10lb CO2 bottle life

[dhelegda]

I have a 4 tap keezer with a 5th keg on CO2 back up. The CO2 is a 10 pounder. It seems that I am filling it every 2 months. I have sprayed soap water all over the fitting, connections, the relief valves and can't find a leak...do I legitimately use that much CO2 or do you suspect a leak? Have replaced all the gaskets on the kegs, tightened the hose clamps...I need suggestions.

 

[day_trippr]

Definitely a leak - especially if you don't use the same cylinder to carbonate the kegs.

I use a five pounder on a six faucet keezer and it lasts for many, many months.
I don't carb with that tank though - I have a separate gas system for my cold-carbing fridge...

Cheers!

 

[dhelegda]

I carb with the same tank.

 

[ol-hazza]

I think we need to look at how many kegs you go through rather than how much time it takes to empty.

I just did some quick sums and looks like you should be able to get 16 kegs easily from that size bottle.

PS. 16 is based on me going through a 10oz sodasteam bottle to clean lines, purge, carbonate and serve and 5 gal corny, and I would say is at the lower end of how many you would be able to get through.

 

[dhelegda]

I would say10 kegs have been carbonated and spent, I have one almost spent keg, two full and 1 half keg

 

[dhelegda]

But when I had two kegs on a 5lb replaces it after a year.

 

[ol-hazza]

Im thinking no leak, especially if you use a lot of co2 to cleaning lines, purging etc.

Also with a leak I would expect it to empty within a couple of days rather than months.

 

[Natdavis777]

I recently changed out all my gas lines, clamps, etc and noticed I was going though tanks way to fast. I couldnt find anything with soapy water. I shut off the gas at the regulator to diagnose the issue by seeing which keg wasnt holding gas. Found the keg. It ended up being the disconnect though. There was the tiniest of hissing coming from it. I even grabbed a stethoscope to listen to each keg so I could hear if gas was being drawn in.

Apparently on the gas disconnects, you can loosen/tighten the back, and for whatever reason, mine was loose. So I grabbed a flathead, snugged all my fittings back down, and havent had an issue since.

 

[IslandLizard]

Apparently on the gas disconnects, you can loosen/tighten the back...

You didn't know that? Removing that insert gets you to the inside, and is the best way to clean, service (keg lube) and sanitize all the parts.

 

[Natdavis777]

You didn't know that? Removing that insert gets you to the inside, and is the best way to clean, service (keg lube) and sanitize all the parts.

Had no clue... Been brewing for a little over 4 years and have never once read or been exposed to the fact that they can be dissassembled.

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

Had no clue... Been brewing for a little over 4 years and have never once read or been exposed to the fact that they can be dissassembled.

Yeah, that little slot on top is there for a purpose Just make sure to put everything back in the order it came out, in the same direction too (the poppet is unidirectional).

MC

 

[IslandLizard]

Yeah, that little slot on top is there for a purpose Just make sure to put everything back in the order it came out, in the same direction too (the poppet is unidirectional).

MC

I even found a way to pry the small o-ring off the poppet. Amazed at how much gunk was under it.

 

[jbb3]

Sounds like a leak to me. I've gone through 7 kegs, including carb'ing, with my 5 lbs tank.

As another poster suggested, after the last pull of the night, close the valve on your CO2 tank. The next day after work, come back and see if one of the tanks has leaked down, then you'll have your primary suspect. Or if they all leak down the same, there may be a leak between the tank and the manifold. Try various combinations until isolate the culprit.

 

[toolboxales]

I have had the same 5lb tank for a year. Gone through 4 commercial 5gal kegs and carbed and emptied 10 homebrew and gauge is still reading 700 psi. Thinking it's going to drop quickly as I think it's almost done

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

A dental pick will get the small poppet o-ring off quite easily. Harbor freight and Amazon have cheap sets.

MC

 

[dhelegda]

Hahaha found the problem...no gasket...I always use Teflon tape...so it slowed it but not stopped it

 

[day_trippr]

Hahaha found the problem...no gasket...I always use Teflon tape...so it slowed it but not stopped it

Winner winner chicken dinner

Cheers!