Why so much trouble with regs?

[GreenMonti]

I have been brewing for 5-6 years now and have gone through several regulators. I don't understand why. The only one that was replaced and didn't go bad was a spare welding regulator I had laying around. It is now being used so I can't go back to it. I have gone through 3 of the fox regs and 2 tap right regulators. There is also another one in there but I can't recall the name.

At first I thought it was from me turning up the pressure to force carb and then backing it down. Repeate again and again. The last two I bought were fox (I know not the best) and ran them together for a dual regulator manifold. They are three weeks old and have gone nutty. The pressure screws are almost bottomed out from day 1 just to make 12 PSI. They have since started to regester 40 PSI and have drained my 20# bottle.

Why am I so challenged in the regulator department? Is this pretty normal for them to go out so soon and I just don't know? I do know that the worst thing for a regulator is to be left on and set, but it seems that when I mention this to others that I know who are kegging, they have had thiers for years. No issues.

 

[Cheeto]

Are you running check valves ?

 

[GreenMonti]

Are you running check valves ?

I have yes, currently no. IME there has been no difference. Do the kegs tend to build pressure and back flow the regulator?

 

[Cheeto]

yes,

During pressure changes, carbing and serving, the beer can flow backwards in to the regulator, I have notices that the cheapo Oxy regulators work to in a pinch.

 

[GreenMonti]

yes,

During pressure changes, carbing and serving, the beer can flow backwards in to the regulator, I have notices that the cheapo Oxy regulators work to in a pinch.

Oh, when I go from carb to serve pressures. I will shut off the valve to the keg from the reg. I bleed off excess pressure and let it ride so to speak. I then turn on the valve again and I have never seen any increase in pressure on the reg. Would I see the back pressure in the gauge if there was back flow?

 

[Cheeto]

you should see it in the gauge.

 

[GreenMonti]

you should see it in the gauge.

That's what I thought. Maybe a couple of times I have seen this happen. Then again I have been through a few regulators.

 

[david_42]

Don't have a clue as to what the problem is. I've had my regulators for years without any problems. That might be the reason right there, older gear being better quality before the huge surge in homebrewing got the cheap manufacturers in the business. Some people have regulators that use steel screws in aluminum bodies, a really bad idea from a corrosion standpoint.

 

[bendavanza]

The next regulator I buy will be this:

http://www.micromatic.com/draft-keg-beer/regulators-pid-642-Battery.html

 

[GreenMonti]

Don't have a clue as to what the problem is. I've had my regulators for years without any problems. That might be the reason right there, older gear being better quality before the huge surge in homebrewing got the cheap manufacturers in the business. Some people have regulators that use steel screws in aluminum bodies, a really bad idea from a corrosion standpoint.

You have a very good point.

The next regulator I buy will be this:

http://www.micromatic.com/draft-keg-beer/regulators-pid-642-Battery.html

Those look really nice. Not a bad price either. That is how I have mine setup right now.

 

[brewmonk]

I have lots of regulators (>20), but they are all on stand-by - the two regs I'm using won't quit.

BTW, I don't worry much about CO2, I keg to cornies, fill/bleed/refill to 40 psi, shake it, and let it sit (disconnected). When serving, I bleed a bit, hook it in the kegbox, and the first half needs no more gas (kegs are not filled to full 5gal - I leave more headspace for pressure).

For the 2nd half, I moddded a gas in QD to hold a bike tire valvestem. One good foosh, and I'm done, then take off the QD.