Keg leaks

I have read multiple forum discussions on this problem and nothing is really helping me.

I have about 3 out of 7 ball lock kegs that do not seal properly. The lid will seemingly seal at 20 psi. But when I fill it with Star San to sanitize it.... it will leak when inverted. So what is it going to do when filled with beer? I am newer to kegging and already lost 1 CO2 tank to a leak...

I dont latch the lid until until it seats itself with ~20 psi. I wiggle it until it doesnt move and then latch it. I cleaned both the lid and inside of the keg lip. I lubed the lid's O-ring (thin layer of lube). I flipped the lid around and repeated the process. I bought a new O-ring. The feet on the latch are practically brand new.

I have been buying the kegs from a reputable homebrew store that will exchange a keg for $10 (so you can exchange used kegs for sanitized ones). But it is getting too expensive to buy used kegs if I have to return them 3-4 times before I get a keg that seals easily....

Am I doing something wrong?

 

So it leaks when it just has starsan and no pressure in the keg?

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Home Brew mobile app

 

no when it has StarSan and the lid has been seated with 20psi

 

So the keg is pressurized at 20psi when you have it upside down?
Where does the leak look like it is coming from? Lid, ball lock poppets, the base of the ball lock assemblies, pressure valve?

 

Yes the keg is pressurized at 20psi.... inverted and after 20 or so minutes I see the towel underneath the keg is getting wet. I hold the keg up and it is leaking at the lid seal.... It is weird because after pressurizing the keg and spraying StarSan all over the lid it doesnt look like its a big leak... heck I dont even see it leaking at all (i.e. the StarSan is not bubbling away at the seal)

 

did you try putting any keg lube on the lid o-ring ?

S_M

 

Yes. It is lubed. As I am new to kegging, I was wondering if it was a super obvious and known fact that StarSan eats keg lube. But it doesnt seem that way.

I am also just using a small thin film on the o-ring.... and it still seems to have that oily glisten to it.

 

Did you change the o-ring on the lid? If so, perhaps try another? Maybe you have a bad set of o-rings? This all seems odd.

 

Try hitting it with 30 PSI, then backing it back down to serving pressure at around 10-12 PSI and see if it leaks after that. I have found that to help in the past.

 

don't be afraid to use a good amount of lube, also try 30 psi and see if that helps

also try not to mix up lids use the one on the keg that came with it, I know on used kegs they are no really interchangeable

maybe try putting keg lube on the o-ring and put it in very hot water for a couple minute to soften it then put it on the keg and seal it

good luck

S_M

I know my kegs with cold o-rings can be a bitch to get to set

 

The kegs from my HBS are supposed to all have the gaskets/rings replaced... And the ring looked new, and the ring I put on looked exactly the same. But I can try another...

I haven't tried this. Going to try it now.

 

I have not mixed any of the lids... But it is cold here in PA.... I will try to warm up the ring to see if it helps...

 

mine are in a cold ass garage here in New York so when I am kegging I put my lids with o-rings in a pan of very hot star san

while I am racking my beer into the keg, set the lid then hit with 30 psi and they are good to go

my pinlocks are older then dirt

good luck

S_M

 

To pinpoint the leak.... Pressurize the tank to 30 psi or so then take a soapy water mixture and brush around the possible leak points. This should help you determine where the leak is and where to focus the repair.

 

TY for everyone who responded... Lots of great feedback.

I found the problem and fixed it.

It was the poppet on the gas side that was leaking. It was a slow leak and there was no indication initially (spraying everything with StarSan and looking for bubbles). I guess it was a very small leak, but after a certain amount of time it dropped the pressure low enough to where the keg lid wasn't sealed completely.

An employee at my LHBS mentioned that when they recondition kegs, sometimes they won't notice leaks right away either. So I just kept spraying it every so often and found the poppet leaking.

Thanks again for all the feedback.

 

glad it worked out for you

all the best

S_M

 

Nice work!

 

Persistence pays off!

 

Never give up!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_V5Eqg6C34E