n00B Kegging question

[phyllobeddo]

I racked a 2.5 gallon batch into my 3 gallon keg and then racked a 5 gallon batch into my 5 gallon keg. I only have one CO2 tank with one CO2 hookup. I do plan to get a splitter soon. I pressurized the 5 gallon tank with about 20 PSI and then moved the CO2 hookup to the 3 gallon keg to let it carbonate over the next 2-3 weeks. I planned on letting the 5 gallon batch age for three weeks and then put the gas on it. After about 30 hours or so, I checked the 5 gallon tank and it appeared to have no pressure. I tried to burp it, but nothing came out. Because I had observed a leak on the OUT post before on this keg, I changed the connector and put 20PSI to it again. I checked it about 10 hours later and it had pressure. My question is this....did I have a leak before changing out the possibly bad post or did the CO2 dissolve into the beer?

 

[Howhownow]

Sounds like a leak for sure. There would have been some pressure.

 

[Yooper]

co2 will dissolve into the beer. That's why, to force carbonate, you keep the gas on as the gas will replace itself as it's absorbed in the beer.

I have a couple of kegs that won't seal unless I give them a big shot of c02 first, and then seat the lid. But the co2 will be absorbed into the beer over a little time.

If you have a beer that will sit at room temperature for a couple of weeks, you could add priming sugar, about .5 ounce by weight per gallon, and give it a shot of c02 to seat the lid, and let it carb up as it sits. Then, when you go to use it, it will be ready.

 

[chickypad]

I age kegs like that sometimes at room temp with just a blast of CO2. Like Yooper said the gas will dissolve into the beer but I usually find even wks later that there is a little bit of pressure when I pull the relief valve. I always use keg lube on the lid O ring because I worry about losing the seal as the pressure drops and it seems to work.

 

[phyllobeddo]

Thanks for the input guys. Sounds like I did have a leak since there was no pressure in the keg. I will keep checking the keg since there is a different connector on it now.

Also, I forgot to note that both kegs are in the fridge at about 33 or so degrees, for what that's worth.

Yooper, thanks for the suggestion of adding priming sugar to carbonate it. I had not even considered doing that. I'll probably just order a Y connector so that I can carb two kegs at once, but that's still a good idea that I did not think about.

 

[oakbarn]

For sure you have a leak. It is easy for the OUT post to leak. I have had to replace poppets over time. It seems that the OUTs have the issue mostly but sometimes the IN as well. We have found beer on the floor of our Kegerator more than once and have had to change poppets on kegged beer. In fact, I have two that need to be done so off to work! I have one keg that is leaking from under the rubber so a weld must be bad. I have turned that keg into an CO2 transfer keg where I use a black out disconnect with a Tri Clover end so I can push beer out of a Stout Conical.

 

[phyllobeddo]

Well, I'm glad I didn't have my CO2 tank hooked up to this 5 gallon keg. My 3 gallon is brand new and I just bought two five gallon used kegs a couple of weeks ago. I see that replacing posts and parts isn't all that cheap! Hopefully the post that I have on there right now will not leak. I will have to wait until this evening after work to check it.

 

[chickypad]

Thanks for the input guys. Sounds like I did have a leak since there was no pressure in the keg. I will keep checking the keg since there is a different connector on it now.

Also, I forgot to note that both kegs are in the fridge at about 33 or so degrees, for what that's worth.

Hopefully I'm not misleading you with my experience. When I age like this and still have pressure it's after hitting the keg with like 30 psi and keeping it at room temp. Beer as cold as yours would absorb more gas, I wonder if it would be enough to lose the seal and/or to result in no noticeable release of pressure. At any rate, being super vigilant about leaks is never a bad idea.

 

[phyllobeddo]

Hopefully I'm not misleading you with my experience. When I age like this and still have pressure it's after hitting the keg with like 30 psi and keeping it at room temp. Beer as cold as yours would absorb more gas, I wonder if it would be enough to lose the seal and/or to result in no noticeable release of pressure. At any rate, being super vigilant about leaks is never a bad idea.

No worries.

The more I think about it the more I believe I had a leak. There was absolutely no pressure in the keg when I burped it. I could say definitively if I had left the CO2 tank hooked up to it and then it was empty the next day. I'm so glad that I chose to carb the 3 gallon one first.

 

[Howhownow]

I have always had good luck finding leaks with my trusty spray bottle of starsan and by carefully listening.

 

[phyllobeddo]

I have always had good luck finding leaks with my trusty spray bottle of starsan and by carefully listening.

That's how I discovered that the original post was leaking by using Star San. I love the knowledge gained by reading these forums!

I reseated, retightened, and relubed the original post, hoping that the problem was fixed. Star San showed no signs of leaking after that. Then I checked it 30 hours later and the CO2 was gone.

So.....I checked the keg a little while ago by burping it. It burped! No sign of a leak right now. I hit it with 25 PSI, and will continue checking it over the next several days. This weekend, I will sanitize the other keg and lube it up and check for leaks on it.

 

[phyllobeddo]

The original keg in question is holding pressure since I swapped "out" posts. I think the out posts were on the wrong keg to begin with. I bought two kegs recently and the previous owner cleaned them both and hand tightened the posts before delivery. Now that I look at both sets of posts, it's obvious they match now after the swap. The two posts on keg A match each other, and the two posts on keg B match each other. I tested the empty keg as well and it's holding pressure. Thanks to everyone for the input!

 

[chickypad]

Ah, we forgot to suggest sabotage!
Glad you figured it out.