Keg Leak Help?

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Hynes84

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Hey guys,

Long time reader, but finally created an account on this awesome site! I've been brewing for about a year now and have run into a bit of a problem.

I bought a keg fridge from Costco a few months back, did a bit of modification to make it work the a corny keg, etc. and kegged a stout and some amazing apfelwein. All was fine until near the end of the Apfelwein, when i realized the CO2 tank was empty and wouldn't push my cider anymore. I checked seemingly everywhere for leaks at the start of the batch (with some starsan solution) and got no bubbles anywhere.

So basically, I carbed and pushed 2 back-to-back batches, constantly leaving the CO2 on (left on for 2-3 months). Can it be implied from this that there is a hidden leak? If so are there any areas that are more likely to be the culprit? ie regulator etc.

Thanks in advance for the help guys!
 
Hynes84 said:
Hey guys,

Long time reader, but finally created an account on this awesome site! I've been brewing for about a year now and have run into a bit of a problem.

I bought a keg fridge from Costco a few months back, did a bit of modification to make it work the a corny keg, etc. and kegged a stout and some amazing apfelwein. All was fine until near the end of the Apfelwein, when i realized the CO2 tank was empty and wouldn't push my cider anymore. I checked seemingly everywhere for leaks at the start of the batch (with some starsan solution) and got no bubbles anywhere.

So basically, I carbed and pushed 2 back-to-back batches, constantly leaving the CO2 on (left on for 2-3 months). Can it be implied from this that there is a hidden leak? If so are there any areas that are more likely to be the culprit? ie regulator etc.

Thanks in advance for the help guys!
Click to expand...

how bigs your tank?
 
Clearly there is a leak, spraying star San might not reveal it. You might want to try spraying a solution of dish soap and water which is a little easier to see when it bubbles.

Cheers!
 
Is it possible a leak in the beverage line could cause this? I never checked that line.
 
If you beverage line is leaking you'll have liquid pooling somewhere. Be sure to spray all connections including those on the tank. I also unplug my kegerator and listen for leaks if I'm suspect. Just be diligent and you'll find it.
 
Must be a pretty minuscule leak if it took 2-3 months to drain the tank, most leaks will drain a tank in a few days or even over night. Are you sure the tank was full to begin with?

I used to have a 5 gallon tank running a two keg system and even with force carbing I could get 12-14 months out of the tank with constant use.
 
I went to my local place and filled it. So I'm just assuming they completely filled it. Also with the most recent batch I had some trouble sealing the lid in the beginning. Maybe a tiny leak in the lid? Even though at the point where the co2 tank was empty, there was still pressure in the keg. Is it possible for a regulator to leak? Or can I pretty much isolate it from the regulator line, to the gas in lock
 
when you checked with starsan, did you check your regulator and its connections?

You should also check your seal from the regulator to the tank for imperfections that might cause a leak
 
Double check any mfl connections with a wrench, but if it is a leak in your line somewhere typically they will drain your tank in a matter of days, not months. I had a similar thing happen to me about 2 yrs ago. What fixed it for me was a different regulator. You can get rebuild kits, but most of them aren't stamped for brands or models in any way which can make it tough to find the correct one. My advice is if you don't know many details about yours (mine was 2nd hand from ebay), save yourself some grief and swap it out with a different one you are sure of. Slow leaks like that are nearly impossible to find, and you will spend way more in gas and headaches tracking it down than swapping it out with a reliable one.
 
Check the valve on the cylinder too, the stem packing could leak. Just for the record, the valve should be all the way open or all the way closed, never half way.

I had a tank empty out from an MFL connector that wasn't tight enough and had worked itself loose.

I've read some people submerge the whole shebang in the bath tub, regulators, WYEs, manifolds, and all. If the leak is very small, you still need to play detective, but it should show up. Not sure what they do with the dials though, they would fill up with water, and the regulators can take on water too.

But first check with a thick soapy solution.
 
Thanks! I'm thinking the barbed gas connect may have worked its way loose. I have a 5\16 hose on a 1\4 connector with some teflon tape and a clamp. I'm going to test all these theories this week when I get my tank filled
 
If you have access to a compressor (make sure it's oil free) you can use that to test hoses and connectors.
Get some 5/16 tailpieces/swivel nuts for your gas lines. In a pinch you can just tighten the clamp more, but it's not ideal.

Barbs have sharp edges, and they provide the seal on the line. Use of teflon tape is wrong there. You should also use a good hose clamp, either worm or Oetiker.

Recently I had a picnic tap and keg QD assembly that leaked beer. I thought it was the QD MFL and tailpiece/swivel nut that was leaking on the flare seal. Turns out the clamp on the beer hose/tailpiece although seemingly tight, was just not tight enough. Couple more turns restored the seal.
 
To help isolate the leak, open the valve on the co2 tank and the check valve on the feed line out of the regulator. Read and write down the psi #s showing on the gauges. Now close the check valve and the valve on the tank and walk away for an hour. When you return, look at the readings (you did write them down).
If the numbers have dropped the leak is on the regulator side. If not, it's on the feed line side. Trouble shoot from there.
 
Ok guys. I'm determined there are no leak points anywhere, but now I'm thinking it may have been my regulator. It is acting up and giving weird PSI readings when theres no gas hooked up. Here's what happened:

Carbonated a keg to 30PSI
Unhooked the gas connector and regulator was still reading 30PSI
Unscrewed the regulator from the tank which released gas and dropped the regulator down to 10psi
Completely unhooked from everything, the gauge now reads 10PSI

I'm pretty much a newbie but I don't think this is normal. Wonky regulator may be the source of the leak?
 
Nevermind, it was the gas stuck in the line. Still no idea about the leak then. Going to drink this batch and see if I've still got CO2
 

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