Is it a C02 leak?

I wanted to check that my 4 way manifold, Quick Disconnects, and regulator were leak free so I set the pressure to ~8 and turned off the gas. The pressure dropped after 10 hours to ~4. The C02 tank has not changed more than 2-3F.

Should I expect some leaking from the quick disconnects or is this a slow leak that needs to be investigated? The disconnects presently are not attached to anything.

I would spray everything with star san and look for bubbles.

Leaks can be hard to track down. One of my 3 gallon kegs is not sealing very good and sucked my tank dry.

Cpt_Kirks said:

I would spray everything with star san and look for bubbles.

Leaks can be hard to track down. One of my 3 gallon kegs is not sealing very good and sucked my tank dry.

Click to expand...

That's not a bad idea. The good news is that I have a bit of time to find out what is going on. I plan on naturally carbonating my first keg.

I'd just power everything up and use soap solution to look for bubbles.

I can't tell from your post...but did you have the disconnects hooked up to kegs? Did they have liquid in them?

The liquid can absorb CO2...and with your tank shutoff...the pressure on the high side will drop, and when it does...the poppet won't seat as well..and will leak. You can see this by putting a little drop of soap solution on the weep hole on the regulator. It will slowly bubble.

Now if it still bubbles constantly when you have the tank valve open...then you might have a leak in the regulator. Vavle seating surface worn or dirty..or the seal between the valve seat and the regulator body leaking...

chuggs said:

I'd just power everything up and use soap solution to look for bubbles.

I can't tell from your post...but did you have the disconnects hooked up to kegs? Did they have liquid in them?

The liquid can absorb CO2...and with your tank shutoff...the pressure on the high side will drop, and when it does...the poppet won't seat as well..and will leak. You can see this by putting a little drop of soap solution on the weep hole on the regulator. It will slowly bubble.

Now if it still bubbles constantly when you have the tank valve open...then you might have a leak in the regulator. Vavle seating surface worn or dirty..or the seal between the valve seat and the regulator body leaking...

Click to expand...

The disconnects are not connected to anything. I have some C02 in the lines, but the tank is off.

In that case...you've probably got a very small leak. Unless there was a significant change in barometric pressure...there is a tiny leak somewhere...

Hope it's easy to find...

chuggs said:

In that case...you've probably got a very small leak. Unless there was a significant change in barometric pressure...there is a tiny leak somewhere...

Hope it's easy to find...

Click to expand...

Interesting. The C02 tank is in the basement, but there has been a few summer storms running through. Either way, I'll figure it out.

Maybe it's best to perform the test with all the check valves closed on the manifold. At least then I can eliminate a few other points from the equation.

Yep...take it step by step.

If I'm investigating a new system...

1) with the regulator off the tank...I take the cover off the regulator (careful not to loose the parts...and keep them in order if you're not familiar with how they're put together.

2) You'll see the Poppet valve in the center of the back of the regulator. Close off the shutoff valve. Connect to the tank with a new washer. Turn on the gas. Take a little soap & water on a q-tip and dab it around the poppet valve...careful not to depress it.

3) Check the fitting to the tank...the High Pressure Gauge threads...the High Pressure Stem threads... If all that checks out...your HIGH SIDE is good to go.

4) Turn the tank valve off... Pressure should hold...

Now for the low side...

5) Reassemble the regulator...replace worn/cracked diaphram if necessary...

6) Turn the tank valve back on... Now swab the Low Pressure gauge threads, and the shutoff vavle threads... If still not leaks the regulator is good. Now Open the shutoff valve and check all the connections...individually...

So...that's my Tank down troubleshooting... It usually finds the culprit...


........a bit more on the barometric pressure...

The regulator is set for PSID...so if atmospheric pressure drops...your PSID (differential actually increases... This backs the needle valve off the face of the poppet, and relieves LOW SIDE gas pressure... Or if your atmospheric pressure increases...your PSID (differential would decrease)...so the needle valve will push the poppet back, allowing more CO2 to come from the high side into the low side... It's trying to keep the diaphram and spring in equilibrium...

When you see how they work...it's amazingly simple to troubleshoot them.