Beer in regulator

I had my first try at kegging today and filled past the gas port and got beer flowing back into the regulator. Apparently, I don't have a check valve in my system.

Am I screwed? I took the gas line off as quickly as possible and let a few bursts of CO2 out to clear the regulator right away, but even then, later after I turned off the bottle valve, beer is dripping out of my regulator. Is there anything I can do at this point? what's the odds of having to get a new reg?

Pretty high. If you are comfortable with working on things, you can always take it apart, wash it and reassemble it, but if you do not then you are looking at getting a new one. Go pick up a cheap check valve. I ordered some online from American Plastics and they were under 2.00 a piece.

Drunkensatyr said:

If you are comfortable with working on things, you can always take it apart, wash it and reassemble it

Click to expand...

That's the first thing I did after I posted. The only thing in there that didn't look like it might be trouble was this felt washer, but from my experience with regulators (I play paintball) it wasn't part of the vital workings.

Still regulates after assembly, fingers crossed it doesn't get worse in a few days.

I'm guessing that if it's working now, your good to go. Of course, a check valve is pretty cheap insurance for the future

If you can take it apart, I would.

I've gotten in the habit of taking off the gas line and purging the CO2 with a spare tap if I ever need to lower pressure. Just be careful that you don't shoot beer across your room

From personal experience, taking regulators apart isn't fun.

I've now got a new one (with check valves) in the custody of (slower than dirt) FedEx. Live and learn.

I have a feeling I'm gonna get crap for this but I'm gonna say it anyways.

I got beer in my regulator. Took it off. Ran warm water through it, both ways. Left it on a (brewing) heat pad to dry. Works fine (touch wood).

You'll probably be ok. You noticed the problem right away, and cleaned it right away. If you discovered the problem after, say, a week, that's a different story.

Is there any type of lubricant or protectant one should/could use inside a regulator?

This thread made me go unscrew the outlet on my regulator to make sure it is a check valve that the barb fitting screws onto since i got some back flush in my new system. and it was a check valve, the regulator was dry on both ends

I'm not sure about a CO2 regulator but with an o2 regulator if you put oil in the regulator it can create alot of heat and melt your regulator. Talk to the homebrew shop or a welding shop for the best advice. Just my $.02

reshp1 said:

That's the first thing I did after I posted. The only thing in there that didn't look like it might be trouble was this felt washer, but from my experience with regulators (I play paintball) it wasn't part of the vital workings.

Still regulates after assembly, fingers crossed it doesn't get worse in a few days.

Click to expand...

Keep your eye on the overpressure bleed hole on the reg. When I took My first Reg. apart (no doubt a cheap one), It slowly weeped gas from that hole (when it wasn't supposed to be), from then on. That was a PITA to find, cause it was an intermittant problem!

I did the same thing to mine the first week I had it. Beer spewing down the side of the CO2 tank. I was sure the sticky beer was going to cause this thing to fail at some point, and I am pretty mec inclined, so I took it apart. There is not much to them, and they are simple to disassemble and re-assemble. Ran all of the parts under hot water, and put it back together. Works 100%

You probably could get away with simply removing all the gauges, unscrew the regulator adjustment screw until it stops, and running hot water through the primary and secondary ports.

-J

Revitalizing an old post.

Mine was pi**ing beer out of the hole at the front of the regulator when I was doing the quick carb, keg rolling method. Took the contraption apart and washed with warm, soapy water. Not a really complicated mechanism.

We'll see the results, as well as the effect of a few teaspoons worth of back-washed, stale beer into the keg. Oh well, I'll drink it so fast that it won't have time to hurt the beer. I need a bit of regulator lubricant in my diet anyway.

beer in the regulator happens alot most of the time i see it in bars but they let it sit for so long that it corrodes the inside of the regulator. But as long as you take it apart and wipe it out should be fine. Most have rebuild kits too

when beer started pouring out my regulator i thought i could just crank up psi, hook gas line onto empty corney and blow beer out of regular and gas line. after calling myself a stupid rookie for ten minutes i came on here and did some research. so what i've learned and what everyone else has said, take your regulartor apart!! rinse it with warm water dry it good and hope it works. lesson learned. thanks for everyones advice.

Regulators are meant to be rebuilt. Write down or draw the order you take it apart clean &dry & you're good to go