Help! Gas Leak between Tank and Regulator

Hi All,

I just got my kegging equipment and plan on kegging a batch of Apfelwein tomorrow. I was wondering if anyone could help me to fix a gas leak. I used soapy water at all possible points on the Keg, Regulator, and CO2 tank. The keg worked beautifully. I just replaced the O-rings on both posts and the cover, and used keg lube on them. The regulator barb was kind of obstructed by a hose clamp, so i couldn't see if the water was bubbling.

However, when i sprayed the solution on the CO2 tank nozzle/regulator connection, bubbles were blowing up in the soap. I looked and there isn't any rubber-type seal between the two. It looks like metal on metal contact. I used my wrench to tighten the seal as tightly as humanly possible but it didn't make a difference. The seal is poor. What do you all recommend that i do to fix this?

Thanks in advance for the help!

Go immediately to the hardware store and get some teflon tape. It's cheap and absolutely necessary for a good tight seal.

Wrap the male threads of the connection in several tight layers of teflon tape and reconnect.

Oh...shut off the gas first.

I agree with BierMuncher, however, there should be a gasket in this connection

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.aspx?ProdID=4206

You should have a nylon or fiber washer between the tank and regulator if you want to do it "right". Gas suppliers should carry them.

yeah, any welding shop should have the nylon washers at least, usually 2 for $1.

Wow. Thanks for the speedy replies. I'm off from work tomorrow, so i'll get the stuff i need before i keg. The welding shop is only 5 minutes away.

My supplier gives me a washer with each exchange. I have one regulator with an o-ring and one without, but use washers on both.

Mine had an Oring on the regulator flange. I found that a keg Oring is the right size. The connection does not seal via the threads so teflon tape is not a solution I would suggest.

Bobby_M said:

The connection does not seal via the threads so teflon tape is not a solution I would suggest.

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Nor would I suggest using a wrench to tighten the seal as tightly as humanly possible... That's a good way to break the fitting.

I'd venture a guess that you could make your own washer out of almost anything. Grab the lid off a sour cream, ricotta cheese, etc container, cut a circle and put a small hole in the center. That's the solution I'd suggest for a flange that does not have a recess (gland) for an O-ring. If it does, just go to Lowes by the faucet repair section and find and O-ring that fits.

I think that the purpose of the teflon was not to seal but to be able to tighten without galling. It may seem counter-intuitive, but I think people tend to overtighten when the fitting is harder to turn than easier.


The gasket is the key, however.

I agree that a little tape on the threads are good for lubrication as well, but I'd think suggesting it's use when there's a leak implies that the tape is the solution to stopping the leak.

Bobby_M said:

I'd venture a guess that you could make your own washer out of almost anything. Grab the lid off a sour cream, ricotta cheese, etc container, cut a circle and put a small hole in the center.

Click to expand...

Great point. In a pinch I have made similar washers using 2-3 layers of styrofoam plate. The beauty of styrofoam is that a quick press with the fitting gives you a perfect template for cutting.

olllllo said:

I think that the purpose of the teflon was not to seal but to be able to tighten without galling.

Click to expand...

If it's got threads, I put DOW T-111 on it. The ONLY exception is for oxygen/oxidizers.

I'm a bone head. When you all said that i needed a nylon washer to seal the joint, i was really mad. I bought a kegging kit from AHS and figured everything would be in the kit. So today i went to the welding shop where i got the gas and explained to him my problem. I asked him for the washer. So the guy told me to bring in my tank and regulator and he'd look at it. Sure enough, the very part that i needed was twist-tied around the top of the CO2 tank that AHS sent me.

I felt like an ass, but the guy thought it was hilarious.

Bobby_M said:

I agree that a little tape on the threads are good for lubrication as well, but I'd think suggesting it's use when there's a leak implies that the tape is the solution to stopping the leak.

Click to expand...

My bad. I'd assumed that there was a gasket installed. I just use teflon tape on most everything (threaded) as a matter of course.

efreem01 said:

I felt like an ass, but the guy thought it was hilarious.

Click to expand...

Being human is a bi*ch ain't it...

FWIW, I've been bragging on Doug (Just Brew It - Fayetteville, Ga.) here and I need to do it once again. Doug exchanges my tanks AND provides a new gasket with each refill.