Washer On CO2 Tank Connection?

[Cogswell]

I'm in the process of the rehabbing a second hand kegerator. It came with a Taprite 740 series regulator, model 366M. I want to replace the gauges so I was looking over parts on the Taprite website. I noticed the CO2 bottle nipple shown on the website has a washer.

My regulator doesn't have that. The nipple is bare brass. Do I need one? If so which one? I see two things on the Taprite website described as CO2 connection washers, 763 and 763d.

 

[Golddiggie]

The Taprite 740 rebuild kit I ordered came with the replacement o-ring you're pointing to. I'd order one of the kits and install it (all the parts if you're rehabbing the regulator).

 

[day_trippr]

Post a focused picture with decent lighting of the end of your regulator coupler stem.
Odds are you could simply use either a nylon or fiber crush washer and not worry about the quad O-ring and the hex screw that holds it in place...

Cheers!

 

[Cogswell]

Post a focused picture with decent lighting of the end of your regulator coupler stem.

The Taprite 740 rebuild kit I ordered came with the replacement o-ring you're pointing to. I'd order one of the kits and install it (all the parts if you're rehabbing the regulator).

Looks like the kit is only $15 or so. Sounds like a good idea.

 

[Golddiggie]

Unless you removed the part with the Allen/hex hole, you're missing a piece. So just use one of the plastic (or fiber) washers between the tank and regulator stem at this point.

Things like this is why I only buy brand new regulators. It might be a 'minor' item, but it would still piss me off.

 

[day_trippr]

As I suspected. A conventional 50 cent fiber or nylon gasket would work just fine with that. Don't even need the threaded insert.
I have a lot of regulators in service and the only one that ever gives me coupler trouble is the Taprite with that captive square O-ring...

Cheers!

 

[Cogswell]

Unless you removed the part with the Allen/hex hole, you're missing a piece. So just use one of the plastic (or fiber) washers between the tank and regulator stem at this point.

Things like this is why I only buy brand new regulators. It might be a 'minor' item, but it would still piss me off.

I didn't remove anything.

Any chance you could post a link or picture showing the part with the allen/hex hole?

In the seller's defense, he threw the regulator in for free with the kegerator. He said it was leaking gas. I guess he didn't know about the missing parts either.

 

[Cogswell]

As I suspected. A conventional 50 cent fiber or nylon gasket would work just fine with that. Don't even need the threaded insert.
I have a lot of regulators in service and the only one that ever gives me coupler trouble is the Taprite with that captive square O-ring...

Cheers!

Is there a recommended schedule to replace those fiber gaskets, like maybe on every cylinder change?

 

[Golddiggie]

I can't locate the item online by itself. I do see it when looking at the washer that it captures.

IMO, I'd get the nylon washer to go between the tank and regulator.

If the original owner didn't have one of those in place, that could very well be where it was leaking from. Since we know that you won't get a good seal when it's metal on metal.

 

[marc1]

I didn't remove anything.

Any chance you could post a link or picture showing the part with the allen/hex hole?

In the seller's defense, he threw the regulator in for free with the kegerator. He said it was leaking gas. I guess he didn't know about the missing parts either.

https://www.homebrewing.org/Taprite-Co2-permanant-O-ring-for-Nipple_p_3726.html

 

[day_trippr]

Is there a recommended schedule to replace those fiber gaskets, like maybe on every cylinder change?

Gas suppliers will tell you it's best to replace them with each refill, but that's likely 90% CYA talking.
I have nylon ones that I haven't changed in many years (tempting fate with that, yeah )

Looking at the exploded diagram for the 742HP primary reg it shows the square O-ring (11) but not the funky screw that retains it.
I'd call that a sign to just go with a standard crush washer

Cheers!

