always losing CO2 from canister

[deputyandy]

I've gone through 2 5lbs co2 canisters over 2 kegs of beer. My setup is really small. I have one keg and one canister. When the keg isn't in use, I leave the regulator on, close the valve, and let it sit. Somehow this drains the canister! I went to keg a Belgian wit tonight and I found out I was out of co2. Thankfully I bottled 12 bottles and had to add priming sugar to the whole batch so I should get some natural carbonation until I get a new canister.

How do you store your canister when not in use? I may be missing that plastic washer that sits between the canister and the regulator.

 

[beninan]

If you are losing CO2 that quickly, you have a leak. Theres a good possibility that the lack of a washer between the tank and regulator could be the issue. The only way to find out is to spray everything down with soapy water. Spray the tank, regulator, lines, keg, anywhere that a leak could be present.

 

[BigRob]

Without the washer you're probably leaking from the connection between regulator and tank.

 

[day_trippr]

[...]How do you store your canister when not in use? I may be missing that plastic washer that sits between the canister and the regulator.

LOL! C'mon, dude! Disconnect the cylinder from the regulator and check the darned thing for the washer!

I have two separate CO2 systems, one that runs my keezer and the other that runs my charging station in one of my brew fridges. They're both always on. And neither of them leak gas.

It ain't rocket science, it's just a matter of due diligence...

Cheers!

 

[RetAF]

I have two CO2 systems here at my house. A 20# that runs my kegerator, with three 5 gal kegs inside. the Tank sits outside the frig, line runs thru side of the frig to a manifold, so I can turn off individual kegs when I want to. Only time I do that is if I am carbonating one, and then I turn the pressure up in the whole system, and only turn on the one that is getting the 'treatment'.

The other tank is a 5#, which I use for my beer gun, and for initial pressurization and carbonation of newly filled kegs. This unfortunate regulator sustained damage once upon a time, when it got knocked to the floor, while attached to a 5# gas tank. That damaged the low pressure gauge, necessitating replacement of that gauge. The regulator still leaks, very slowly. If I leave that one turned on, I will go through a 5# tank in about two weeks.

This regulator used to be attached to the 20# system, and I was needing to get a refill there about every four weeks. That was a hassle, as the 'gas store' is clear across town, and it's a bit of a hassle for me to get up there. On a hunch, I switched regulators between the two systems, and the loss problem on the 20# system stopped.

Right now, I live with the situation as it is. I generally don't keep the 5# system charged, as its use is intermittent. HAving said that, it is charged right now, as I am force carbonating a keg in my newly acquired keezer, getting it ready for a party this weekend, when I will have to transport the carbonated keg to the party. It will be wrapped in a keg parka, and I will need to get a refill on my 5# tank, so that I am ready for dispensing.

Right now, I cannot justify replacing the regulator, just to fix this inconvenient leakage problem. I have replaced the broken gauge, but the leak problem persists. I have checked for leaks at the tank connection, and it's not there. I suspect that there is a leak somewhere in the regulator, perhaps in the replacement gauge. Used plumber's tape when I mounted the new gauge. That's about all I know to do. Beyond that, I am resigned to living with the situation.

 

[BrewThruYou]

I'm in Ambler too. Yeah, definitely get a washer for between the tank and regulator. Keystone probably has them and John Posen (the place I get my co2 in Blue Bell) probably has them too.

My 20lb tank is on all the time. I've had some leakage problems, but I think I've traced it back to 2 kegs.

 

[badbrew]

How could you not know if the washer is gone when you have already filled twice???

 

[Dan]

Definitely check the washer first. But here's something else.

I had a new bottle and had refilled 2-3 times with no leaks, but then I moved to a new town that didn't have anyplace to refill bottles only swap them out. So I gave in and swapped my new bottle for one of the CO2 companies prefilled botttles. That's where the trouble began.

I drained 2 of the CO2 company's 5lb tanks in a matter of days! I replaced the washer each time with a brand new one and even tried teflon taping the threads but the leak never went away. I knew it was leaking at the connection to the tank using the soapy water method and if I got the nut tightented just perfectly the leak to pretty much stopped. I paid for a second replacement bottle and asked the guy at the CO2 store if he thought maybe I stripped the threads on my coupling nut. He said doubtful but if I had anymore problems just bring in the bottle and reg and they'd take a look. Second bottle drained overnight so I took the bottle and reg in.

The guy took one look at the coupling face of the tube that comes out of the regulator and mates to the tank. There was a crosspiece in it, which he said is not standard in the CO2 regulator business. He removed crosspeice by unscrewing it, gave me a free tank of CO2 and new washer. I took it home and connected everything and haven't had a problem since.

Apparently the CO2 tank and reg that came with my kit were a matched set. I don't remember where I bought my kit but it was at a well known online brewing supply site. I wonder how many others have run into this problem as I've never read a similar post on this particular discrepancy.

 

[MarsingRedneck]

Without the washer you're probably leaking from the connection between regulator and tank.

Only one nylon washer right? How often does it need to be replaced? I'm pretty new at Kegging.

 

[GilSwillBasementBrews]

Only one nylon washer right? How often does it need to be replaced? I'm pretty new at Kegging.

Yeah only one washer. As far as how often needs to be replaced really depends on how often your taking your connections apart and reassembling. I change mine every few refills but that's just for peace of mind not because I've had any issues. I would think the washer will last a long time as long as it doesn't get chewed up around the edges.