Erm... the hell?

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roguescotbrewing

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Ok, kids... I bought a 20# CO2 tank last month. Have a single sixth-keg (commercial) hooked up to it. Only had the rig set up for a week, and already my tank gauge is flatlined. Did a thorough leak-check initially, found nothing... so how in the frak did I blow through that much gas that quickly? Faulty gauge? Unfilled tank? Gremlins?
 
I'm betting some teenaged oak and poplar trees jumped in and sucked it all up. Any new old growth looking woods nearby?

Seriously though, that sucks man.
 
Did you have the tank valve completely open? If not, it could be leaking around the stem.
 
Wide open at bottle. Every threaded connection checked, and Teflon taped. Hose clamps tight.
 
Crucial point missed, did you only buy it from a person on say, craigslist? Or from a gas shop and get it filled? My regulator is just aweful and tells me I have a half tank at all times.
 
Bottle is from gas distributor. Don't remember which brewing equipment site I bought regulator from.
 
I'm going to call gas company in the morning. BTW: just did the soapy water thing around all connections. No bubbles.
 
Betting you still have a leak. It's a pain to troubleshoot, but still easier than bending the laws of physics. BTW, you did the soapy water test after getting more CO2, I assume? And around the keg gaskets, the regulator, the tank valve, manifold, etc.?
 
Ok, kids... I bought a 20# CO2 tank last month. Have a single sixth-keg (commercial) hooked up to it. Only had the rig set up for a week, and already my tank gauge is flatlined. Did a thorough leak-check initially, found nothing... so how in the frak did I blow through that much gas that quickly? Faulty gauge? Unfilled tank? Gremlins?

When you say flatlined you mean zero PSI or like 500 PSI?
 
Wide open at bottle. Every threaded connection checked, and Teflon taped. Hose clamps tight.

What, exactly, do you have teflon taped? You shouldn't need it at the bottle, as the gasket between the bottle and the regulator takes care of that. Flare fittings require no teflon, as the seal is the taper in the flare. If you have metal on metal flare connections, you should have flare nylon washers in there, not tape.
 
How about...





You have a leak somewhere.





You're welcome. :ban:

agree - its most likely a leak, pretty big one, easier to test with CO2 pressure on. Pressurize your kegs, leave at equilibrium, then close valves and see if pressure drops over time. Hoses, disconnects, kegs, lids, regulator - all possible suspects.
 
By "flatline", I mean zero PSI on tank gauge. The secondary still shows the pressure I had set, roughly 10PSI. Teflon is on gauge threads, the threads to the barb/disconnect, and likewise the one on the Sankey tap. Nylon gasket used between main valve and regulator.

Could the relief valve somehow be the culprit?
 
You do know that when you take a room temp tank and put it in the frige, the pressure reading at the tank drops. Right? mine has been hovering just above redline since I bought it over a year ago. Still working hard. (10#er, dontcha know)
 
Been there done that. If you have to check for leaks when the keg is out of the Keggerator and then stuff the lines in that may be a problem. No leak until there is some tension or pushing on the lines. I check after I put the keg in also but sticking my big head into a Kegerator really don't work well I also use a spray bottle of Star San to check for leaks. It bubbles easier
 
If you've checked everything else, my money is on the sankey connection. Those are more difficult to troubleshoot leaks than cornys.
 
@william_shakes_beer: Yeah... which is why my 20 pounder is sitting outside the kegerator. Won't fit. :p
 
By "flatline", I mean zero PSI on tank gauge. The secondary still shows the pressure I had set, roughly 10PSI. Teflon is on gauge threads, the threads to the barb/disconnect, and likewise the one on the Sankey tap. Nylon gasket used between main valve and regulator.

Could the relief valve somehow be the culprit?

If this is the case then your tank is not empty. I would weight the tank and subtract the tare weight to see how much gas you actually have left. The primary gauge is absolutely useless as a means of measuring how much CO2 is left in a tank.

Also, remove all of the teflon tape. It is not needed. As was stated before the flare fittings and washers are all you need.
 
@glick: Will do. Might as well do a full reset of things, and to cover my butt, will fully strip down my Sankey coupler and replace all o-rings, seals, and associated bits.
 
If this is the case then your tank is not empty. I would weight the tank and subtract the tare weight to see how much gas you actually have left. The primary gauge is absolutely useless as a means of measuring how much CO2 is left in a tank.

Also, remove all of the teflon tape. It is not needed. As was stated before the flare fittings and washers are all you need.

Whoa. The coupler stem, both gauge stems, and whatever is on the low-pressure port - that all thread into the regulator body - require tape.

Damned near nothing else requires tape, that much is correct.

Also, if this regulator does not include a backflow-preventing check-valve, the low pressure gauge will read the pressure of whatever is down-stream of the low pressure port.

Like, a pressurized keg...

Cheers!
 
I lost all of my C02 last week, when I cleaned the keg I guess I didn't put the poppet valve on right there is nothing that really would of made me think it wasn't on right (I have done this several times now) so I put on the ball lock fitting and went on with my day. Once I realized my tank had emptied I took the ball lock fitting off and I heard the rest of the gas escape.

I guess my point of the story is I have been kegging for over a year and even then you can still find new ways for that stuff to escape. So be very thorough when checking for the leak so you don't lose another bottle.
 
The real mystery wrt ^that story^ is how did the gas escape if there was a disconnect plugged on the post? :confused:

Cheers!

I honestly have no idea, but the I learned the poppet was on wrong b/c this spring part shown here in this picture was upside down so I don't guess it sealed. oops...

kegdiagrams.jpg


KP309.jpg
 
I don't understand how you can even get that in the post upside down. Mine have a clip on the bottom that holds it in. The O-rings on the post and inside the quick disconnect should have kept it sealed. I think....
 
I don't understand how you can even get that in the post upside down.

I guess after a few home brews anything is possible :rockin:

Mine does not have any type of clip that holds it but I would agree this was a really weird and abnormal situation. The only reason I even figured it out was b/c like I stated earlier I took the gas disconnect off to inspect the Keg more closely and heard the leak very clearly come from the post. I took it apart reassembled it (just putting that thing right side up) and everything has been fine.
 
I don't know what kind of manifold you have, but when I got mine, I had to tape and tighten every fitting. I lost a 20 lb tank overnight. Check your pressure relief valve on the manifold. Mine was leaking, but I missed it on the soapy water test. I just replaced it with a plug and everything was fine.
 
I don't understand how you can even get that in the post upside down. Mine have a clip on the bottom that holds it in. The O-rings on the post and inside the quick disconnect should have kept it sealed. I think....

hey, I had a poppet spring that FELL OUT and the keg remained sealed and holding pressure until I tapped it. True story, I have the thread to prove it :)

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=553619
 
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