First Time Kegging Today...One Concern

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BVilleggiante

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All beer in kegs...check!

I do have one concern. One of the keg lids when clamped down, clamped down really nicely with a lot of force needed to clamp it shut. The other keg however, clamped the lid with barely any effort at all and when clamped down all the way, I could still slightly move the lid back and forth a bit. This was still without CO2 in the kegs. Both kegs are used but have been rebuilt with all new parts. I used keg lube on both as well.

My one hope is, when I added CO2 to the keg it seemed to tighten the lid to the keg. Is that indeed the case? Does adding CO2 put pressure on the lid helping with the seal?

I guess the worst that can happen is I lose $16 worth of CO2...
 
You should be fine. To keg your beer Purge your sani keg with co2. Rack beer in. Wet the O ring on the lid. Fit the lid into place without locking it. Pull up on the lid and add 10 or 15 lbs co2 at the same time to seat the lid. The co2 will hiss for a minute then stop. U should hear or feel any leaks but you can always check with soapy water. If your conditioning without pressure you can vent pressure and proceed, if your carbing you can add pressure and proceed. I'd bet your ok though
 
Do your kegs have the little feet on either side of the lid to clamp? If so, the one that isn't as tight, you can add a dime under each foot to give it something tighter to clamp against.

Also, don't lose an entire bottle of co2 over this. Hit it with some pressure and take it off the gas until you are sure you have a good seal. If you don't or can't get a seal, no point trying to carb as it will eventuall degas anyways and become flat. So it would be a lose lose.
 
Both of you had good suggestions. The soapy water I didn't think about and then putting dimes under the feet is smart. I'll have to check my CO2 tank later today as where I brew is different from where I live. Hopefully no leaks. Fingers crossed.
 
So I just had a chance to pop in and look at my beer. Strange thing happened and I'm wondering why...

My tank was still pressurized which was great, it appears I have not keg leaks. However, last nigh I had set my pressure to 18psi for carbonating, and when I just checked, it was at 0psi. I screwed the screw in some more to bring it back to 18psi...but why would it totally lose pressure like that?
 
Did you turn the gas off? I found with my setup if I put it to say 10psi for example, let it carb up, and then if I turn the gas off it would drop back down to 0 overnight. I don't know why, must be some valve the lets it back out.

The only other thing I could think of is the screw backed itself out under the pressure, but that shouldn't actually ever happen.
 
Did you turn the gas off? I found with my setup if I put it to say 10psi for example, let it carb up, and then if I turn the gas off it would drop back down to 0 overnight. I don't know why, must be some valve the lets it back out.

The only other thing I could think of is the screw backed itself out under the pressure, but that shouldn't actually ever happen.

I checked the gas and it was on and the screw didn't back out. I'm hoping it was just a weird one time thing.
 
Does your regulator do line pressure and tank pressure? Is your regulator new? The inside of those things should work the same as the ones used for gas welding. When the screw is out its closed. the inside of the regulator has rubber in it and when you screw in the screw if pushes in on the rubber; creating an opening in the airway. Back the screw out and the rubber retakes its position closing the co2's path. If its new or cheap maybe even with the screw pushing the rubber open it found its way around the screw and sealed closed. This is a very far fetched guess and I'm the first person to call myself out, but it does sound like faulty equipment. I should also add I have never heard of this happening. **** your going to have to wait for someone else. :confused:
 
Yes, my regulator has the line pressure and the tank pressure. I have an idea of what is happening, but I'm hoping someone can confirm it.

Today, I went and recheck the line pressure and it was three pounds under what I had set it before. Again my tank pressure is where it should be so I have no leaks. So here is my theory. When I originally setup my CO2 tank to my kegs, everything was at room temperature. I then put everything my kegs and CO2 bottle in my chest freezer at 39 degrees. I'm thinking these drops in line pressure are due to my CO2 tank dropping to 39 degrees and therefore this temperature change affecting the gas pressure somehow. As the tank equalizes to 39 degrees, the line pressure shouldn't fluctuate. Any thoughts on this? Does the temperature of the gas affect what the line pressure?

Does your regulator do line pressure and tank pressure? Is your regulator new? The inside of those things should work the same as the ones used for gas welding. When the screw is out its closed. the inside of the regulator has rubber in it and when you screw in the screw if pushes in on the rubber; creating an opening in the airway. Back the screw out and the rubber retakes its position closing the co2's path. If its new or cheap maybe even with the screw pushing the rubber open it found its way around the screw and sealed closed. This is a very far fetched guess and I'm the first person to call myself out, but it does sound like faulty equipment. I should also add I have never heard of this happening. **** your going to have to wait for someone else. :confused:
 
If you set your pressure and then chilled it it does make a bit more sense. The co2 will condense and absorb more readily into liquid at a colder temp. I would maybe guess the cool down condensed the pressure in the tank and the co2 in the keg was dissolved into the liquid. leaving little to no head pressure in your keg or line. IM NOT SURE THOUGH why the tank would stop putting out pressure all together. I hope since its cool now and the pressure is set you've got it worked out. Hate chasing rabbits!
 
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