Regulator Pressure Adjusting Itself?

[luke2080]

My first post. In 6 months I've gone from extract brewing to all grain and kegging thanks to information being so well explained on this forum. So thanks for that. But I have a question that the search bar can't seem to answer...

I have a Dual Regulator (has the "fullness" guage for the co2 tank, then two different regulators to keg at two different pressures)

I have the PSI set for both of my kegs and I lock it in, but the pressure seems to keep adjusting on its own. It will go up 2 psi, or down 2. I'd like to "set it and forget it", but I need to set it, look at it, adjust it, check it, etc.

Information on my setup is below, but my question - what is causing this? Is it a bad regulator (got it from Williams Brewing, and was annoying because I had to replace their check valves with check valves you could actually hook up a gas line to) I know the cold air will effect the pressure guage for the co2 tank, but I'd expect the pressure going to the kegs to remain constant at what I set it. That pressure keeps going to the keg until it is balanced, and then remains there.

The co2 is in the keezer with the tanks (haven't built a collar yet) but these adjustments are happening after it has been in there for a week.

One of the kegs is an IPA that I force carbed at 30 for 24 hours, then kicked it down to 13 PSI, and I've been pulling a beer or two every day to see how it progresses. (This is my first keg after all, and I am thirsty) During this time, I have seen the pressure drop by 1 or 2 psi, and I'll re-adjust. I have also seen it go up.

The other kegs is a Vanilla Cream, that I set to just over 16 PSI and haven't touched it. But again, it has dropped before and I've had to reset it. Last night it was over 18 psi, so I had to kick it back down.

Very confused - expecting my regulators to throw pressure and what I set it at, and stay there unless I adjust. Any feedback is appreciated, didn't see this anywhere.

 

[JayWeezie]

If ur regulator is in the fridge sometimes they don't show the right pressure because its cold.
I don't think a psi here and there will really affect the beer to much anyways.

 

[luke2080]

I thought that was for the pressure in the actual co2 tank though - not the PSI pushing to the beer. And the pressure for that has fluctuated despite staying at a constant temperature.

I can adjust, and I'm not too worried about it. But every where I read about this, you set it and leave it alone, whereas I need to watch it.

I don't think it is a leak, as that would effect the level in the co2 tank, and not the pressure going out through those regulators.

 

[BurgerJones]

I am having a similar problem with my beergas regulator. Over the past week or so the low-pressure gauge reading has inched up from 30 (where I'd set it initially) to 34 PSI. The cylinder and regulator are outside the kegerator.

It's been a long time since general chemistry, but the only things I can think of that would make the gas pressure go up are

a) adding more gas to the system (suppose a bad regulator could do this)
b) having the temperature in the system go up (the keezer's set at 41 degrees, but the room temperature has increased slightly the past week)

I tried shutting off the gas, burping the keg a couple times, and then loosening the regulator screw. But with the gas back on, I couldn't get the low pressure gauge below 32 PSI no matter how loose I made it.

Hope I didn't hijack your thread, seems like the same type of problem, though.

 

[BurgerJones]

I am having a similar problem with my beergas regulator. Over the past week or so the low-pressure gauge reading has inched up from 30 (where I'd set it initially) to 34 PSI. The cylinder and regulator are outside the kegerator.

It's been a long time since general chemistry, but the only things I can think of that would make the gas pressure go up are

a) adding more gas to the system (suppose a bad regulator could do this)
b) having the temperature in the system go up (the keezer's set at 41 degrees, but the room temperature has increased slightly the past week)

I tried shutting off the gas, burping the keg a couple times, and then loosening the regulator screw. But with the gas back on, I couldn't get the low pressure gauge below 32 PSI no matter how loose I made it.

Hope I didn't hijack your thread, seems like the same type of problem, though.

 

[luke2080]

Hijack away - sounds like the same problem.

 

[luke2080]

Well - I've deemed it to be a faulty regulator. There are no leaks, and the second regulator works fine. The first one just dropped PSI by 6 as I started to pout a couple of beers.

This was a Williams Brewing dual regulator....so file that as one bad review for them. Going to give them a call to see whats up.

 

[mmonacel]

I tried shutting off the gas, burping the keg a couple times, and then loosening the regulator screw. But with the gas back on, I couldn't get the low pressure gauge below 32 PSI no matter how loose I made it.

This sounds like you need to pull the relief valve for that specific regulator. Even though you relieved the keg pressure, there is still remnant pressure in the lines which the regulator will read. Relieve the pressure in the keg and then relieve the pressure off the regulator. You'll see it drop to 0 from there (assuming no issues with your regulator).