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mirage137 · 02-02-2013, 11:03 PM

I was wondering how long a 5lb CO2 tank usually lasts. I kegged 5 gallons, forced carbed at 20psi for 3 days and served at 9psi since mid December. Just recently noticed my regulator is down below 5psi and tried to turn the pressure back up to 9 psi to no avail. The tank does feel light so wondering if it's empty. Just weird it stayed at 9psi for the month or so but now it went down.

**jb3218** · 02-02-2013, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mirage137

I was wondering how long a 5lb CO2 tank usually lasts. I kegged 5 gallons, forced carbed at 20psi for 3 days and served at 9psi since mid December. Just recently noticed my regulator is down below 5psi and tried to turn the pressure back up to 9 psi to no avail. The tank does feel light so wondering if it's empty. Just weird it stayed at 9psi for the month or so but now it went down.

The tank has a stamp on the top part that is the empty weight. If the tank is aluminum, the weight should be 7.7 lbs. so when it's full its a little over 12 lbs. When I had mine filled, I weighed it when I got home on a bathroom scale and it was 12.5 lbs. Disconnect the tank and weigh it. You might want to use soapy water around the threaded areas to see if you have a leak.

**jb3218** · 02-02-2013, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdxal

UV light skunks beer, so if the beer isn't UV light struck (such as in direct sunlight or in clear bottles) it won't skunk. Bottles can sit at room temp for quite a while without issues, but do just a little better at cellar temps or colder. I've had bottled homebrew in my basement for a couple of years that was fine, for example.

After reading my question and response I think I need to rephrase it. I plan on bottling some beer from the kegs AFTER the beer has been carbonated. I plan on using a beer gun.

mirage137 · 02-03-2013, 02:01 PM

Thanks for the reply JB, the tank is new but the regulator is an old perlick regulator that came with a kegarator in my dad's house. I do plan on getting a new regulator eventually. But does a 5# tank normally last for 1 keg or should it last for more? I'd hate to think I have to exchange the tank for every keg.

Plus I do have the tank in the keezer too. I haven't searched this yet but I remember seeing a post about the difference between having the tank inside the keezer opposed to outside because of colder temps and the compressed CO2. Be easy on me, I took physics twice in college, not my strong point. Lol.

I still suspect the regulator but since it was free, had to give it a shot.

**jb3218** · 02-03-2013, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mirage137

Thanks for the reply JB, the tank is new but the regulator is an old perlick regulator that came with a kegarator in my dad's house. I do plan on getting a new regulator eventually. But does a 5# tank normally last for 1 keg or should it last for more? I'd hate to think I have to exchange the tank for every keg.

Plus I do have the tank in the keezer too. I haven't searched this yet but I remember seeing a post about the difference between having the tank inside the keezer opposed to outside because of colder temps and the compressed CO2. Be easy on me, I took physics twice in college, not my strong point. Lol.

I still suspect the regulator but since it was free, had to give it a shot.

I just started kegging myself but years ago I had a tap system with an old fridge. It had a 5lb. air tank and I would get about 6-7 1/4 barrels from it. That being said, you should get an easy 10+ kegs. Not sure how much is used during the carbonation process but if you only got 1 keg from it then you have a leak somewhere. Did you put Teflon tape on the threads or did you just hook it up and turn it on? Check this first since it would be cheaper then buying a $50.00 regulator or easier then buying parts and making your own regulator as some people do. I think the people that buy the parts and make their own just like to do things like that. I don't go that far but I did buy another regulator and connected it to the one I had so now I can hook up two tanks and have two separate pressures from one tank. Didn't mean to go on but oh well. Let me know how it turned out.

**jb3218** · 02-03-2013, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mirage137

Thanks for the reply JB, the tank is new but the regulator is an old perlick regulator that came with a kegarator in my dad's house. I do plan on getting a new regulator eventually. But does a 5# tank normally last for 1 keg or should it last for more? I'd hate to think I have to exchange the tank for every keg.

Plus I do have the tank in the keezer too. I haven't searched this yet but I remember seeing a post about the difference between having the tank inside the keezer opposed to outside because of colder temps and the compressed CO2. Be easy on me, I took physics twice in college, not my strong point. Lol.

I still suspect the regulator but since it was free, had to give it a shot.

I forgot to mention that on my old fridge system, the tank was kept in the fridge.

**JuanMoore** · 02-03-2013, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaxOut

I store kegs refrigerated once carbonated and would think CO2 would come out of solution if stored at higher temps. So far none have lasted long enough to find out...

As long as the keg holds pressure, changing the temperature doesn't change the carbonation level of the beer inside the keg. The headspace pressure will increase with a temp increase, but that's about it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mirage137

I was wondering how long a 5lb CO2 tank usually lasts. I kegged 5 gallons, forced carbed at 20psi for 3 days and served at 9psi since mid December. Just recently noticed my regulator is down below 5psi and tried to turn the pressure back up to 9 psi to no avail. The tank does feel light so wondering if it's empty. Just weird it stayed at 9psi for the month or so but now it went down.

One pound of CO2 should carbonate and serve between 5 and 10 gal of beer. This means you should get 5-10 corny kegs out of a 5# tank. You definitely have a leak somewhere. Once you get the tank refilled, fill up a spray bottle with soapy water (or star-san solution) and spray down all connections, keg lids, etc.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mirage137

Plus I do have the tank in the keezer too. I haven't searched this yet but I remember seeing a post about the difference between having the tank inside the keezer opposed to outside because of colder temps and the compressed CO2. Be easy on me, I took physics twice in college, not my strong point. Lol.

The only differences will be what the high pressure gauge reads (if you have one), and how quickly the regulator adjusts to adjustments. It doesn't have any effect on gas usage.

**Aschecte** · 02-07-2013, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JuanMoore

As long as the keg holds pressure, changing the temperature doesn't change the carbonation level of the beer inside the keg. The headspace pressure will increase with a temp increase, but that's about it.

One pound of CO2 should carbonate and serve between 5 and 10 gal of beer. This means you should get 5-10 corny kegs out of a 5# tank. You definitely have a leak somewhere. Once you get the tank refilled, fill up a spray bottle with soapy water (or star-san solution) and spray down all connections, keg lids, etc.

The only differences will be what the high pressure gauge reads (if you have one), and how quickly the regulator adjusts to adjustments. It doesn't have any effect on gas usage.

Co2 is dissolved into solution more readily at a lower temperature and leaves solution at a higher temperature to equalize pressure differential. That is one of the reasons other besides gas expansion that the head space pressure increases. For example if you want to get lets say 2.7 volumes of co2 and you store your keg at 36 degrees you may only need 12psi but to maintain that same psi at let's say 60 degrees you may need to keep it at 20 psi to keep that volume I co2 in the solution of beer.