CO2 leak suspect pin locks

I ran out of CO2 and I suspect the leak is where the pin lock connector connects to the keg. I've noticed that my kegs have been leaking at the gas input if I don't have these connectors seated perfectly vertical.

The kegs have brand new o rings all around and I put vacuum seal grease on the o rings. If the connectors are even a little tilted I hear a leak and moving it around stops the leak.

What can I do to prevent this leak so I don't waste another tank? What in the world is wrong with my gas connections to my keg? Or what am I doing wrong?

Hi

A couple of things:

1) The posts themselves may be damaged or worn out. O-rings just fill a gap. If the gap is to big, even new ones aren't going to do any good.

2) The connectors may be worn out - same issue.

3) The posts may not be screwed onto the keg tightly or sealed completely.

Soap and water (as in bubbles) are your best diagnostic tool here. There should be no way you can tug / push / pull the connectors that makes them leak without getting nutty.

You mention vacuum grease. If that's the stuff we normally use on high vacuum fittings it's not rated for food use. The stuff you should be using is normally called keg lube. Keg lube is dirt cheap and easy to find (unlike the high vac grease). It's not your problem leak wise, but it's something you should be aware of.

Bob

Thanks for the reply! The connectors are all brand new so its probably not them.

The kegs are older and so are the posts. What should I look for on three posts to know if they are worn?

the high vac grease I have is rated for incidental good contact, soI think I'm fine there!

One other thought... Could worn out poppet valves cause this?

The post o-rings are likely too small. Many people (including companies selling kegs) mistakenly believe that they use the same size o-ring as ball locks, when they actually require slightly larger. The issue you describe is exactly what happens with a ball lock o-ring on a pin lock post. I'm on my phone, but if you search here you should find the size you need.

I bet i've got the wrong o rings. That explains why i've got the loose connection. I'll go to my LHBS tomorrow to get the right o rings and fill up my tank. thanks for that tip!

I'm betting having the wrong o rings was the problem. I bought new o rings at my LHBS. They had pin lock rings that are slightly bigger all around, and they seem like they are sealing much better. good to be on the right track.