noob with keg pressure question

Just racked first batch of brew to keg. I am running CO2 in at 30 psi since noon today (plan is for a few days). I have checked it a couple times today and have noticed that the pressure has dropped slightly (a few psi each time). Is this normal when force carbing or is there a leak. I got a new regulator and tank with a used corny keg. The keg looks in good shape but anything is possible. It is my first time hooking up the co2 so its also possible im just keg stupid, but I thought it might be normal to lose a few psi's while pressurizing a keg.

Are you leaving it connected to the gas constantly or pressurizing and then disconnecting?

The PSI on your regulator is measuring the pressure flowing from the CO2 tank to the regulator, not from your regulator to your kegs (which, for all intents and purposes should be the same). Has the ambient temperature in which the CO2 tank is stored in changed?

Aubrey- Im keeping the CO2 connected and constantly running at 30 psi (when I lost a few psi, I adjusted it back to 30). I thought the co2 was needed to be running through constantly. Is that wrong?

Doc- Great thought, I didnt even think of that. The keg is sitting in the basement. I ran alot of hot water through it prior to racking so the keg was warm to the touch prior to racking. The brew sat in the basement which is between 60-65 degrees. There could be temp differences so that affects pressure correct?

newbrew3 said:

There could be temp differences so that affects pressure correct?

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Absolutely. Gas expands with heat and contracts with cold. A 5 degree temperature drop between 45 and 40 degrees correlates to a drop in a little over 2 psi at 2.2 volumes of CO2 in solution.

the best thing i did when kegging was to get a spray bottle of StarSan and water and spray down all of the connections in the lines and CO2 tank. Any new active bubbles will show you where the leak is at. A significant leak and you can drain your CO2 tank pretty quickly.

MilwaukeeBrewGuy said:

the best thing i did when kegging was to get a spray bottle of StarSan and water and spray down all of the connections in the lines and CO2 tank. Any new active bubbles will show you where the leak is at. A significant leak and you can drain your CO2 tank pretty quickly.

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Dish soap is cheaper.

Thanks a ton. Im gonna spray the keg and lines tomorrow. If I do have a leak, what do I do?

newbrew3 said:

Thanks a ton. Im gonna spray the keg and lines tomorrow. If I do have a leak, what do I do?

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Fix it.

Turn off the gas, tighten up whatever is leaking, turn the gas back on, and test it again.

Thanks guys. I checked this morning and the psi is stable at 30 psi. Im hoping that it was just a temp change in the co2 tank. After im done drinking im gonna exam everything and check for leaks.

newbrew3 said:

Thanks guys. I checked this morning and the psi is stable at 30 psi. Im hoping that it was just a temp change in the co2 tank. After im done drinking im gonna exam everything and check for leaks.

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Handy man would check for leaks before drinking , but to each their own. :rockin:

Did you set your pressure at room temp, and then stick the whole apparatus in the fridge? If yes, then that explains it.