Leaky Keg Lid - FIXED

[RootDownBrewing]

I ordered a 2 keg starter kit. The first keg I used is working great and I have been drinking off of it for a week now. I just went to get the 2nd keg ready, filled it with starsan and tipped it upside down only to find the liquid pouring through the lid!!!!

I'm not saying they new it was busted just disappointed that with a new seal and everything it's not air or liquid tight and I have to wait to either fix the problem with a new keg or buy something else.

just bummed

 

[Gduck]

A lot of times a seal on a keg won't be air tight until it's under pressure. With most of my kegs when is shake up the star San in them they leak all over the kitchen floor. But once the beer is in and I turn on the CO2 that pressure seals them up tight.

Not saying yours isnt busted but its something you might want to check. Take that keg with some star san in it, close it up, but it under some CO2 pressure and then tip it and see if it still leaks.

 

[bob1852]

If it truly doesn't hold pressure and leaks, contact your vendor for an exchange. They're reconditioned kegs are supposed to hold a seal, and if it doesn't, you did not get what you paid for.

 

[isurf]

Same here, I have 2 kegs or lids that wont seal till I put the ol' Co2 behind it.

 

[Gritsak]

Little premature on starting this thread. You should have either call your vendor or searched around the forum first. Only 1 or 2 of my 7 kegs will be liquid tight without pressure, so i doubt they sent you a "busted" keg.

 

[Golddiggie]

Agree with needing to put some pressure into the keg when leak testing it before calling it defective. I have at least two kegs (out of seven) that won't seal until you put at least some pressure into them (I start with 10psi)... I typically seal them up (post filling) with 30psi to ensure they've seated fully and are leak free. Once they're carbonated, I typically serve at 10-12 psi (depends on the brew)... I've even hit the kegs with ~10psi after filling and they've sealed properly. Hell, even the pressure levels from a pocket charger will get the o-rings to seat/seal.

So unless you actually put the keg under pressure, don't call it defective.

 

[day_trippr]

Ok, first thing is don't panic and fly off the mash paddle handle.

Sometimes keg lids just need to be carefully located in the keg hole to get them to seal nicely. What I've found is if you put the lid inside the keg, get it more or less in position, then swing the bail straight up and keep pulling it upward by its center while gently twisting it back and forth, you can find the "sweet spot" for the lid in the hole. Then, while still keeping upward pressure on the bail, lever it down - without moving the lid - and latch it down.

Give that a try and see if it makes any difference.

Also, I recommend using keg lube on all of the O-rings. It will help prevent QDs from nicking post rings, and also help getting lid rings to seat properly...

Cheers!

 

[emjay]

Just to emphasize the fact, I'm going to repeat what's already been said.

Corny kegs are really only supposed to seal when they've been pressurized. If it wasn't pressurized when it was leaking, chances are VERY high that the keg is totally fine and not defective.

 

[RootDownBrewing]

I'm glad I posted here to get feed back from you all. I had only used one of my kegs and the seal was perfect, air tight and liquid tight without gas so that's what I was expecting from every keg from that point forward.

After posting here and realizing that liquid tight may not be the case I hit it with some co2 and it became air tight and liquid tight within seconds.

I apologize or my premature rant but also hope this helps others who experience this same issue in the future.

 

[KevinM]

One thing that wasn't mentioned was that sometimes the direction of the lid makes a difference. Sometimes (with the reconditioned kegs from wherever) it seals better when the lid is put into place one way, vs a 180degree rotation. I can't quite figure out why, something with the sealing direction I suppose, but for me, it's made a major difference between needing a bump of co2 to seal vs not even sealing.

 

[annasdadhockey]

Little premature on starting this thread. You should have either call your vendor or searched around the forum first.

+1. No need to "badmouth" any vendor on this forum without trying to resolve your issue with them first.

 

[Flomaster]

some people need to put two dimes on each side of the lid where the little arms make contact on the keg to get a nice TIGHT seal.

just sayin'

-=Jason=-

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

One thing that wasn't mentioned was that sometimes the direction of the lid makes a difference. Sometimes (with the reconditioned kegs from wherever) it seals better when the lid is put into place one way, vs a 180degree rotation. I can't quite figure out why, something with the sealing direction I suppose, but for me, it's made a major difference between needing a bump of co2 to seal vs not even sealing.

Really simple: handling/manipulation, and a possible whack to the top. It could bend the top/lid and work one way or the other.

M_C

 

[copyright1997]

Another thing to do (if leaking) is to make sure the large rubber gasket is on properly. Take it off an re-apply it, then close lid again and see if it is leaking. I've had cases where I didn't have the gasket quite right.