Square O-Ring on Regulator

[Clint Yeastwood]

Today on the web, I saw some guy complaining about captive square O-rings on CO2 regulators. I wondered what on Earth he was talking about. How can an O-ring be square? Then I took my regulator off the tank so I could install a washer (something I had forgotten), and I saw a mashed-up O-ring imbedded in it. I tried to get it out, but it went nowhere. Suddenly it dawned on me: it was stuck in there because it was CAPTIVE, and it had a square CROSS SECTION. So I must have a captive square O-ring.

I don't think this thing is ever coming out without a lot of scraping. Do I really need to replace it, or can I leave it in there and expect a nylon or fiber washer to do its job for it?

 

[day_trippr]

I have a couple of regs like that (Micromatic and Taprite) and iirc that's termed a "quad seal" O-ring.
On both regs there is a screwed in brass bit that holds the O-ring in place.
I had one crack and used a fiber washer with the O-ring still in place. Held a seal just fine...

Cheers!

 

[Clint Yeastwood]

Thanks for the help. Now I'm busy returning the 4 "ball lock" kegs that turned out to be pin lock.

 

[day_trippr]

Ugh. "I hate it when that happens" comes to mind...

 

[Bobby_M]

The captive orings are easily removed and replaced by removing the center post with an allen key wrech.

 

[Clint Yeastwood]

Thanks for the help. I would never have known.

I have like 1500 O-rings, and not one is square.

 

[day_trippr]

Often one can get away with a round cross-sectioned O-ring. Eg, the original O-rings used on cornelius keg dip tubes were quad seal/"square", but I wouldn't surprised if 90-something percent of them in use today are round. I haven't checked to see if that might hold for these coupler O-rings though

Cheers!

 

[Clint Yeastwood]

You've given me a ton of help, and I appreciate it. I guess the O-ring doesn't matter with the washer in place.

 

[IDMaynard]

Today on the web, I saw some guy complaining about captive square O-rings on CO2 regulators. I wondered what on Earth he was talking about. How can an O-ring be square? Then I took my regulator off the tank so I could install a washer (something I had forgotten), and I saw a mashed-up O-ring imbedded in it. I tried to get it out, but it went nowhere. Suddenly it dawned on me: it was stuck in there because it was CAPTIVE, and it had a square CROSS SECTION. So I must have a captive square O-ring.

I don't think this thing is ever coming out without a lot of scraping. Do I really need to replace it, or can I leave it in there and expect a nylon or fiber washer to do its job for it?

The center of the nipple should fit an Allen wrench, remove that and replace the captive )-ring. I have one of these and I really do not like it I think mine is made by tap-rite. I also have the other style that uses a large polymer flat washer but it is a really cheap regulator which leaks when the cylinder pressure gets low (go figure).

 

[Clint Yeastwood]

Looks like the keg situation is working out. The seller said to keep the pin lock kegs with a full refund. I had told him they could probably be converted, but it looked like a hassle because I wasn't sure conversion parts I ordered would work, and he didn't want to get further into it. I was all ready to buy a box and ship them back, but he doesn't want them. Looks like he made a mistake and failed to refund about $37, but I don't want to be a jerk about it. For $25 each, including conversion hardware, I don't mind holding onto pin lock kegs.

I didn't know these things were pin lock kegs or that pin lock kegs were thicker and shorter. I had never seen one before, and they looked pretty much like my old ball lock kegs to me. Thinner kegs should make the keezer seem roomier.

I ordered 4 kegs from Cornykeg.com, but I think I'll try to convert the pin lock kegs anyway. I may want to own more than 5 kegs in the future. I have learned not to get rid of Corny kegs rashly. They keep appreciating.