New Keezer questions

Took my ferm chamber to the LHBS yesterday and picked up all the components necessary to turn it into a Keezer. Put it together last night and put pressure on the entire system. By opening and closing the gas valves was able to determine that the lines are tight but 2 of the 3 kegs have a small pressure leak (won't hold pressure above 5PSF) will disassemble the keg and put lube on all the seals when I'm cleaning and sanitizing to see if that solves the problem.

Now my questions:

1. When bottling, I always did 4 weeks primary and 4 weeks bottle conditioning. Now that I can force carb, is there any point in keg conditioning longer than it takes to establish a reasonable carb? I have 2 taps and Keezer space for 3 kegs with a dual pressure regulator, so I plan to put the carbing keg on the higher pressure and let it sit for a while until its done, or until a keg kicks.

2. Do you usually leave the co2 on the serving kegs all the time, or do you turn it off in the evening when you're done with them?

3. How long can I expect a 10# bottle of co2 to last?

4. Major leaks are easy to detect ands treat. However, how would I detect a small gas leak? Would anything make a leak evident prior to an empty co2 bottle?

5. Is it better to place the temp control sensor at the bottom of the Keezer or high up, say at the bottom of the collar? will its accuracy be affected if I secure it to the side of the keezer with duct tape?

6. What is the best way to keep the vinyl tubing lines neat and orderly? I tried hard to arrange the components to permit any keg to be removed without removing everything, but all that stuff in a 5CF freezer is quite snug.

7. Is it advisable to put Teflon tape on the shank beer stab or is the rubber O ring sufficient?

8. Is it advisable to put Teflon tape on the shank to faucet fitting?

My 2¢:

1. When bottling, I always did 4 weeks primary and 4 weeks bottle conditioning. Now that I can force carb, is there any point in keg conditioning longer than it takes to establish a reasonable carb? I have 2 taps and Keezer space for 3 kegs with a dual pressure regulator, so I plan to put the carbing keg on the higher pressure and let it sit for a while until its done, or until a keg kicks.

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I get fair carbonation in a week and ideal in 2 weeks. I set and forget BTW. I don't use higher pressure and/or shaking to speed things up. The longer the beer sits at cold temps, the clearer it will get, but it's probably diminishing returns after a few weeks.

2. Do you usually leave the co2 on the serving kegs all the time, or do you turn it off in the evening when you're done with them?

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Yes, all the time, though, I don't think that's the best way. Several times I've found 5g of beer at the bottom of my keezer due to a loose connection. Several empty CO2 tanks due to loose connections on the gas side.

3. How long can I expect a 10# bottle of co2 to last?

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There's info on the web, but it's about 3 cornies per pound I think (from memory). That sounds about what I get. So, you'd get 30 cornies from a 10# tank. I have a 10# and a 20#.

4. Major leaks are easy to detect ands treat. However, how would I detect a small gas leak? Would anything make a leak evident prior to an empty co2 bottle?

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No idea how to detect gas leaks. A flow meter would be cool though. Like I said above, I've gas leaks drain mine overnight. Sometimes you can hear leaks, other times you definitely wont. BTW, my leaks are almost always around loose posts, not bad seals.

5. Is it better to place the temp control sensor at the bottom of the Keezer or high up, say at the bottom of the collar? will its accuracy be affected if I secure it to the side of the keezer with duct tape?

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Mine is on the hump in a jar of water. Don't place it where it has a chance to be too warm or you might end up with kegs of ice. I wouldn't put it at the top. If you add a fan at some point, it won't matter.

6. What is the best way to keep the vinyl tubing lines neat and orderly? I tried hard to arrange the components to permit any keg to be removed without removing everything, but all that stuff in a 5CF freezer is quite snug.

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Tie wraps. Coil spare beer line and tie it so the coil will sit right on the keg.

7. Is it advisable to put Teflon tape on the shank beer stab or is the rubber O ring sufficient?

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My shanks have barbs (not recommending that since it prohibits me from using John Guest connections on there; btw, John Guest connectors are the greatest thing ever, which I had used them).

8. Is it advisable to put Teflon tape on the shank to faucet fitting?

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I didn't. My taps are the least troublesome part of my system, which is surprising since my keezer is outdoors in FL. I had anticipated problems, but have had NONE.

In addition to what @passedpawn said:

Don't leave a keg on excess pressure for more than two days, or you risk overcarbing it. And, then you have a new problem to deal with.

Don't tape the temperature probe tip to the side of the keezer. The sides get very cold when the compressor is on, and the temp does not represent the temp of the air in the chamber or the beer in the kegs.

Brew on

For leak detection fill a squirty bottle with a dishsoap and water mixture and squirt it on every join and post and connection and guage and pressure release and if it makes bubbles you have a leak. A slow leak may only make a small amount of foam so check it a couple of times over an hour or so and have a good look.

Oh and my carbonation method is too force carb at speed, and then start pouring the next day after it has settled.

I've read that a starsan solution in a spray bottle is good for leak detection, has the added bonus of sanitising whatever you spray it on. Dish soap might linger on posts and get in the line (though I admit that's a pretty unlikely scenario).

I haven't needed any tape on any threads, the seal in the barb that screws onto my tap shank barely needed any tightening before it was beer-tight. We're not talking tremendous pressures here remember (when compared to domestic plumbing for example).

I've been setting my kegs to about 8 or 9 PSI, and have found that after 3 days they're drinkable (if you're in a hurry), and after a week they're mostly there.

I'm new to kegs so working through my production kinks, but will try to make sure I always have one carbonating while I'm drinking the other one (2 kegs, one tap). Hopefully this will let me avoid having to force carbonate as my first and only attempt at this clearly demonstrated why check valves between the regulator and keg are necessary :S