CO2 Leaking Out of Regulator

[ninjai]

Hey Guys,

I just bought my first kegging/CO2 setup. I just kegged beer for the first time and my regulator sprays CO2 and hisses out of underneath the knob/handle you use to open up the CO2.

This is a brand new regulator. Is my regulator bad? Is it possibly to fix easily?

edit: Perhaps I should mention the gauge jumps up to about 500, and the PSI keeps climbing until I shut off my CO2 tank.

edit2: I didn't realise that this adjustment knob was able to be pressed in, but not sure if that has anything to do with it since i don't think my buddies CO2 setup has this problem.

 

[Walker]

where exactly is the gas escaping from? Is it leaking around the place where you have the tubing attached, or is it leaking from some other point?

 

[ninjai]

Thanks for the reply walker, please see the attacked image. It sprays out of that hole immediately to the right of the knob that you can turn.

http://imgur.com/LFB0o.jpg

edit:
Removed embed. Thing is a massive image.

 

[Walker]

Thanks for the reply walker, please see the attacked image. It sprays out of that hole immediately to the right of the knob that you can turn.

http://imgur.com/LFB0o.jpg

edit:
Removed embed. Thing is a massive image.

Well... I'm of no use. I've never seen a regulator that nice before. Mine looks like it was made in 1942.

 

[beninan]

it sounds like the regulator may be bad. is it the secondary gauge that climbs up like you mentioned? if so, it sounds like the diaphragm may be leaking

 

[ninjai]

Yes, the second gauge keeps climbing. Right up until I close the valve. Is it possible this is something I can adjust or should I get it replaced?

 

[beninan]

the diaphragm is made of rubber, so I would assume that maybe it's torn if that's what the problem is. If the secondary gauge reads 500 psi, then your beer is getting 500 psi, since the secondary gauge is after the regulation of the gas pressure. Is the regulator new? could you maybe contact the manufacturer and exchange it? I would be hesitant to open it and try to fix it yourself if you could easily trade it in for a new one.

 

[ninjai]

Alright that's what I'll do then. Yes I just purchased this set from my local brew store. I guess I'll stop by there tomorrow. It's jsut so out of the way!

 

[beninan]

it may be out of the way, but would you rather carbonate your beer with 500 psi? that would look like a rolling boil in your glass lol!

 

[pedalbiker]

If you turn the adjustment all the back to off does it still leak? If not try turning it up slowly to about 10 lbs and check it

 

[SweetSounds]

it may be out of the way, but would you rather carbonate your beer with 500 psi? that would look like a rolling boil in your glass lol!

500 PSI would grenade the keg, even with the relief valve. It would be deadly

 

[ninjai]

Posting an update. The diaphragm was toast, I got a replacement regulator yesterday that works fine.

 

[DeafBrew]

I am having this same problem. It leaks from those two holes the more I turn the pressure up. seems to be okay at very low psi, but once it goes past 10, there is a really pronounced leak. I didn't know if this was normal or something, but apparently it's not. Grr, now I gotta send it back...


(BTW, I think the 500psi reading is the pressure inside the CO2 tank, not in the keg...)