3 Kegs on same regulator, 1 won't carb

[bmbigda]

I've got 3 kegs hooked up to the same regulator using a barbed cross. 2 of the kegs are fully carbed and 1 of them is about half carbed. What doesn't add up is that the half-carbed keg was hooked up for about 2 months now lagering, and WAS fully carbed for a while, then one day it just flattened out. I can't find a leak, and since the other 2 kegs are fine I can't just turn it up. When I purge the half-carbed keg, it exhausts quite a bit of pressure.

Any ideas would be great. Thanks.

Bryan

 

[lknbigfish]

has to be a leak

 

[ChandlerBang]

has to be a leak

wouldn't he run the co2 tank empty if that was the case?

 

[lknbigfish]

wouldn't he run the co2 tank empty if that was the case?

probably

 

[brewmonk]

so, do you have one way check valves installed anywhere? and if so, are there arrows on the valve housings?

have you taken the hoses off of all 3 and checked for blockages in the 1/2 carbed one?

all 3 the same temp?

did you saturate it with beergas before hooking up the other two, and a new tank of co2?
(can you tell im running out of ideas?) i can't think of anything that would allow gas under pressure to go in random places.


hey, dammmm! you're in foxboro? i'm next door!
run a soap bubble test on the lines, make sure that the fitting is all the way down, and let me know if I can help. you may have to unhook the half-gasser, and check the gas in poppet.

gimme a shout, or maybe call 'the witch' this weekend if it still isn't working.

-p.s. i'm jealous that you have 3 full kegs.

 

[devilishprune]

This is the third thread that I've seen with the same problem (including my own!).

I'm stumped too, but I disconnected that keg from my setup because it was only wasting my gas to get a pour every now and again.

 

[ChandlerBang]

This is the third thread that I've seen with the same problem (including my own!).

I'm stumped too, but I disconnected that keg from my setup because it was only wasting my gas to get a pour every now and again.

If it isn't gaining carbonation and there are no leaks, then it isn't using any gas.

Switch the lines, move the flat beer into a keg you know has just had good carbed beer in it..........

shots in the dark ........

 

[bmckee56]

I am having a similar problem. Two kegs, same regulator, same temperature, same beer line length, same faucets. One was pre-carbed using beer/gas (75%nitro - 25%co2) as I was originally going to dispense using a stout tap but changed to a regular faucet. I believe the one that is less carbonated is due to being saturated with nitro but I am not a scientist so I don't know for sure that this is true.

The only other thing I can think of is that it has not yet reached the same level of carbonation as the good keg. I did vent the pressure from the beer/gas keg prior to hooking up to the regular co2 system but as i said, it may have been saturated with the nitro.

All things being equal, does not always mean, all things will be equal, I guess.

Salute!

 

[devilishprune]

So, I've been tinkering with this today, and am even more confused.

First question: When you guys open up the tap, does it make a noise? 2 of the kegs that were carbonated successfully make that noise, but the third won't.

I switch the lines/disconnects around in every useful configuration that I could think of. On one of the kegs that was carbonated, the lines produced a successful pour. But the same combination of lines on a keg that I filled with star san did not make that sound. So either carbonated beer causes the faucet to make a sound when you pour it, or....well I don't have another hypothesis.

Any help here?

Update: Empiricism for the loss.

I went ahead and blasted that keg with 30 psi and shook the crap out of it. I'll try test it tomorrow after it's had some time to settle to see if things are going differently.

 

[bmbigda]

Thanks for all the relpies. I've since filled my bathtub and held the suspect keg under water, no bubbles. This beer WAS carbonated at one point which is what really makes it a giant mystery. I even went as far as to replace all of the lines and the disconnect on the bad one.

I'm sure there's a logical explanation I'm missing but for now I'm just going to shake the hell out of the keg and drink the beer fast (sounds terrible, I know)

 

[Chemkrafty]

Ok, you have to use the scientific method and some leg work on this one. pressure will distribute evenly throughout the system, so I can't imagine its a leak or all 3 would have the same issue. However, let's try to isolate the problem.

1) remove the two good tanks...the locks should close and not cause a gas leak issue.
2) try adding pressure to the bad keg (check with release valve if you can't hear it). If you hear gas flowing, its going in. If not (which i assume, then you know that's the issue.
3) try a good keg on the same line to see if its a keg issue or line issue. If the keg pressurizes (just use the release valve) then its the bad keg. If not, you can assume its the line.
4) if its the keg, you might want to rebuild the gas in post and try again.
5) if its the line, you will want to test a few more things. First check the check valve orientation as previously mentioned.
6) next remove the keg connection and see if CO2 comes out the hose. If it comes out when the connector is off, but won't fill the keg, replace the connector. If its not flowing, you may have a stuck check valve.