 

[Golddiggie]

I've used one (nylon version) on my 5# CO2 bottle that's been swapped at least a few times since I installed it. Still works well. The one for the 20# tank has been used since the start. I think I've removed the regulator a couple of times. It looked good, so I didn't change the nylon washer. I DO have a couple of spare ones on hand though. That way, when I need to replace it, I won't need to order any. When I get down to one, I'll get a few more. Things like that (small, cheap parts) it just makes sense (to me at least) to have spares on hand. Since, with our luck, one will fail when the LHBS is closed and you don't have any spares. Been there, done that, burned the shirt.

 

[Cogswell]

Things like that (small, cheap parts) it just makes sense (to me at least) to have spares on hand.

I do the same, often to excess.

The current supply chain woes have finally redeemed my habit of hoarding double, triple, and quadruple backup parts.

 

[mbg]

Unless you removed the part with the Allen/hex hole, you're missing a piece. So just use one of the plastic (or fiber) washers between the tank and regulator stem at this point.

Things like this is why I only buy brand new regulators. It might be a 'minor' item, but it would still piss me off.

This?

https://homebrewsupply.com/flat-seal-for-taprite-co2-regulator-tank-fitting/

 

[Golddiggie]

It's only hoarding if you NEVER use them. Otherwise they're known as 'spares' or 'hot spares'.

 

[day_trippr]

This?

Specifically, that hex screw referred to as the "bolt" in the description.

It's not a typical profile you'll find at Home Depot...or most home brew supply retailers, it appears...

Cheers!

 

[tennesseean_87]

I grabbed some washers at the hardware store when I sprung a leak once.

 

[day_trippr]

It just occurred to me that the OPs regulator stem does not actually look like the images shown for the oem Taprite part, which has a square-shouldered recess carved down into it for the square O-ring. This one looks like a rather conventional stem that would use a conventional crush gasket...

Cheers!

 

[Cogswell]

According to day_trippr's experience, it's better to have this than the captive seal version.

A conventional 50 cent fiber or nylon gasket would work just fine with that. Don't even need the threaded insert.
I have a lot of regulators in service and the only one that ever gives me coupler trouble is the Taprite with that captive square O-ring...

There's a lot of weirdness with this regulator. It's model 366M. There isn't a single mention of it on the Taprite website and all google hits are forsale posts / auctions. I believe it's a customized model made to meet a price for very low-end kegerators. It came with my low-end kegerator which I bought secondhand.

The model isn't even stamped into metal anywhere. It appears only on a thin silver sticker on "poly bonnet assembly". Part #1 on the diagram on post 11.

 

[camonick]

Gas suppliers will tell you it's best to replace them with each refill, but that's likely 90% CYA talking.
I have nylon ones that I haven't changed in many years (tempting fate with that, yeah )

FWIW, I’ve been using the same nylon washer for around 18 years. I got it from the same Coca Cola service tech that I got the bulk of my kegs from when I started way back in the day. It’s even red color. I do have a couple new ones stashed away if needed.

 

[DuncB]

Those new ones will have rotted by the time you need them!

 

[DarrellQ]

Unless you removed the part with the Allen/hex hole, you're missing a piece. So just use one of the plastic (or fiber) washers between the tank and regulator stem at this point.

Things like this is why I only buy brand new regulators. It might be a 'minor' item, but it would still piss me off.

It pisses me off that Taprite would use that stupid hex screw, o-ring design! Why re-invent the wheel when the old design that used the flat nylon washer worked fine? I have had nothing but problems with the new design and I can't get a good seal by replacing it with the tried and true nylon washer. I did finally find a softer rubber version of the flat washer that seems to hold. But the o-ring design is a POS, imho.

 

[Dr_Jeff]

In an emergency, the red seals from swing top bottles work.

 

[Bobby_M]

Taprite has never used an oring in that position, at least in the last 7 years. It has always been a square profile round gasket. These things only need to be replaced after a dozen tank changes and frankly if you smear keg lube on it every tank change it may last even longer.

Every other regulator that isn't taprite can either use the nylon or fiber washers and those are supposed to be changed out every single tank change. You CANNOT use a taprite seal on a non taprite regulator. The perfect makeshift gasket material is LDPE containers like sour cream and yogurt tubs. Cut a donut out and you're golden.