physics911
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- Mar 9, 2015
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I have, what appears to be, a leak in my CO2 system, but only after two days, not before. Allow me to explain.
To start off with, I have drenched the system with Starsan and water multiple times. I found a few minor leaks when I first built it, but none after the first day or two. After I started noticing the "odd" leak behavior, I submerged all the parts, including pressurized kegs in water, and watched each component for at least 5 minutes and saw no bubbles.
Here is what I am seeing, and note, this has happened at least three or four time since I built the keezer a couple of weeks ago.
Equipment
10# tank -> Taprite dual gauge regulator -> 4-way manifold -> 4 pin lock kegs -> 4 Perlick 525SS taps
I'm waiting on my brew batches to be ready, so this is all done with empty kegs.
The times below are approximate, but pretty darn close.
At time 0 I pressurized the empty tanks to 31 psi (I've done the same procedure at different psi) and fully closed the valve on the CO2 tank.
At the end of the first 24 hours, dead on 31 lbs
At the end of the first 36 hours, dead on 31 lbs (leave for work)
At the end of 48 hours, pressure has dropped to about 25 lbs
By tomorrow morning, if history repeats, the pressure will be down in the teens.
Also note, at times 0, 24, and 36, the high pressure gauge stays steady at around 700 psi. At time 48 it too begins to fall, and eventually goes to zero as the low pressure gauge drops.
There are no other people or animals in the house, nor anything else which might impact the system while I'm at work. The keezer is not even cooling right now, so no mechanical vibrations. Nor am I fiddling around with the connectors or anything else during the test time.
Again, this has happened multiple times. So over the weekend I pulled the posts off the kegs and keg lubed everything, liberally. I also replaced the post rings with silicone rings specifically for pin locks. I did this because when I disconnect the gas in lines from the kegs, and pressurize only the supply hose, manifold, and gas lines with disconnects, so far I haven't noticed a leak after the 48 hour period. This leads me to believe it is somewhere between the gas in post and the tap.
Again, also, I have submerged every part, except the regulator, under water and found no bubbles.
What I have not done so far is submerge at low pressure, though I have used Starsan at low pressure. Nor have I let it sit pressurized for more than about 60 hours with the gas lines off the keg.
Seems odd to me that it has held a very steady pressure for about two days, and then began to drop noticeably after that, and done this multiple times.
Input is appreciated.
Thank you,
Chris
To start off with, I have drenched the system with Starsan and water multiple times. I found a few minor leaks when I first built it, but none after the first day or two. After I started noticing the "odd" leak behavior, I submerged all the parts, including pressurized kegs in water, and watched each component for at least 5 minutes and saw no bubbles.
Here is what I am seeing, and note, this has happened at least three or four time since I built the keezer a couple of weeks ago.
Equipment
10# tank -> Taprite dual gauge regulator -> 4-way manifold -> 4 pin lock kegs -> 4 Perlick 525SS taps
I'm waiting on my brew batches to be ready, so this is all done with empty kegs.
The times below are approximate, but pretty darn close.
At time 0 I pressurized the empty tanks to 31 psi (I've done the same procedure at different psi) and fully closed the valve on the CO2 tank.
At the end of the first 24 hours, dead on 31 lbs
At the end of the first 36 hours, dead on 31 lbs (leave for work)
At the end of 48 hours, pressure has dropped to about 25 lbs
By tomorrow morning, if history repeats, the pressure will be down in the teens.
Also note, at times 0, 24, and 36, the high pressure gauge stays steady at around 700 psi. At time 48 it too begins to fall, and eventually goes to zero as the low pressure gauge drops.
There are no other people or animals in the house, nor anything else which might impact the system while I'm at work. The keezer is not even cooling right now, so no mechanical vibrations. Nor am I fiddling around with the connectors or anything else during the test time.
Again, this has happened multiple times. So over the weekend I pulled the posts off the kegs and keg lubed everything, liberally. I also replaced the post rings with silicone rings specifically for pin locks. I did this because when I disconnect the gas in lines from the kegs, and pressurize only the supply hose, manifold, and gas lines with disconnects, so far I haven't noticed a leak after the 48 hour period. This leads me to believe it is somewhere between the gas in post and the tap.
Again, also, I have submerged every part, except the regulator, under water and found no bubbles.
What I have not done so far is submerge at low pressure, though I have used Starsan at low pressure. Nor have I let it sit pressurized for more than about 60 hours with the gas lines off the keg.
Seems odd to me that it has held a very steady pressure for about two days, and then began to drop noticeably after that, and done this multiple times.
Input is appreciated.
Thank you,
Chris