I recently purchased a Kegco 3 tap system and outfitted it with a dual gauge regulator and an inline 3 gauge secondary regulator since Id be serving seltzer/soda as well as homebrew. The main regulator has a check valve where it connects to the secondary regulators and all 3 of the secondary regulators have a check vale at the gas out barb. I assembled everything and tested by submersion and spraying with Starsan. Everything appeared to be sealed and in good working order. I carbed up 3 kegs, which were working great for a couple weeks. Then I went to get a pour and the tap handle didnt open with quite the same feel so I checked the pressure and sure enough I was out of CO2 after carbonating and dispensing half of 3 corny kegs.
I got a refill of CO2 and went back to work trying to ensure everything was sealed and holding pressure. I started at the simplest place, the tank connection to the dual gauge regulator. Sure enough after submersing it in water there was a very slow leak at the connection. I wrapped the threads in Teflon tape, re-assembled everything and it appeared to be sealed. I turned on the gas and pressurized the entire system, then turned off the gas and the check valve that separates the dual gauge regulator from the 3 inline secondary regulators. After 12 hours, the dual gauge regulator was holding steady pressure and Im 99% sure there is no leak in that portion of the system, but all 3 of the secondary regulators were at 0.
When I pressurized the system and closed the main check valve, I unhooked all 3 airlines from the kegs but left the check valves for each secondary regulator open. Im performing another test where I pressurized the system then turned off the gas closed all of the check valves. The entire system appears to be holding pressure, as my primary regulator is holding 30 PSI and each of the secondary regulators are holding at 13 PSI. I plan to open the check valves and dunk the gas in connectors to see if I have any leaks, but I find it difficult to believe each of them would be leaking.
So to the things that have me baffled would a leak in 1 airline out of the secondary regulators depressurize all 3 secondary regulators? Is it possible/likely that the gas in connectors are not airtight and slowly bleed CO2 if they arent hooked to a keg? The latter is what Im hoping for, since that would mean Im essentially operating normally and it wont be a big issue because the gas in lines will either be hooked to a keg or the check valves will be closed if they are not.
Im just trying to wrap my head around what is going on and if theres something I should be concerned about or if Im looking for problems that dont exist at this point. Like everyone else, I dont want to spend excess money on CO2 every couple weeks. Thanks for the help.
I got a refill of CO2 and went back to work trying to ensure everything was sealed and holding pressure. I started at the simplest place, the tank connection to the dual gauge regulator. Sure enough after submersing it in water there was a very slow leak at the connection. I wrapped the threads in Teflon tape, re-assembled everything and it appeared to be sealed. I turned on the gas and pressurized the entire system, then turned off the gas and the check valve that separates the dual gauge regulator from the 3 inline secondary regulators. After 12 hours, the dual gauge regulator was holding steady pressure and Im 99% sure there is no leak in that portion of the system, but all 3 of the secondary regulators were at 0.
When I pressurized the system and closed the main check valve, I unhooked all 3 airlines from the kegs but left the check valves for each secondary regulator open. Im performing another test where I pressurized the system then turned off the gas closed all of the check valves. The entire system appears to be holding pressure, as my primary regulator is holding 30 PSI and each of the secondary regulators are holding at 13 PSI. I plan to open the check valves and dunk the gas in connectors to see if I have any leaks, but I find it difficult to believe each of them would be leaking.
So to the things that have me baffled would a leak in 1 airline out of the secondary regulators depressurize all 3 secondary regulators? Is it possible/likely that the gas in connectors are not airtight and slowly bleed CO2 if they arent hooked to a keg? The latter is what Im hoping for, since that would mean Im essentially operating normally and it wont be a big issue because the gas in lines will either be hooked to a keg or the check valves will be closed if they are not.
Im just trying to wrap my head around what is going on and if theres something I should be concerned about or if Im looking for problems that dont exist at this point. Like everyone else, I dont want to spend excess money on CO2 every couple weeks. Thanks for the help.
