Beer in keg, now have a CO2 Regulator problem...any help?

[mpenn35]

So I've got a Danby kegerator and it's got a North American Dispensing Systems model 70012 regulator on it. I can't seem to find any information on this regulator. Two questions:

There is a valve on the bottom of the regulator on the hose that goes into the keg. Which was is open? I'm getting changes in pressure with it each way, and now I'm not sure if having it up and down/parallel to the hose is open or if parallel to the ground/sideways is open. I know it's a dumb question but I'm new to kegging and I don't know how much I can be turning the gas on and off figuring this out.

Second, the needles on my regulator seem to be fixed in one location. They were working fine, and I was tightening my regulator because I could hear a small leak and then I checked them and they're both stuck, with the one to adjust pressure sitting at 13 psi. I was able to adjust the screw fine to raise and lower the pressure and the gauge worked, now it doesn't.

Any help?

 

[buzzkill]

on the valve,down should be on, left and right should be off. if keg is at pressure, turning reg down wont drop needle on gauge. unless you pull prv. I think thats what you were asking .

 

[Gregwarro]

I worked in the beer business for many years and all I can say is that regulator gauges are notorious for being sticky. Mine here at home do the same thing. I typically tap the gauges with my fingernail each time I go to read it just to see if the gauges are sticking.

If the gauges are old you can replace them for less than $30 bucks usually. But typically you don't want to see much movement on the gauges, if you do you probably have a leak.

A good way to test that is to use the valve that you mentioned. Turn the valve so that is not in line with the hose, that is the off position. Then turn off the gas to your regulator. come back in an hour if your gauges have moved you have a leak. You can also do the same with the hose valve opened and the gas to the regulator off, if your needles move you are losing pressure somewhere down the line.

I do both tests on a new system so try and isolate where things are leaking. (or you can put some soapy water in a spray bottle and spray the connections while looking for bubbles.

The pressure you have set is about right, I usually run 10-12lbs four pouring beer. Some beers like less some like more.