A few questions about my keg

Hello people! Cheers!
I have question, hope you guys can help me out.
I just kegged my first brew a few weeks ago . I have a 10 lb co tank . And only one pony keg. The co only lasted a few weeks! I checked all my connects with soap water and no bubbles.
My question is do I leave the co on the whole time?
Once it's carbed up do i turn off the co?
I was getting a lot of head on my beer near the end of the keg, I now I gotta keep it at serving pressure but can I turn it off during the Time it's not in use?
I may not be clear enough . Sorry . I pressured it up at 20 lbs for 2 days then dropped it down to about 8lbs for serving. But I left it on the whole month the kegged lasted . Please any help would be appreciated . It cost 45 bucks to get this thing filled!

 

I chill and shake Carb so the tank isn't on for weeks.. just in case it slow leaks somewhere.. also I don't ever turn it on unless I'm dispensing. And sometimes not even then if I
Just filling one glass .. aslong as there are no leaks in your keg everything should stay carbed and ready with the gas off..

 

Thank you! I know there's gotta be slow leaks somewhere. So in other words you use it to carb up and that's about it ? Unless you plan on having a lil party but even then you just barely turn it on.
Yeah see I left mine on the whole time at 8lbs for a month. I knew it was a bad idea but was afraid if I turned it off my beer would go flat.., I get stupid sometimes.

 

I just made this same keg rookie mistake.
I am on my 3rd kegged beer and my 15lb tank is empty. I never found the leak.
Next time I will follow the above advice; turn it off when not in use.
I also just bought $40 worth of new o-rings (bulk ordered) so this doesn't happen to me again.
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/mcmaster-keg-o-ring-list-233086/
I am a hydraulic expert, I should have known better...

 

Welcome, and congrats on your first kegged brew.

First no it should not take 10lbs of Co2 to carb your 5 gallon keg. You have a leak somewhere. The most common I have found among first timers is the regulator to cylinder connection. Make sure you have the washer/gasket in between the two surfaces.

I would recommend you look around your area for another source for filing your cylinder (welding supply shop, fire extinguisher service center or a paintball shop . I have been in the industry (welding/gas) for 20 year and if your paying $45 for just a fill that's out of line.

And yes you should leave your Co2 on all the time, once you have carbed you beer it takes very little to push it out.

 

If you turn it off when not in use and you still have a leak, you beer has the potential to go flat.

Without revisiting something that someone else state already elsewhere go here and you will find plenty of information.

 

Did you swap out the old o-rings on the keg for new? That's the first thing you should do with a used keg.

 

No :,( I will now though.

 

All of my o rings were new; my kegs are also new.
I am going to spend some time pressure testing the empty ones with air this weekend; these things should be able to hold 100psi right?


Got 4 of them for about $65 each shipped on a Christmas special.
http://www.beveragefactory.com/draftbeer/home_brew/kegs/KEG-5GAL-NSH_ball_lock_keg.html