Empty co2 after a week

[millhouse9]

Hi everyone,

Im having trouble with my new keg system. I've been carbonating my beer at room temp for a week now (still dont have my keezer finished but will finish this weekend) and when I checked the system today my co2 tank was empty. Im carbonating at 30 psi because of the warmer temps. Will a 5 lb tank empty that quickly with two corny kegs or do i have a leak?

 

[herbmanz]

That happened to me with my first two 5# tanks. I realized that my connections weren't tight enough and it was slowly leaking. Run through your lines (regulator, manifolds, clamps, etc) with a channel lock, and make sure everything is good and tight.

 

[Rockn_M]

If your sure you had a full tank to begin with you've got a leak. Each beer I keg I will take a spray bottle of Star San and spray everything to see if I can find any bubbles. Check around the ball locks and center O-ring.

With a new co2 tank I can typically carb and dispense 8-9 5 gallon cornies plus dispense 5-6 commerical kegs.

 

[millhouse9]

Yeah Im sure it was full. It was a brand new tank. $13 more and i got it refilled. You spray everything with the star san? Even the regulator? I've got to figure this out!

 

[Rockn_M]

Probably not so much the regulator itself but the threads on the regulator.

 

[millhouse9]

Ok thanks for the reply. So any reason why you use star san instead of soap and water? It doesn't touch the beer so Im confused (star san is soo spendy so that's why im curious).

 

[Rockn_M]

It is a little pricy. But I would rather spend the $10 than risk the possibility of getting soapy water in my beer. That would be a bigger waste.

That's just what I do.

 

[JonM]

Are you lubing the o-rings, especially the one at the lid? Adding keg lube can be a big help to prevent leaks.

 

[millhouse9]

Good point. I'll probably do the same. Thanks for the help.

 

[millhouse9]

I just got some keg lube so I'll do that tonight. Thanks.

 

[day_trippr]

Make sure there is a gasket between the CO2 tank valve and the regulator input coupler. A common omission...

Cheers!

 

[JonM]

^^ The dreaded fibre washer. I lost mine once after bringing a keg to a party. Tank was empty overnight.