Carbonating Keg Lid with Diffusion Stone Not Holding Pressure

[SacSudz]

I purchased one of these on Amazon about 6 months ago and find it just doesn't maintain the set pressure. I've tried replacing the seal and over-pressurizing the beer to 35 psi and it still leaks.

Being it cost half of what it sells for from Morebeer are these just junk and I need to ante-up and buy a better one? They look identical so I'm hesitant.

And then the question is do I really need one. Once I transfer my beer into a keg it sits in it for 2-4 weeks. Would I been fine just not using one of these?

 

[VikeMan]

Most brewers who keg have managed just fine without carbonation stones. Headspace CO2 at the right pressure to yield the desired volumes of CO2 at equilibrium does the trick. And if you are wating weeks before tapping the keg anyway, there's no advantage to using a stone.

 

[day_trippr]

if you are wating [sic] weeks before tapping the keg anyway, there's no advantage to using a stone.

Yup. It's called a "pipeline", and it's a wonderful thing to have.
"Chart pressure" applied via the gas post for a couple of weeks to get drama free perfect carbonation...

Cheers!

 

[SacSudz]

OK, so a plain lid will work. I've been struggling with carbonation and I need to get a better handle on it. Hopefully this will help.

 

[BrewerofBeers]

No problem with those items, usually, and they do carbonate faster. Try placing the lid on something flat, like a ruler, to see if it's warped. I say a ruler because those lids have a down tube. It may also be the poppit, and there's a way to test that too.

 

[IslandLizard]

Spray some Starsan or soapy water (or bubble juice) around the seal, the posts, etc, to find leaks.

Most kegs need some pressure up front to set/seal the lid. Once it's set, it can usually maintain the seal. But check periodically for holding pressure and leaks.

Use some keg lube on all o-rings. Helps them to seal better as it makes them slick.

 

[Neldog0]

I purchased one of these on Amazon about 6 months ago and find it just doesn't maintain the set pressure. I've tried replacing the seal and over-pressurizing the beer to 35 psi and it still leaks.

Being it cost half of what it sells for from Morebeer are these just junk and I need to ante-up and buy a better one? They look identical so I'm hesitant.

And then the question is do I really need one. Once I transfer my beer into a keg it sits in it for 2-4 weeks. Would I been fine just not using one of these?

I had the same experience. I dropped the use of them. As one reply stated, once you add CO2 to the head space, CO2 under pressure begins to equalize in the liquid.

For me I cool the beer & CO2 to 37f & the process takes a week. Please note: pressure has to remain constant. I do my pressure at a serving pressure of 10 psi.

 

[Broken Crow]

I bought and used one of those with my first keg so I could force-carb and bottle (didn't yet have a kegerator). It was difficult to seal like yours.. I had to practically lift the whole keg up by the bale while jiggling to get a seal.... It was also a PITA to clean out properly. I 'upgraded', first to a partial cheap knock-off, then to the genuine Blichmann QuickCarb and while that worked pretty well, it ultimately turned out to be too much work that only a little more patience could accomplish. I inquired on here and was well tutored in properly force carbing techniques and now I simply choose my carb level by the temperature on the poular carb chart and double it for 24-36 hours, pour my first beer or two to test and relieve pressure in the keg, and if it's Ok then I connect the gas and it's good to go.

 

[pvpeacock]

Try buying an oversized lid o-ring. I have a few leaky keg lids and they did the trick.
https://www.williamsbrewing.com/Hom...ids-Lid-Parts/Oversize-Keg-Lid-Sealing-O-Ring

 

[tracer bullet]

I have found that when there's an issue like this, it's the keg itself. Maybe check around for any dings and such.

I've also found that some white o-rings I have are a little softer than the black ones, not sure the materials. Silicone vs. butyl? Anyhow, if you have one around give that a go. Or the current o-ring could be nicked.

O-ring under that ball-lock type fitting could be bad too, or the poppet o-ring, or the one around the top of it. I'd inspect and / or swap all 3.

 

[VikeMan]

I've also found that some white o-rings I have are a little softer than the black ones, not sure the materials. Silicone vs. butyl?

A white O-ring is most likely silicone. They are not very good at keeping O2 out. Black ones are typically Buna, which is much better than silicone (for keeping O2 out).

That said, if I only had a choice between a silicone ring that seals and a buna ring that doesn't, I'd use the silicone.

 

[mac_1103]

I got a used keg that came with a white O-ring and was very tricky to seal. The O-ring looked horrible anyway, so I replaced it with a standard black one and then it wouldn't seal at all. One of the oversized O-rings mentioned above solved the problem.

 

[IslandLizard]

Try buying an oversized lid o-ring. I have a few leaky keg lids and they did the trick.

For extra clamping power, one can also stick a penny under each of the bail's 2 legs, using the regular black o-ring.
Or bend the legs a tad more down, using a vice.

 

[mac_1103]

For extra clamping power, one can also stick a penny under each of the bail's 2 legs, using the regular black o-ring.

Or a little lead tape. Or replace the feet if they're worn. But this is a new lid on an old keg, so it's probably not that.

 

[IslandLizard]

Or a little lead tape.

Oh, no-no...
Aside from the dangers of using lead, especially near food and drink, I'd think that tape would be too soft, and compress rather than add height.
Use the pennies, Luke!

 

[mac_1103]

It doesn't touch the beer.

 

[seatazzz]

I have two of those Amazon carb lids. A couple of my kegs don't like them because the openings are a bit too big or wonky, and none of the others held a good seal. I tried the penny trick but couldn't get them to stay. So I came up with a solution that has worked well. I sew a bit, and have a lot of those glass-head pins. I took the rubber feet off the keg lid, cut off two of the pin heads, and dropped them in the feet then reinstalled them. Just that little bit more leverage seals the lids well, in addition to a ridiculous amount of keg lube. A bit of a PITA to set up, but the carb lids can't be beat for carbonating a beer a lot faster than the traditional method of set and forget, or force-carbing through the liquid-in post. This trick could be done as well with a ball of cooled solder in the feet, just make sure no sharp edged to ruin the foot.

 

[IslandLizard]

have a lot of those glass-head pins. I took the rubber feet off the keg lid, cut off two of the pin heads, and dropped them in the feet then reinstalled them. Just that little bit more leverage seals the lids well,

I'm very surprised those glass pin heads don't get crushed when engaging the bail. There's a "ton" of pressure/force on that tiny glass ball, given the super small surface area where it makes contact. Hey, if it works, mission accomplished!

I guess a small steel ball (as used in ball bearings) could be used instead.

I also like your idea of encapsulating them inside the rubber feet.

 

[day_trippr]

I once stuffed a pair of bale feet with some canning salt to get the same effect...

Cheers!

 

[tennesseean_87]

I cut tiny disks out of an old credit card to do the same.