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jar · 06-30-2007, 04:53 PM

I got my kegging system all set up about a month ago. I'm currently using picnic taps inside my chest freezer. When I went to get a beer yesterday, I found my tank empty. Does anyone have any tips on how to find a leak that slow?

There are a lot of places to look, because I swapped almost everything on my regulator. I have a dual secondary regulator that I bought cheap on ebay. I swapped out the low pressure gauges (it came with gauges then went up to 100psi, so it was hard to see small pressures on them). I swapped the single flare fittings on the outputs for Y's and flared shutuff/check valves. I used TFE paste and tightened everything with a wrench.

I read something in my searching on here just now about using some sort of washer in between flare fittings. I didn't do this. Is it necessary?

Reidman · 06-30-2007, 05:09 PM

Spray soapy water on all your connections. If thats where the leak is you should see bubbles.

Not sure about the washer question..sorry

good luck!

Thalon · 06-30-2007, 05:18 PM

I had a very slow leak that turned out to be a single faulty O-ring seal on a reconditioned corny keg I bought from the LHBS. My laziness in waiting to diagnose the leak cost me two full 5-lb tanks.

jar · 06-30-2007, 05:20 PM

I forgot to mention that I put soapy water on everything around the regulator and didn't see anything. I didn't put soapy water on the flare fittings where there attached to the QDs, so i'll try that next.

Another question. I took my regulator off to go swap my tank this morning. Just now, I went to go pour a beer to go with lunch, and had no pressure to dispense with. I thought the check valves would keep the pressure from coming out. Unfortunately I forgot to get the @#$% washer that goes between the tank and regulator when I was at the gas place. I'll have to run out to the hardware store later to get one.

Reidman · 06-30-2007, 05:24 PM

Sounds like the leak might be on your keg, possibly the relief valve..?

Thalon · 06-30-2007, 05:36 PM

Also the covers on the corny kegs only properly fit one way. They're sort of egg shaped and won't properly seal if you have it on backwards.

Maybe pick up some keg lube for the seal around the cap too...?

johnsma22 · 06-30-2007, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jar

I read something in my searching on here just now about using some sort of washer in between flare fittings. I didn't do this. Is it necessary?

Any place that you have flare fittings that are metal to metal, like the connection between your gas lines and your flared shutoff valves, you will need to insert a flare gasket. They are made in plastic (available at any HBS) or copper (avaiable at any plumbing supply).

The connection between the flare swivel on your lines and the QD's on the kegs does not require a flare gasket. The tip of the flare on the QD's is plastic and acts as a gasket. Here is a photo of the plastic flare gaskets.

gnef · 06-30-2007, 07:21 PM

do you have star san and a spray bottle? that should help to identify most leaks. check EVERYWHERE. it's obvious you have a leak that you previously didn't see, and since you didn't check everything, it is highly probable that an area you didn't check is where it is leaking.

if the star san in a spray bottle doesn't help you, and sometimes it won't if the leak is really slow (personal experience), then you have to go to the water dunk test. dunk everything you can into a tub of water, and watch for bubbles. be very careful when doing this with the regulator section, as you don't really want liquid in that area. i had to do this with some of my regulator equipment, but i was very careful.