C02 leak Question

Hey guys, last week our fridge died and I shoved what I could in the kegerator. I remember hitting the c02 bottle connector and when I looked the next day all the c02 had leaked out. I got a new bottle and hooked that up last Friday. Last night I looked at it and the bottle is empty again. I obviously have a leak that I have to track down.

My question is, I still have the c02 bottle connected to the kegs. If they've been carbonating for a week or so and are now sitting in the kegerator with the empty c02 bottle still connected to them, is it going to ruin the beer or make it go flat or should I just fix the leak and get another bottle and continue on my merry way?

Thanks!

Tim

disconnect it, fix the leak, and fill the tank

Most likely your gas line(s) have a check valve that will prevent gas from leaving the keg. You will need to get the bottle filled again before you can track the leak. When you first hook it back up, spray down everything with either soapy water or a heavy star san solution. You will see bubbles form where the leak is.

Agreed. If there's a leak then there's a leak. Since all the pressure is out of the c02 bottle then the kegs are next. Un-hook those.. get a new bottle and a spray bottle of starsan or dish soap or something... spray hoses and popits regulator.. whole system if you need to then fix and be on your marry way!!

thanks guys. I'm at work now, will it hurt the beer if they sit for 4 more hours connected to the dead bottle?

how would it hurt? beer wont siphon back into your CO2 bottle or anything. you just have a half carbonated beer. when you add more CO2, it will continue to carbonate the rest of the way.

I didn't know if beer being carbonated and then going flat and then being carbonated again would effect it...

You have absolutely nothing to worry about. Just fill the bottle, fix the leak and carry on.