Co2 explosion......definitely need help!

So I have the below regulator:


I'm relatively new to legging, as in this is my first attempt. I was force carbing a keg this afternoon and the line literally exploded off of the connector. The plastic valve along with the metal fitting stayed on the keg, but the hose went flying, and as a result a lot of great smelling beer was lost. Sad face.

Anyway, I just wanted to know if I'm reading this wrong or doing something wrong to have caused this accident. Looking at the regulator, I've been using the top one as the reference to what's going in the keg and the side gauge as the one measuring the tank level. I filled the keg about a week ago to 18 psi, so I think anyway, and let it sit lagering for a few more days. Today, I cranked the nozzle to 28 psi to begin the process of force carbonation. I didn't hear much gas going in, but assumed I was just missing something. I started rolling it on my knees and that's when the explosion happened. I immediately looked at the tank and the top valve still read 28 psi, but the side tank was reading near 50.

So, did I just dump 50 psi into my beer and therefore ruin it, or do I just need to get some clamps on my hoses?

Thanks all

What kind of clamps do you have securing the gas hose to the fittings? If worm type clamps, there's the issue. Either they were not tight enough (can be difficult at times, depending on which ones you got) or it simply failed. I've been using oetiker clamps, with a crimping tool, and have no issues even at 30psi. They work far better than worm clamps, since they secure all the way around the hose, not just partially (as worm clamps do).

BTW, the gauge to the left is the high pressure side (shows what's in the tank). The one directly above the barbed fittings is the low pressure side, which is what's going to the lines.

Also, the numbers on the outside of the marks are in 'bars' where the inside is PSI. 50 bars is about right for a full tank. 50psi would be empty.

Oetiker clamps are definitely the way to go and you don't need the expensive crimp tool to use them. You can crimp the clamps with a medium size set of wire cutters.

Keg Connection has the non-ratchetking tool for all of $8.95. It's the one I've been using for mine. Works really well to both crimp and cut the clamps.

So you all would say it's safe to say that I didn't just dump 50 psi into my beer and almost blow up my keg, but instead I should have clamped my hose. That makes me feel a lot better. The kit I bought didn't come with clamps for those hoses, which surprised me. But, it was my first time so what do I know?

Thanks.

icantbejon said:

So you all would say it's safe to say that I didn't just dump 50 psi into my beer and almost blow up my keg, but instead I should have clamped my hose. That makes me feel a lot better. The kit I bought didn't come with clamps for those hoses, which surprised me. But, it was my first time so what do I know?

Thanks.

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What kit did you purchase?

The 50 you read on the tank pressure gauge is 50 BAR and not 50PSI. That's reading tank pressure.

The 28 psi on the other side is what was going into your keg and it's plenty of pressure to blow a hose off a barb that doesn't have a clamp on it.

Side note... you're not going to be thrilled with the old 28psi shake the keg carbonation method. The next post is going to be something like "Why am I getting nothing but foam in the glass?"

Bobby_M said:

Side note... you're not going to be thrilled with the old 28psi shake the keg carbonation method. The next post is going to be something like "Why am I getting nothing but foam in the glass?"

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I'm sure you're right....I'm just very impatient to try my first keg. I also know this is a horrible reason to rush as I'll ruin perfectly good beer. Impatient none the less. If I've already pumped 30 psi in and then let it sit for a while, will that still work?

I'm sure the kit assumed serving pressures of 8-12 psi, so clamps aren't "mandatory" in those situations.

Even if you did push 50psi in to the beer, its not ruined. If you ever overcarb a beer, you just keep bleeding off the CO2 until it's correct.

Also I believe the safety valve on corny kegs will blow at about 130psi.

Did you disconnect the gas after putting 18 psi on it, or did you leave the gas connected for the week? It kinda sounds like you left it on the gas, in which case your beer was probably already carbed (or overcarbed) before trying to shake it.

I'm a fan of the set and forget method of carbonation, but in the rare cases I'm in a hurry I use the same relatively safe method used by many on this site. Chill the beer to serving temp, put it on 30 psi for ~36 hrs, vent the keg and reset to serving pressure. Another day or two at serving pressure and it's ready to go.

I'm going to build my own carbonating lid for my corny kegs. Just waiting for the last parts to arrive. I have some spare (used) lids so I'll sacrifice one for this. From what I've read that will be a better method than the high pressure and shake method. I plan to only use it when I'm under a time crunch to get a keg carbonated. Otherwise I'll keep using the two week set and forget method.

BTW, looks like I can make my own carbonating lid for less than they sell for.

Golddiggie said:

I'm going to build my own carbonating lid for my corny kegs. Just waiting for the last parts to arrive. I have some spare (used) lids so I'll sacrifice one for this. From what I've read that will be a better method than the high pressure and shake method. I plan to only use it when I'm under a time crunch to get a keg carbonated. Otherwise I'll keep using the two week set and forget method.

BTW, looks like I can make my own carbonating lid for less than they sell for.

Click to expand...

I just use a 2' piece of 1/4" ID silicone tubing and a carb stone. Quick and easy to just stick it on the gas diptube of a keg I need to carb right away.

JuanMoore said:

I'm a fan of the set and forget method of carbonation, but in the rare cases I'm in a hurry I use the same relatively safe method used by many on this site. Chill the beer to serving temp, put it on 30 psi for ~36 hrs, vent the keg and reset to serving pressure. Another day or two at serving pressure and it's ready to go.

Click to expand...

Would I leave the gas connected to the beer in this method, or pump in 30 and disconnect?

icantbejon said:

Would I leave the gas connected to the beer in this method, or pump in 30 and disconnect?

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Leave it connected. If you put CO2 pressure on the keg and the disconnect it, the beer will quickly absorb the gas, and it will barely change the carbonation level. There needs to be constant pressure to continue to replace the gas as it gets absorbed.

Hold on... You rolled what on your knees? The CO2 tank? If so, you probably put liquid CO2 into the reg and gas line. That is why it blew.

JuanMoore said:

Leave it connected. If you put CO2 pressure on the keg and the disconnect it, the beer will quickly absorb the gas, and it will barely change the carbonation level. There needs to be constant pressure to continue to replace the gas as it gets absorbed.

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Ok...perhaps a stupid question. I hooked my Co2 tank back up now...with clamps this time...and cranked it up to 30 psi. When I looked back at it, the guage is reading at 0 psi right now. Does it automatically turn off when the tank is at 30 and then pump in gas as needed or do I just have a crappy regulator?

It should be reading 30PSI if thats what you set it at.

If both gauges read zero and the tank valve is open, then the tank is empty.

Fixed the issue....man this is a real learning curve!