Cleaning regulators?

[Sean_P]

Good evening, all -

I'm having a problem with my kegging system that I hope someone can shed some light on - recently, both the high and low pressure gages on the regulator dropped to 0 psi, although I'm clearly still getting gas at the keg. I have a couple of thoughts about what could be causing this:

• beer in the innards of the regulator - at one point in the past, I connected a keg that had been rather over-primed, and beer shot from the keg into the CO2 line from the regulator
• low pressure from the gas bottle - I also know that the gas pressure was getting quite low from the CO2 bottle... it was nearly time to replace it anyway.

Anyone have any thoughts about these two possibilities? If the issue is beer inside the regulator, how do you clean them?

Sean

 

[cowain]

I think you're gas bottle is probably out. When it runs out of gas, the reg. should read 0 on both gauges but since there is still gas in the keg, it will still flow. I'd get check the tank first and get it refilled before worrying about beer in the reg.

 

[Sean_P]

I took the bottle off and weighed it - it was about 12 lbs, which is the empty weight of the bottle. I'll get it refilled

Sean

 

[tnlandsailor]

While you have the regulator off changing kegs, I would take it apart and clean it - especially since you back flowed beer into it. It's a good idea to take these apart at least once a year just to check things out. It's not uncommon to find beer spooge and other "stuff" inside. It's not hard:

• Turn off the main gas valve
• Dial the regulator all the way down
• Open your outlet valve to purge any gas still inside
• Take out the screws holding the regulator adjustment knob in place
• Remove the innards (taking note of how they came out so you can put them back in properly)
• Clean everything thoroughly (sanitation not required)
• Dry everything thoroughtly
• Reassemble

Prosit!