Tips / tricks for leaky carbonation cap?

[SanPancho]

Got a kegland carbonation tee for a little project I’m working on. Used a red plastic carbonation cap also from kegland and it leaks at the threads.

Tried taking off and putting back on. Bit O’ keg lube. No luck. Unfortunately the carb cap is old, so can’t return it. Any advice beyond what I’ve tried so far?
I remember the stainless ones have washers. But not sure where I’d get one.

 

[fluketamer]

are you sure its the cap and not the bottle. i just had a bottle not holding pressure and i threw on an extra o ring under the cap and the two o rings seem to now work fine. so maybe just throw in an o-ring washer.

 

[SanPancho]

are you sure its the cap and not the bottle. i just had a bottle not holding pressure and i threw on an extra o ring under the cap and the two o rings seem to now work fine. so maybe just throw in an o-ring washer.

its not the bottle. its the tee threads where the cap screws on. plain as day.

i guess maybe go to ace hardware and try and find a washer that fits? not a permanent use so i guess epdm/food safe isnt really that important...

 

[mac_1103]

I'm not sure there's any tips or tricks for bad tee threads. What exactly is wrong with the threads?

 

[IslandLizard]

Used a red plastic carbonation cap also from kegland and it leaks at the threads.

The threads never seal, the rubber washer in the top of the carbonation cap does.
Sometimes the (flat) rubber washer deforms when screwed down too tightly, causing it to leak there.

 

[fluketamer]

The threads never seal, the rubber washer in the top of the carbonation cap does.
Sometimes the (flat) rubber washer deforms when screwed down too tightly, causing it to leak there.

i think the carb caps from kegland dont need washers because the threads themselves do seal. i think i remember seeing in the video that was one of the selling points of the kegland carb caps... that they dont need washers.

 

[IslandLizard]

i think the carb caps from kegland dont need washers because the threads themselves do seal.

The threads don't seal. Take a close look at them there are gaps and everything...

If a washer can be omitted, the seal is made between the top rim of the bottle (or T, etc.) and the inside top of the cap, similar to a plastic cap on soda and water bottles.

 

[day_trippr]

^RIght^. Those Kegland plastic carb caps don't seal by the threads but instead drive a cone shaped plastic feature to seal to the inside of the bottle neck rim...

Cheers!

 

[MaxStout]

I discovered that replacing the crappy flat rubber washers with donut-shaped ones helped a lot. I just use garden hose washers from Lowes.

 

[SanPancho]

That was my understanding as well, it wasn’t “needed” per kegland. But my cap it’s definitely not sealing against the tee. I don’t wanna over torque it and bust the tee. So I guess a washer is the only solution. Just have to track one down.

 

[mac_1103]

My cheap knockoff carbonation tee has washers. And it doesn't leak.