Leaky Kegerator?

I just set up my first kegerator and put my first beer in. I hit it with 12 psi and came back to it about 2 hrs later to find that it had dropped to 9 psi. I opened the valve more and the pressure has dropped again. Is this normal or do I have a leak in my kegerator? Just wondering because I'm new to all this stuff.

Cheers

Were you drinking from it? Turn it back up to 12 and then turn off the tank valve. It should hold steady. Did you use keg lube on the o rings?

I did drink a beer from it. I suppose that would explain the pressure drop. I didn't apply the keg lube either. Where do I do that? Around the in and out ports on the keg? Should I do it from the inside of the keg or can I do it from the outside? Lastly, where should I turn off the co2 on the tank or the valve on the regulator?

Set the pressure to what you want with the tank valve open and the cut off valve off. Then open the valve to the keg and walk away. Leave all the valves on or you will lose carb. The drop in pressure is most likely from co2 absorption, it will level out at the set pressure. Was the brew carbed prior?

-cheers

If your keg was carbed at 12, and your reg was set at 9 drinking from it would lower the pressure. To check for leaks, turn up the pressure to say 15 and turn off the big knob on top of the CO2 tank.

If the guage drops down in 15 minutes you have a leak. The keg lube goes on the orings on both the in and out fittings. My LHBS doesn't sell it, so I ordered keg lube, extra orings and valves from KegConnection. Since I had to pay for shipping I just stocked up.

The keg is in the process of being carbed right now. I'll have to try and raise the pressure too see if it drops. I didn't get keg lube cause it was a refurbished keg and figured the orings would be ok. Next time I'm there I'll have to pick up some spare parts. Thanks for dealing with a first-timer.