How do you get a corny keg to friggin' seal?

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rocketman768

rocketman768

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So, got a kegging system for Christmas. Keg came pressurized, so I know it can hold pressure. However, I just got my CO2 tank filled, and I'm trying to seal up the lid and put a few psi on the keg again. Can't do it. CO2 is leaking all around the lid that I can see when I spritz soapy water on it. Is there some trick to this? Can you post a step-by-step for an idiot like me?
 
Pullup hard on the lid til the keg is pressurized. After that it will hold the seal with the pressure in the keg.
 
rocketman768 said:
I had to turn it up to 30 psi and pull as hard as I could on the lid for about 20 seconds. Jeez, I might almost prefer bottling.
Click to expand...

No way man! Bottling sucks major ass! Cleaning and sanitizing 1 keg is soooooo much easier! Lube it up and hit it with some pressure! Mine sealed up my first kegged beer yesterday. Excited! :ban::rockin::mug::drunk::tank:
 
I have to say that none of my 5 kegs are hard to seal. Perhaps you just got a problem child but don't think that this is what you should have to do with every keg in the future.
 
My old kegs could be annoying to seal. But so far all ten of the new ones work very well.

I have yet to use lube. I just sweet talk it for awhile and it seems to work just as well...
 
rocketman768 said:
I had to turn it up to 30 psi and pull as hard as I could on the lid for about 20 seconds. Jeez, I might almost prefer bottling.
Click to expand...

I've got to believe you're joking....
20secs to seal a 5 gallon keg vs. 2 hours cleaning bottles, sanitizing bottles, prepping priming sugar, transfering to bottling bucket, filling bottle, capping bottle, cleaning bucket, storing bottles....yeah, that's an even compromise

;) :mug:
 
Kilted Brewer said:
I've got to believe you're joking....
20secs to seal a 5 gallon keg vs. 2 hours cleaning bottles, sanitizing bottles, prepping priming sugar, transfering to bottling bucket, filling bottle, capping bottle, cleaning bucket, storing bottles....yeah, that's an even compromise
Click to expand...

What are you talking about? Isn't all you need to do just pour wort mixed with yeast into the bottle? Ok, ok, I AM kidding:). But, I think all that pulling should be unnecessary right? To get soapy water to quit bubbling around the lid (I sprayed it to see the leaks), it really required me to pull on the bail as hard as I possibly could.

My old kegs could be annoying to seal. But so far all ten of the new ones work very well.

I have yet to use lube. I just sweet talk it for awhile and it seems to work just as well...
Click to expand...

What are you doing to seal them? Seriously, step 1, step 2,...
 
Kilted Brewer said:
I've got to believe you're joking....
20secs to seal a 5 gallon keg vs. 2 hours cleaning bottles, sanitizing bottles, prepping priming sugar, transfering to bottling bucket, filling bottle, capping bottle, cleaning bucket, storing bottles....yeah, that's an even compromise

;) :mug:
Click to expand...

Word ^_^ Recently got into kegging (just emptied our first #5 CO2 tank, so not too long at all) and I would love to never go back... ever. I'm sure once the zombie apocalypse comes CO2 will be hard to come by... I'll just have to enjoy the convenience for now.

And the keg really shouldn't be that hard to seal. An ample amount of keg lube on the O-ring and a healthy blast of CO2 should be enough to seal it. Make sure your O-ring isn't super dry and brittle and be sure the rim of the lid or the lip of the keg isn't dented at all. :mug:
 
Turn your lid the other direction. They tend to be one way lids and if you are not getting a seal, it's probably going the wrong direction.

When I find the "right" direction for my lids, I make a line with permanent marker going from the lid to the top of corny. I also keep the same lid with every keg.
 
What I do is I boil my lids for a few minutes while I finish racking the beer to the keg. This not only sanitizes the lid but also softens the rubber so when I close and hit with 30psi I get a good seal.
 
Reno_eNVy_446 said:
Word ^_^ Recently got into kegging (just emptied our first #5 CO2 tank, so not too long at all) and I would love to never go back... ever. I'm sure once the zombie apocalypse comes CO2 will be hard to come by... I'll just have to enjoy the convenience for now.
Click to expand...

Its nice to know that others are planning for z-day just like me. :D

I just got a kegging system for Christmas as well and will be brewing my first AG batch tomorrow. Definitely looking forward to putting it into the keg. Ill be sure to keep these tips in mind :mug:
 
Put a shim under the foot of the locking lever to increase the pressure on the gasket. I used a flat washer after it worked with my car key -- just couldn't get the car key out without depressurizing the keg.
 
malty1 said:
Put a shim under the foot of the locking lever to increase the pressure on the gasket. I used a flat washer after it worked with my car key -- just couldn't get the car key out without depressurizing the keg.
Click to expand...

Over time the feet tend to bend slightly so that they're splayed, which means they aren't putting near as much pressure on the lid as they did when new. Shims under the feet works, but I prefer using some vice grips and pliers to bend them back into their original position, or even slightly beyond.
 
+2 on the soaking in hot water and hitting with 20psi or more! I heard stories/nightmares of people trying to get good seals, and since I am new to kegging, and mine shipped with just a small amount of psi, I expected they'd seal perfectly for me. Deluded I was.

THANK GOD I tried to reseal them tonight during their cleaning, and while my first brew to keg is still in the secondary, cause I had a wee panic attack when I wrestled with it for 30 mins to no avail, this before wising up and checking here.

<slaps head really hard>

Of course someone here had the answer(s). Many thanks!
 
+3 on boiling the lid, worked like a charm!

LaBiss said:
+2 on the soaking in hot water and hitting with 20psi or more! I heard stories/nightmares of people trying to get good seals, and since I am new to kegging, and mine shipped with just a small amount of psi, I expected they'd seal perfectly for me. Deluded I was.

THANK GOD I tried to reseal them tonight during their cleaning, and while my first brew to keg is still in the secondary, cause I had a wee panic attack when I wrestled with it for 30 mins to no avail, this before wising up and checking here.

<slaps head really hard>

Of course someone here had the answer(s). Many thanks!
Click to expand...
 
Bobby_M said:
Silicone oring and a thin layer of keg lube will do it every time.
Click to expand...

This ^^^^^^^^^, and flipping it around the other way if it doesn't look quite right. Keg lube (food-grade silicone) is a very worthwhile purchase. Use it religiously on every keg o-ring and seal. It makes couplings easier to get on and off too.

You need not leak test with soap. A spray bottle with StarSan works best.
 
Whut said:
What I do is I boil my lids for a few minutes while I finish racking the beer to the keg. This not only sanitizes the lid but also softens the rubber so when I close and hit with 30psi I get a good seal.
Click to expand...


Took your technique, it worked perfectly! I keg condition with natural carbonation and had 3 kegs I couldn't get to seal. Boiled the lids, seated them, then pushed 30 psi. They sealed right up and held great. Thanks!!


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