CO2 leak - beverage line?

[backflip]

So I've just experienced a CO2 leak on my brand new setup. I couldn't hear any leak, but it happened a day after I hooked up the beverage line on my keg. Yesterday, after pouring a few, I noticed an air pocket inside the beverage line just where it joined the coupler. I didn't have a clamp foe the line until today, but after clamping it I discovered that the tank emptied overnight.

Is it poasible to leak CO2 through the beverage line? I'd been carbing the keg for three days and the tank seemed fine until the day after I hooked up the beverage line.

 

[jekeane]

Was there beer in the line at the time? If so then you would also have beer everywhere. You need to check every joint and seal on the regulator and the keg use a spray bottle with some star san or a sponge with soapy water. The only time that I have dumped a CO2 canister over night was with the connection at the CO2 bottle. The one I got from trading mine in at the shop had some mangled threads.

 

[backflip]

No beer leak. Bottom of the fridge is completely clean. It's possible that the regulator connection to the tank was compromised, I suppose, but wouldn't I have heard something?

 

[jekeane]

generally yeah. But it could've started tiny with no sound then a piece of teflon tape or something gave way... It sucks. After it happened to me I made sure to check everything then I came back an hour or so later and rechecked.

 

[backflip]

What I thought pointed to the beverage line is that I had everything except that hooked up for 3 days and everything was fine. No major or steady drops in pressure, beer carbed fine. But the day after I hooked up the beverage line, leak.

When I get it refilled tomorrow, I'll do a bubble test on the regulator. If it is the beverage line though, does that mean my beer is now not carbonated?

 

[zachattack]

If it were the beverage line you'd have a beer leak, not a gas leak. Look elsewhere. Many leaks are so small you can't hear them, it helps to cover every connection with Star san or diluted dish soap, crank up the pressure, and listen/look for bubbling.

 

[masonsjax]

Leave the keg unhooked. Set a high pressure (30+ psi) and turn the tank valve off. Let it sit overnight and see if the gauge dropped. If so, there's a leak on the regulator side, if not, it's the keg. Check the o-rings on the keg post/dip tube for damage. Lube all o-rings and lid gasket.

 

[govner1]

generally yeah. But it could've started tiny with no sound then a piece of teflon tape or something gave way... It sucks. After it happened to me I made sure to check everything then I came back an hour or so later and rechecked.

Make sure you have the CO2 tank valve opened all the way. If not it'll leak!


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[backflip]

I'll double check that today when I get it refilled. Pretty aure I had the tank full opened. If it's the regulator I'll be bummed because it's a brand new Taprite dual product regulator.

I'll be checking every connection with Starsan, believe you me! Is there a preferred minimum mixture? I don't want to have to do up an entire gallon.

 

[MollyHatchet]

I have emptied a few bottles in my time as well. Make sure the regulator is cranked tight with the bottle. Also make sure the rubber gasket on the end of the regulator where it connects with the bottle is there and in good shape. I would think it is fine,since,you said it is new. If the gasket is present and in good shape, do not,use the little gray washer provided with the full bottle. I did this one a few times and slowly emptied a bottle or two. I just emptied a bottle where the gas hose connects with the regulator. I guess from changing bottles over time it worked loose and started to leak while I was force carbing a keg of stout I had charged at 30 lbs. as the bottle died off the keg forced the beer back to the regulator where the loose connection was and it drained about a pint of beer into a rack I have fastened to the wall to hold a spare 5 lb bottle.

For,kegs I take them to the driveway ( charged to 30 lbs if Co2 only) and use a dish soap bottle and squeeze the soapy liquid on the posts and lid. If there is a leak you will see plenty of bubbles. Good luck and let us know your findings!!


Sent from my iPad using Home Brew

 

[rekoob]

+1 on the soapy liquid.
I checked all my connections that way and was supprised at more than one leak.
Also check your keg connections, pressure relief, removable top, poppets, EVERYTHING.
Really, take the time to check every single thing and you will find the leak, or a number of them.
Good luck.

 

[backflip]

The gasket on the regulator is one of those in-line ones and looked good, so non problem there. When I think about it, I can't swear that I used a wrench to tighten that connection. I had it on there pretty good based on how much torque I had to give it to disengage last night, but maybe that was the weak point. I'll be sure to use a wrench this time and check that for bubbles.

 

[masonsjax]

I don't know where some of this advice is coming from, but the gray fiber washers are plenty reliable, I've used them for years without fail. Also if you have to open the tank valve all the way to prevent leaking, it's a faulty valve.

 

[backflip]

TapRite specifies that their models that have the captive o-ring on't need anything else inserted into the connection.

 

[jekeane]

I've had to put a pipe wrench to my regulator to get it to fully seal. That is the #1 thing I hate about bottle exchange... I feel like it almost guarantees damaged threads.

 

[backflip]

Ok, new tank on and checked out. I used both star san water and soap water to check the top of the keg lid, the posts and gas line connections (both ends) and the regulator/tank joint. No bubbles with either solution. Ran 30psi through at first with just the regulator to make sure it was square, but then I bumped it down to 10psi when I hooked up the keg. After letting the circuit sit in the fridge for a bit, with the keg receiving 10psi, I put more solution around the lid and posts and didn't see any leaking.

I did note that at room temp the fresh tank moved the gauge up to 60 at first, but once I opened the lines up to the keg (set to 10psi), it's dropped to between 48-52, still in the green zone. It's been about 2 hours in the fridge and holding at that reading, so I'm guessing that was due to tempurature.

Takeaway from this is that it was either from not tightening the regulator with a wrench the first time, or might have been the junk around the orginal tank nozzle. The guy at the LHBS said that was teflon and shouldn't have been on there, which was odd since I got it from him.

 

[zachattack]

The guy at the LHBS said that was teflon and shouldn't have been on there, which was odd since I got it from him.

I've seen this plenty of times before with larger gas cylinders I've ordered at work. The last guy that had the cylinder incorrectly put teflon on the threads and I have to pick it off with tweezers

 

[backflip]

Does teflon cause leaks or lead to corrosion?

 

[dobe12]

I have emptied a few bottles in my time as well. Make sure the regulator is cranked tight with the bottle. Also make sure the rubber gasket on the end of the regulator where it connects with the bottle is there and in good shape.

I had some issues with tanks emptying when I first got my system up and running and this was the problem. Make sure you replace that vinyl gasket between the tank and regulator with each new tank. And make sure to crank it down nice and tight.

After that, just check all the connections very well. Quick connects, posts, poppets, etc.

 

[day_trippr]

Does teflon cause leaks or lead to corrosion?

Neither. But it does absolutely nothing positive in this particular application and can interfere with achieving a solid seal...

Cheers!

 

[MollyHatchet]

TapRite specifies that their models that have the captive o-ring on't need anything else inserted into the connection.

Absolutely, I didn't know that and used the fiber washer and it slowly leaked all the Co2 out. I,also had a captive rubber washer go bad and I had to remove it and used the fiber washer that comes with a freshly charged bottle and it never let me down. So my Information comes from my personal experience.


Sent from my iPad using Home Brew

 

[Bulkman]

Does teflon cause leaks or lead to corrosion?

Teflon doesn't have memory, so for washers, unless you use an elastomer to back it, it will stay in the general shape it gets compressed to. If used in place of rubber washers or other elastomers with memory & the connection is loosened then re-tightened, it will probably leak since it has retained its previous shape.

Teflon tape on any pneumatic or gas connection is only asking for trouble. I learned many years ago the mess it makes of regulators, solenoids, ball valves, etc...when it gets inside.