There may be some other steps. but just be methodical and check all the parts until you stumble across the piece giving you trouble.

 

[bmbigda]

Ok, you have to use the scientific method and some leg work on this one. pressure will distribute evenly throughout the system, so I can't imagine its a leak or all 3 would have the same issue. However, let's try to isolate the problem.

1) remove the two good tanks...the locks should close and not cause a gas leak issue.
2) try adding pressure to the bad keg (check with release valve if you can't hear it). If you hear gas flowing, its going in. If not (which i assume, then you know that's the issue.
3) try a good keg on the same line to see if its a keg issue or line issue. If the keg pressurizes (just use the release valve) then its the bad keg. If not, you can assume its the line.
4) if its the keg, you might want to rebuild the gas in post and try again.
5) if its the line, you will want to test a few more things. First check the check valve orientation as previously mentioned.
6) next remove the keg connection and see if CO2 comes out the hose. If it comes out when the connector is off, but won't fill the keg, replace the connector. If its not flowing, you may have a stuck check valve.

There may be some other steps. but just be methodical and check all the parts until you stumble across the piece giving you trouble.

Thanks - the keg is defintely receving gas and holding pressure. Like I mentioned before, when I disconnect the gas and purge, the expected amount of pressure is relieved from the keg. When I hook it back up to gas, I hear the CO2 going in and watch the regulator equalize. When I disconnect the gas and hold the keg under water I see no bubbles. The other 2 kegs hooked up to the same regulator via a barbed cross are perfectly carbonated.

As far as I can think, I'm out of ideas. Unless that keg is somehow significantly warmer than the other 2 because of it's spot in the chest freezer. I will test this when I get home despite how ridiculous it sounds.

 

[Bobby_M]

I don't suppose this mystery keg has a much higher FG or alcohol percentage does it?

 

[devilishprune]

I think that both the OP and I are in the same boat, so I'll go ahead and answer for my part.

No. The OG and ABV are all similar in my case. Also, as far as coldness goes, the keg that won't carb is probably colder than the others, because it's lower down in the keezer.

I shook it up a few days ago and tasted a small sample before I left my apartment today. It might be carbonated now, but I didn't get a large enough sample to check. When I get back I'll see, but I guess the question now is will it stay carbonated?

 

[Chemkrafty]

Here's another question for both of you. How are you serving the beer? How long are the beer serving lines on each keg? Are they regular or picnic taps? What height difference is there between tap and keg. If there is a big difference there may be a line balancing problem.

 

[devilishprune]

I have 10 foot lines on all my kegs. I have perlick 525s on all of the kegs as well. The height difference between them is about 1-1.5 feet or so. The keg that won't carb is about 9 inches below the other two kegs.

 

[Chemkrafty]

That sounds ok...Have you tried just changing the kegs around to be fed with different CO2 lines and pour from different faucets? If so, you can isolate the keg itself versus any system design.

 

[bmbigda]

I don't suppose this mystery keg has a much higher FG or alcohol percentage does it?

It's a 5% ABV Oktoberfest. The other 2 are American Pale Ale and Nut Brown Ale, which are about the same.

 

[bmbigda]

Here's another question for both of you. How are you serving the beer? How long are the beer serving lines on each keg? Are they regular or picnic taps? What height difference is there between tap and keg. If there is a big difference there may be a line balancing problem.

My lines are 5.5' long hooked up to Perlick 525's about 18" above the top of the kegs. I just switched them with brand new beer lines last night to eliminate another possibility.

 

[bmbigda]

That sounds ok...Have you tried just changing the kegs around to be fed with different CO2 lines and pour from different faucets? If so, you can isolate the keg itself versus any system design.

Yes - in fact I have a dual body regulator, and about 1.5 weeks ago, I switched the suspect keg to it's own regulator, and jacked up the PSI to about 15. As of last night it is still under-carbonated.

Part of me (and I'm sure most people reading this) still thinks there is a leak somewhere. This morning I took out my 5lb tank to have it filled before the holiday and there was still quite a bit of CO2 in it, so I'd be very surprised if I did find a leak.

 

[Chemkrafty]

Any luck with the high psi and shake test? You could also test for a reeeeal slow leak by hooking up only the keg in question (empty), hitting it with your 12 psi (not more as this might seal it when it leaks at low psi), and then closing off the regulator. The gauge will still read the pressure and you can check it after a day or two and see if its holding steady.

You could also do this with beer in it and see if the pressure changes at all over time (holding temp steady). If it doesn't... then there is no leak and this is one strange beer!!