Noobie kegger needs help :(

I attempted to keg my first batch last night. I santized the keg and forced IO through the line with CO2. Filling the keg went as I expected, then I hooked up my gas line and pressurized (set at 15 PSI), and into the fridge she went.

I checked on the setup this morning. The low pressure gauge read 0, and the high pressure gauge read about 550. I expected the pressure to decrease b/c of the temp change, but that much???

I turned off the gas, released the pressure in the keg, which was minimal, and turned the gas back on. Readings were the same, and I didn't hear any gas!

Any thoughts?

Also, I'm not supposed to hook up the beer/out line for a few days, right? What would happen if I did?

you got a leak it sounds like. is there still air in the tank? a spray bottle with soap will find any leaks. i usually hook up the beer line out early the only "downside" is the beer in the line wont carb up... you did turn off the air when you started filling the keg correct? a quick spray of co2 is all you need... then turn it off, fill, seal, turn on gas, purge, purge, set it and forget it.

You can hook your beerline up anytime you want. You can even have a (flat) beer today if you want to.

I'm not sure what you're saying about low pressure gauge, etc.

If it seems like there isn't any gas going in, try turning the regulator up a bit. It does sound like you had a leak, though, and maybe lost your gas but I don't understand the 550 psi on the tank, then.

Try pulling off the gas lines and seeing if anything is blocked in the post/quick disconnect.

I'll check that when I get home.

Another concern:

When I sanitized the keg, I followed midwestern supplies advice:

"The first step is sanitizing the keg. I personally do this with a rinse of hot water and B-Brite of a gallon or so, shaken in a sealed keg, then expelled through the keg plumbing with CO2. After this, I do the same thing with boiling water, again expelling through the plumbing, to clear the B-Brite residue."

So I poured boiling water into the keg. It didn't expel through the plumbing as the IO sanitizer solution had just minutes before. Could this have damaged the keg/plumbing? Suppose I shoulda asked first.

If you have a leak you would still hear gas flowing. I think you need to open the high pressure regulator (upstream).

LeeF said:

I think you need to open the high pressure regulator (upstream).

Click to expand...

Would that be the large knob on top? (Sorry for the dumbness)

This kegging business has me anxious to get home. Maybe I should cut outta work and go play with it.

If I had a leak, that would have totally emptied my CO2 tank overnight, right?

If the leak is small enough, you may not hear it and it could take a few days (or more) to empty the tank completely. I recently lost a whole tank of CO2 to a small leak. I think I caused the leak in a gas-in line on one keg while messing with another in my fridge. I never heard a leaking sound and it took a couple of weeks to empty my 20# tank.

If your tank pressure (high pressure gauge) is still reading above zero it means that there is still gas in the tank. Purge your keg, make sure that the tank is open (big knob), you're connected to the keg properly, dial the pressure up to the desired psi and use the soap and water method to check for leaks. You should hear gas flowing into the keg. If you don't hear anything than you don't have any gas flow.

Also, that "high pressure gauge" that shows the over all tank pressure is pretty much useless for our purposes. It will read the same as long as there is any gas left in the tank and then drop right to zero when it's empty.

My system has a regulator straight off the CO2 bottle. This regulates the CO2 from bottle pressure to something below 100 psi. I then have lines running to a two regulator setup which feeds two cornies. These regulators drop the pressure from 100 psi to 10 psi or what ever is needed. Either could be turned off and the system is shut off.

Assuming you have a similar setup:
1. I would bleed the first reg by pulling the pin on the release valve. If no CO2 flows then the bottle may not be open.
2. If 1 produces CO2 out the bleed and if no CO2 at the second reg bleed then the first reg isnt opening. Adjust 1st reg.
3. If 2 produces CO2 out the bleed then adjust 2nd reg to open. You should hear gas flow and once pressure is reached, no flow.

Photos or a link to a photo of your system would help. PM me and I may be able to help over the phone when you get home.

Thanks LeeF! (And everyone!)

I'll post a pic of my set-up this evening, and I'll try everyone's suggestions till I get it right.

This is a little daunting, since so many seem to get their stuff up-and-running with no problems at all!

Praise the beer gods--it works!

The problem was so simple. I took was a screwdriver to the screw that serves as the regulator and BAM! the gas was flowing. I didn't think I'd have to crank it down that hard, but I was wrong!

Thanks to everyone for your help!