First keg in the fridge

[thebull]

As I moved away from bottles to the keg, I found I lost a bit of CO2 from the lid on my first keg. That is solved. Generally, how much gas is used to condition one five gallon keg? I'm courious how much gas I lost due to the poor seal.

 

[jrp3]

I'm not sure if there's a way of measuring exactly how much CO2 is needed to condition a single keg. The 2 gauge regulator I have really only tells me the tank is full or when it's just about empty, since the gas continuously expands to fill the tank as it empties. However, the owner of my LHBS told me one tank should last up to 6 months, even running 3 kegs at a time, so I would think one keg probably doesn't use much gas to condition.

At least you didn't go off for a conference for a week and come back to find a previously new and full CO2 tank completely empty and no pressure on your kegs. That's what happened to me yesterday. Not just 1, but 2 leaks found after the purchase of a new CO2 cylinder. Hopefully all is fixed!

 

[bikebryan]

I'm not sure if there's a way of measuring exactly how much CO2 is needed to condition a single keg. The 2 gauge regulator I have really only tells me the tank is full or when it's just about empty, since the gas continuously expands to fill the tank as it empties. However, the owner of my LHBS told me one tank should last up to 6 months, even running 3 kegs at a time, so I would think one keg probably doesn't use much gas to condition.

At least you didn't go off for a conference for a week and come back to find a previously new and full CO2 tank completely empty and no pressure on your kegs. That's what happened to me yesterday. Not just 1, but 2 leaks found after the purchase of a new CO2 cylinder. Hopefully all is fixed!

Well...

Your second guage doesn't really tell you when the tank is full vs empty. Generally, it will show a good high pressure until just before you tank is empty, at which point it will drop fairly rapidly. IOW, it will show you that your tank is "full" until just before it is "empty." Not that helpful IMO, but to each their own.

 

[Igorstien]

I dont' know how large you tank is, but I've read that a 5 lbs tank will service 5-7 soda kegs. That's form the retailer so it hard to say how true it is.

IGOR

 

[david_42]

If you are using two volumes to carbonate your ales, a five gallon keg will take about 3 oz. of CO2. Soda water typically is 4-5 volumes and dispensed at 25 psi, so the total per can would be around 9-12 oz. of CO2.

As a check, half of the weight of your priming sugar becomes CO2. Six oz. of corn sugar would produce 3 oz. of CO2.