CO2 tank regulator freezes up

[ranman]

When using my 5# CO2 tank to push finished beer from my Speidel fermenter to my 5 gal keg (via a closed-system racking cane at ~5 PSI), the CO2 tank regulator ices up/freezes up to the point that the flow from the Speidel to the keg slows to a crawl. I'm fearful that the icing up will damage/break the regulator dial, so abandoned it and used a standard racking cane to get the beer into the keg. Any suggestions as to how to prevent that so I can reattempt the closed-transfer process? Ch(B)eers!

 

[Vale71]

It shouldn't get so cold just by pushing 5 gal of beer or are you filling several kegs one after another? If that's the case than just pause long enough for the reg to warm up again between kegs.

 

[ranman]

It shouldn't get so cold just by pushing 5 gal of beer or are you filling several kegs one after another? If that's the case than just pause long enough for the reg to warm up again between kegs.

It's just the single keg. A possible contributing factor is a not-100% seal around the top of the Speidel (as I hear a faint hiss of CO2 escaping). Even with that, the flow to the keg is initially pretty good (once again, at ~5 PSI). But after about 5 minutes, the icing up begins and the flow goes to a trickle. I have a call into the place I purchased it from (i.e. the closed-transfer racking unit), but wanted to know if anyone on the forum has had a similar problem. Thanks again.

 

[Vale71]

The only thing that I can think of is that you've (unknowingly) bought a CO2 tank with a diptube which would be unsuitable for use with a regulator since liquid CO2 would enter the regulator and quickly freeze it up.
In my experience it takes more than a 5 gal transfer to make a regulator body even just appreciably cold which is still a long way from frozen up...

 

[ranman]

The only thing that I can think of is that you've (unknowingly) bought a CO2 tank with a diptube which would be unsuitable for use with a regulator since liquid CO2 would enter the regulator and quickly freeze it up.
In my experience it takes more than a 5 gal transfer to make a regulator body even just appreciably cold which is still a long way from frozen up...

Thanks for that feedback. I will try using a different CO2 tank for this closed-transfer process, as the two tanks were purchased independently (years apart).

 

[day_trippr]

More likely the OP is underestimating the gas leak and the combined gas flow is causing a vapor phase transition rate in excess of the available thermal dissipation...

Cheers!

 

[ranman]

More likely the OP is underestimating the gas leak and the combined gas flow is causing a vapor phase transition rate in excess of the available thermal dissipation...

Cheers!

I will also give a more detailed look at that (what I thought was minor) CO2 leak around my fermenter's seal... Thanks!

 

[Mybuddypete]

Once the siphon starts you can turn the regulator's pressure very low. Assuming the keg is at a lower level than the fermenter.

 

[ranman]

Once the siphon starts you can turn the regulator's pressure very low. Assuming the keg is at a lower level than the fermenter.

Thanks for that advice!