Might be leaking CO2?

I think I may know the answer to this question, but I'll post it in here anyway to see if anyone had the same issue:
2 nights ago I hooked up my new co2 system just to one corny. I first hit my tank with 20 psi and saw some beer coming out of the 'out' because I didnt' hook it up to my tap yet. My keg was also filled almost to the brim, so I thought there may have been just too much beer in it. After I connected it to the tap it didn't leak anymore. I also saw some bubbles coming out of the main lid. I then cranked it up to about 35 psi to seal it tight. From there, it was looking good. I then bled it 3 times and lowered psi to 15 and let it sit overnight. Last night when I got home, I turned up the co2 to 35 and did the shake method for a few minutes. After that, I turned it back down to 15 psi and let it sit overnight again. This morning I woke up and my psi had dropped down to 0psi. I thought 'crap i have a leak and im out of co2'. But when I turned the screw to turn the psi back up it actually went back to 15 psi. If I had a leak and it ran out of gas, why was I able to turn it back up to 15 psi?? So I'm very confused as to whether or not I have a leak, or if the psi somehow just lowered itself back to 0? My guess is that I do have a leak and I'm going to have to change all the O rings. Also, is it ok for the beer to have been sitting on 0 psi all night? Any help here is greatly appreciated!

As long as you sealed your keg, you should be fine with the beer sitting overnight. I

I'm thinking you have one of two problems...maybe both. First, it sounds like you have a leak at your outpost. Check to make sure it's wrenched down tight and all the seals are good. You should not have anything coming out of it, even if you don't have your tap connected.

Two, you could have a bad gauge. I've seen gauges slowly drop, but the keg still has pressure. If it's a cheap gauge, that could be your problem.

Pump it up to 35psi...leave everything connected...but turn off the CO2 tank vavle. If you come back in about 30 minutes and the tank pressure is reading zero...or substantially less than 35 psi...you've got a leak. Get out the soap solution and start searching.

If you just dialed your regulator screw out too quickly...you may have created the leak. As you back out the screw...at some point, the low pessure side of the regulator will vent out the weep hole. (single smal hole somewhere on the front cover of the regulator) It will take time...but if you back the regulator screw out too far...it will let out all the gas on the low side of your regulator...and if you don't have a check valve or have a faulty check vavle...it will allow all the pressure in your keg to back flow through the regulator and out the weep hole too.

It's always a good idea when resetting the regulator to unscrew it to a pressure lower than the next set point...wait a couple of seconds...then screw it back up to the new set point. This way you don't leave it unscrewed too far.

chuggs said:

Pump it up to 35psi...leave everything connected...but turn off the CO2 tank vavle. If you come back in about 30 minutes and the tank pressure is reading zero...or substantially less than 35 psi...you've got a leak. Get out the soap solution and start searching.

If you just dialed your regulator screw out too quickly...you may have created the leak. As you back out the screw...at some point, the low pessure side of the regulator will vent out the weep hole. (single smal hole somewhere on the front cover of the regulator) It will take time...but if you back the regulator screw out too far...it will let out all the gas on the low side of your regulator...and if you don't have a check valve or have a faulty check vavle...it will allow all the pressure in your keg to back flow through the regulator and out the weep hole too.

It's always a good idea when resetting the regulator to unscrew it to a pressure lower than the next set point...wait a couple of seconds...then screw it back up to the new set point. This way you don't leave it unscrewed too far.

Click to expand...

really good stuff to know!

Thanks to everyone, I will be running all tests this evening.