault Brewing Co.

TheCrowsNest

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Yes on both counts. Should I just not worry about it unless the CO2 goes to empty?

__________________
Primary - Loop Imperium #2, Horde Vine
Secondary - Warmstone Old, Horde Beer
Kegged - Oculis Negris, Auora Nobilis, Loop Imperium

Special Hops

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Am I supposed to leave the CO2 connected while carbonating? YES
Or do I just charge it and then disconnect? NO - i always leave mine connected
Do I need to prep the keg more than I did? Did you use keg lube? that helps seal it

Did I not tighten the lines enough? worth rechecking everything.
Any help is greatly appreciated! Hang in there. I had CO2 leak when I first got set up. tightened and retightened everything about 5 times and finally got it. Not I have not had a problem since.

Walker

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Yup.. Don't worry about it.

The pressure drop you saw on the gauge is just because you lowered the temp of the tank. It's the "Ideal Gas Law" from chemistry or something like that. Pressure, volume, and temp are all related. You kept volume constant but lowered temp, so the pressure had to change to keep the system in balance.

If you are worried about a leak, some folks mix up some soapy water (or starsan) and spray it all over the gas system and everything. Leaks will be exposed by big bubbles growing off the surface of what you sprayed.

__________________
Ground Fault Brewing Co.

steinsato

Recipes 

make sure your co2 hose is firmly attached to the gas coupler with a hose clamp. I've noticed even with a hose clamp I tend to lose CO2 between the end of the hose and the coupler. It is very frustrating. I've wasted about 4 tanks this way.

__________________
"The ordinary world is only the foam on top of the real world." Tom Robbins (B is for Beer)
"It's a beautiful day for baseball. Let's play two." Ernie Banks

tbeard

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the guy I got my regulator from was an idiot and used copper lines to run to the keg. Copper is great if you don't move the lines ever, but everytime i wanted to change kegs I had to move my lines, and the copper must has sprung a leak. I started losing one 5lb tank per night. I got fed up and ran nice new rubber gas lines and have had no problems since. moral of the story, take a look at your gas lines they could be leaking.

Homercidal

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Mine drops from about 800 to about 500 after sticking in the fridge and charging a keg.

Use starsan in a spray bottle to search for any leaks though. Don't forget to check the tank and reg as well.