CO2 regulator leak or Keg Leak?

[aric6785]

Hey guys... I’m kinda stumped. I have a new keg of beer in the fridge in a corny keg. Two nights ago, I hooked up the CO2 at 13 PSI to leave it for a few weeks. I woke up yesterday morning and the Gauge was reading zero, and the keg had no pressure.. I went yesterday morning to get the tank refilled, made sure the top was seated good on the keg, pressurized and sprayed with StarSan to check for leaks. I saw no bubbles anywhere on the keg lid, poppet valves or regulator.

I’m an airline pilot, so last night, I left on a trip, regulator was steady at 13 PSI... this morning my wife calls me and tells me it’s back to zero and the keg has no pressure...

Now, a few questions... Is it a keg leak issue since it has no pressure in the keg? Or could it still be a regulator leak issue? But now for the main question... How screwed is my new keg of beer sitting in the keg with no pressure on it for 3 days until I get back?

Thanks for all inputs. I tried searching the forum for the question before typing this all out but couldn’t find something with these specifics.

 

[RM-MN]

You could have a leak anywhere from the valve on the CO2 cylinder to the hose to the regulator to the keg. That;s the bad news. The good news is that your beer will be fine until you get it pressurized again.

I'd try the StarSan spray at all possible leak areas, especially the valve on the CO2 cylinder. Those valves have some kind of seal, probably a packing, that can be tightened or replaced.

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

You could cap off the out line on the reg and crank the pressure to 40 and leave it for a few days. Seems like three days is the time it takes to drain. If you havent lost gas in the tank after a few days its the keg or gas line connections

 

[aric6785]

I’m thinking it may be the tank as well... After finding the pressure gauge at zero yesterday, I shot it with some CO2 from my keg charger and it stayed at 15 PSI for a few hours until I got back from getting my other tank filled.

 

[seatazzz]

Here's one that's gotten me a time or two; did you replace the little gasket that goes directly on the tank between the regulator? Those little buggers have a bad habit of flying out while I'm trying to get the threads going when I replace a tank.

You could try finding a shop around you that will exchange, rather than fill, your tank, to test that theory as well. I'm leaning towards the regulator being the culprit more than that. And spray not only the lid & posts, but all the lines as well; you could have a tiny pinhole leak in one of them that might be it.

Last ditch, you might want to try the full immersion test of the keg to see if the leak is there; a bathtub with enough water to cover the keg will work. Leak might be slow enough to evade the starsan spray test.

 

[aric6785]

As long as the beer is safe, I’m a happy camper.

 

[stlblues5010]

Process of elimination.
Pressurize the keg. Disconnect the gas and beer lines. If keg holds pressure it's not the keg. If it doesn't it's probably just the keg but I would check the rest of the system just in case.
At the same time you're testing the keg you can test the entire system. With the keg disconnected turn the CO2 bottle off. Watch to see if the pressure bleeds off. If it still bleeds off pressurize the lines again, Turn the bottle off and turn down the regulator or turn off the shutoff valve at the regulator (good to have just for this reason) if you have one.
If you have lost pressure in the gauge(s) your leak is in the regulator or bottle connection.
If you have gauge pressure check to see if you have pressure at you keg connector. If no pressure then it's in the line, check all of the connections.
It doesn't take much movement sometimes for a leak to start at a connection.
Good Luck
DWRAHAHB

 

[aric6785]

The keg has been holding steady at 15 PSI all day... I believe the issue is in the regulator or the bottle itself. I tried to take the bottle to get filled today but they were closed, so I’ll take it in the morning and see what happens when I do the water test. Thanks for all the advice!

 

[IslandLizard]

The keg has been holding steady at 15 PSI all day... I believe the issue is in the regulator or the bottle itself. I tried to take the bottle to get filled today but they were closed, so I’ll take it in the morning and see what happens when I do the water test. Thanks for all the advice!

The tank valve should be all the way open or all the way closed, never open one or 2 turns. The valve stem packing needs to compress in the open position to form a seal.

But definitely start spraying Starsan or bubble juice on all joints. You need to find that leak.

 

[bracconiere]

did you get a new tank washer when you swapped your tank?

their free from my welding shop....

 

[hottpeper13]

I switched to the fiber washer and my mystery was solved. Also +1 on the open valve all the way,it has an "O" ring seal that need to be compressed.

 

[aric6785]

Thanks for the help guys. I found the leak. It was at the ball lock connector and the hose... I put some plumbers tape around the connection and it fixed the leak. My beer is back to carbonating.
I usually carb it in my kegerator system, but it’s full with two kegs in there already. This is my first time using a different CO2 bottle and putting it in the fridge to carbonate.
Thanks again guys!

 

[bracconiere]

Thanks for the help guys. I found the leak. It was at the ball lock connector and the hose... I put some plumbers tape around the connection and it fixed the leak. My beer is back to carbonating.
I usually carb it in my kegerator system, but it’s full with two kegs in there already. This is my first time using a different CO2 bottle and putting it in the fridge to carbonate.
Thanks again guys!

leaky post? i'd replace the o-ring...or 'maybe' vasoline it... plumber's tape is not going to be a good solution....

 

[aric6785]

The leak was at the disconnect threading... it’s a brand new disconnect, but the plumbers tape fixed the issue for a temporary fix until I can replace the O-ring.

 

[bracconiere]

View attachment 624580

The leak was at the disconnect threading... it’s a brand new disconnect, but the plumbers tape fixed the issue for a temporary fix until I can replace the O-ring.

my mistake then, pipe tape was made just for that!

 

[bleme]

leaky post? i'd replace the o-ring...or 'maybe' vasoline it... plumber's tape is not going to be a good solution....

I believe he is talking about the area shown below. I have the worst luck with leaks there also.

I've had Oetiker clamps and worm clamps both leak there. Switched to fuel line clamps a while back and good luck so far. I figure nobody wants a fuel line to leak so those have to be solid, right?

 

[aric6785]

Yeah, it’s where the disconnect attaches to the line.

 

[balrog]

This is why I bump the keg w CO2 and disconnect
I fear the empty tank

 

[IslandLizard]

until I can replace the O-ring.

What o-ring?

There is no o-ring in a flare coupling. We use a 'fish eye' swivel nut washer between metal on metal flare surfaces. But those QDs have an integrated flare washer already, the black or gray tippy at the end of the threads. So they don't even need the fish eye.

 

[aric6785]

I misspoke.

 

[IslandLizard]

I've had Oetiker clamps and worm clamps both leak there.

That's thin walled vinyl hose on those, right? Maybe too wide an ID for the swivel barb, or too large Oetikers?

I use clear 1/4" Bevlex 200 for gas lines on 1/4" swivel barbs. That 14.5 mm Oetiker seals it tight!
Never had leaks there unless I forgot to wrench down the swivel nut, which has happened a few times.

 

[bleme]

That's thin walled vinyl hose on those, right? Maybe too wide an ID for the swivel barb, or too large Oetikers?

I used a stock photo. My hoses have a red stripe on the hose and were assembled by KegConnection. They worked great for about a year and a half before it seemed like the oetikers were opening up, and I don't have the tool to tighten them back up so I just replaced them. I bet if I didn't force-carb at 30 psi they would have lasted even longer.