spigot and air lock situation

hey guys thanks in advance ive been brewing for a couple months now. i used a fermenter without a spigot on it the first couple times then started using the bucket with the spigot on it the past few times since its easier to keg the brew. ive been noticing no airlock activity with the bucket with the spigot. just wondering if you guys had any similar situation

 

Bucket tops are notorious for leaking. The co2 is just finding an easier way out than through the airlock.

 

the lid is nice and tight i thought this as well

 

even tight it may be leaking a bit; Try pressing a few turns of seran wrap around the mouth/lid joint to see if that forces gas to make its way tout the airlock maybe?

 

The lid might appear tight, but it's not sealed. Gas got to be going somewhere.

 

Airlocks are just a way to let pressure equalize. Since fermentation is a producer of CO2, the gas pressure is always one way. Thus you don't really need an airlock if there is another way to let some gas escape, such as the lid of the bucket that doesn't seal. The only real advantage to using an airlock is for your entertainment.