Help! I think I've broken my regulator

[bob3000]

Familiar story I think. First time kegging, tried to force carb. Didn't realise I needed to purge keg before lowering psi to serving pressure. Couldn't understand why the pressure wouldn't go down so I just kept lowering that dail.
to round things off i went and gave it a shake with the gas line connected. I then turned the gas valve on and off and realised something was wrong when the keg pressure gauge read 0.

I have taken gas line off to have a look and the problem seems to be in the regulator. nothing comes out of the gas valve. And gauge reads 0

What can I do??? surely I haven't ruined it already.

 

[Yooper]

Familiar story I think. First time kegging, tried to force carb. Didn't realise I needed to purge keg before lowering psi to serving pressure. Couldn't understand why the pressure wouldn't go down so I just kept lowering that dail.
to round things off i went and gave it a shake with the gas line connected. I then turned the gas valve on and off and realised something was wrong when the keg pressure gauge read 0.

I have taken gas line off to have a look and the problem seems to be in the regulator. nothing comes out of the gas valve. And gauge reads 0

What can I do??? surely I haven't ruined it already.

Keg pressure gauge? I'm not sure what you're looking at.

Turn the screw or knob back in, if it's out all the way. (Like you're raising the pressure.) Purge the keg, and hook it back up to see if you get gas flow. If not, take off the regulator and weigh the keg- you could have had a leak and lost all your gas.

If you weigh the tank, and there is gas in it, let us know and we'll go from there.

 

[bob3000]

I mean the low pressure gauge ( does that make sense?) the one that tells you what psi your beer is at. I'm sure I have gas in my bottle as I took the reg off and reconnected it and the gauge giving the tank psi when right back up to 500.

definitely something going on in the regulator.

 

[Golddiggie]

Can you turn the regulator knob (on the face of the body) in so that you're pushing gas out? If you backed the center/adjusting screw all the way out, you might need to get it started in the threads again before it will do anything.

Post a picture of your regulator so we can better see what you have.

 

[bob3000]

Can you turn the regulator knob (on the face of the body) in so that you're pushing gas out? If you backed the center/adjusting screw all the way out, you might need to get it started in the threads again before it will do anything.

Post a picture of your regulator so we can better see what you have.

the knob is in and quite tight.

this is the reg

http://stores.kegconnection.com/Detail.bok?no=300

 

[Yooper]

That photo is a nitrogen regulator. Is that what you have?

 

[bob3000]

That photo is a nitrogen regulator. Is that what you have?

No, I don't think so. But it looks very similar. does it make a difference?

 

[Yooper]

No, I don't think so. But it looks very similar. does it make a difference?

Only if you're using a nitrogen setup.

I'm just trying to visualize what's wrong.

Turn the adjustment screw/knob out halfway. Then purge the keg, and add gas to the keg. You should hear it flow in. Don't ever put the adjustment OUT all of the way, or IN all of the way.

If you don't hear it flow, try using your regulator's pressure relief valve. See if you get gas out that way.

 

[Golddiggie]

Is it one with Keg Connection marked gauges on it (same black body)? I had one of those (dual body) for a while, before returning it for a Taprite. Doesn't appear on the KC site currently (in either single or dual body).

Check to make sure the locking nut isn't close to the body, and the screw is still far out. The nut will stop the screw from going in, and you won't get any gas through the low pressure side.

If you got the regulator from KC, I would either call or email them for assistance. If the regulator IS bad/defective they'll either help you to fix it or (very likely) replace it. If you got it from someplace else, or used, you could be boned.

 

[bob3000]

Only if you're using a nitrogen setup.

I'm just trying to visualize what's wrong.

Turn the adjustment screw/knob out halfway. Then purge the keg, and add gas to the keg. You should hear it flow in. Don't ever put the adjustment OUT all of the way, or IN all of the way.

If you don't hear it flow, try using your regulator's pressure relief valve. See if you get gas out that way.

I have gone as far as taking off the gas line and slowly turning the valve(little red lever) to see if anything comes out. Nothing. I did try the pressure relief as well but not sure if I did it with the gas on.

 

[Golddiggie]

I have gone as far as taking off the gas line and slowly turning the valve(little red lever) to see if anything comes out. Nothing. I did try the pressure relief as well but not sure if I did it with the gas on.

Can you take a picture of the body from the side, and post it? If there's a nut on the screw (the ones like that I've seen have one) and it's not to the head of the nut, it could be stopping the screw from going in (at all) and keeping the feed at 0.

 

[bob3000]

Can you take a picture of the body from the side, and post it? If there's a nut on the screw (the ones like that I've seen have one) and it's not to the head of the nut, it could be stopping the screw from going in (at all) and keeping the feed at 0.

there is a nut, you are right, but i'm pretty sure that the problem isn't this. The screw is in quite far.

 

[bob3000]

Can you take a picture of the body from the side, and post it? If there's a nut on the screw (the ones like that I've seen have one) and it's not to the head of the nut, it could be stopping the screw from going in (at all) and keeping the feed at 0.

Golddiggie I think you where right after all.

Got my neighbour who is a mechanic to have a look. After taking a few bits off and playing around with it a bit he turned the screw and it seemed to be working again.

But the odd thing is I've just gone out to check it and get a beer and when connecting the gas I get a zero reading even though i haven't touched the screw since it was up and running. Cold changes in temp effect it? as I just have the set up in the garage and it is getting quite cold at night.