Help in diagnosing a co2 leak

I got a 20lb co2 tank to replace a 5lb one, but I have a small leak and would like to find it before I go and hook up my new tank. I have a dual gauge regulator than runs to a 2 port manifold that branches off to 2 kegs. I have disconnected the kegs so I can isolate the leaks. Kegs and posts are air tight.

I have 500 psi left in the tank and I set the output to 12 psi. If I turn off the shutoff at the regulator and then turn off the co2 bottle my gauges read 500 and 12, so all good and they stay that way overnight. Then I open the shutoff at the regulator and shutoff the manifold valves. So now I only have gas between my bottle and manifold. Overnight I do not lose the 12 psi, but the 500 drops to 350. I don't understand how the 500 drops but not the 12.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

I had a leak about a week ago. Ended up taking some dish soap with water in a spray bottle and sprayed every connect down and watched for bubbles. Found the leak and remedied it. Hope this helps!

The tank pressure gauge is pretty much useless for determining how much co2 is in the tank. It is really nothing more than a temperature guage... until the liquid level of the co2 drops below the intake tube in the tank - at this point, it is pretty much empty. So, the only thing you know by looking at the high pressure gauge is whether or not you have any co2 in the tank. So, if you are thinking you have a leak because the high pressure gauge fluctuated, then you might not have a leak at all.

For finding a leak aft the regulator, I like to take the hose, connectors, and manifold and hold them in a bucket of water...obviously with the gas on. If there is a leak, you will see a steady stream of bubbles.

Check it in stages, open tank fill up gauges, close tank, wait and see if it leaks, etc etc. then hit the area with soapy water to find leak.

I am noticing my valves on the manifold hiss a little whenever they are opened or closed. Only hisses while I turn or jiggle them. Ugg

+1 for submerging connections in water. Not the regulator though. I found several pinhole leaks that weren't bubbling the dishsoap solution I had sprayed on the connections.

I knew a guy that dropped the whole thing into his pool, regs and all. He was upset about a leak.

To be honest, I don't know what submerging the regulator in water would do to it, but I'm no expert. I suppose water might speed up some corrosion in there, but that's all I can think of... Maybe someone who knows what they're talking about can chime in.

mpcluever said:

To be honest, I don't know what submerging the regulator in water would do to it, but I'm no expert. I suppose water might speed up some corrosion in there, but that's all I can think of... Maybe someone who knows what they're talking about can chime in.

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Don't disagree with that, he had enough of the leak. I don't think he has had any problems with them so far, the best I know. You would think it that they are not water proof and could cause some type of damage.

I've only taken my Cornelius regulator apart and the front piece is not waterproof, but the gasket that holds the air back obviously is. The gauges are not waterproof, but that's just a display and I can't imagine that water would ruin it. I would think if you dried everything out thoroughly afterwards that it would be fine. AGAIN, I'm no expert!!

Gear101 said:

Check it in stages, open tank fill up gauges, close tank, wait and see if it leaks, etc etc. then hit the area with soapy water to find leak.

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Yep - you need to isolate each section of your system, repressurize, turn off the gas, wait, check the gauge. If it's empty, isolate the next section of your system and repeat the process. Once you figure out the part of the system that's leaking, tighten everything down and repressurize util you fix the leak.