First time kegging - got too excited

[sleepspeaking]

So I brewed an American Bock and everything was going fine . But I was so excited to keg for the first time that I didn't cold crash it like I wanted to or drain all the star san out of the keg. I know I put a gallon of star san in and ran it until it blew air. Now I find that the relief valve on the lid is leaking a slow hiss and steady stream of small bubbles coming from the relief valve. I think I'm going to take it apart and try to get a better seal on it. I'm only pressured up to 12 pounds. Plan on leaving it for a week. At 36○ Any other advice?

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[sleepspeaking]

Brand new keg, took the lid apart, still leaking from under the relief valve...

 

[Subdivisions]

If it's brand new I'd return it. If it's just 'new to you' and that's how you bought it then I'd look into buying a new lid w/ pressure valve.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

Dude, that carboy is gonna smash into a thousand bleeding shards. It's not if, its when. I usually put my fermeter on top of the closed chamber lid when I keg.

I always store my kegs under pressure. It sits a few weeks and if it hisses when I pull the relief valve I'm good to go. I always have an empty keg as a spare. If you don't it's time to buy more kegs!!!

I also put keg lube on all the seals every time I disassemble a keg for cleaning. I believe it keeps the seals flexible.

 

[ultra_cas]

You can also just replace the pressure release valve. I had to do that on one of my 15 year old kegs (which I got used). Can't believe the seal on it wore out after 15+ years :cross:

Ditto on your carboy placement - accident waiting to happen!

 

[sleepspeaking]

Good copy on that carboy concern. I don't know what I was thinking. The keg is brand new. AIH made good, the leak is at the base of the prv on the outside of the valve body. they are sending a replacement lid. Any concerns over replacing that lid with the keg full and carbonated?

 

[rzwahr]

+1 on the keg lube, i've found that helps keep seals in much better shape over the long term.

If your pressure release valve is leaking, on most ball lock kegs it simply screws right out and you can pop a brand new one in. I think they run around $12-15 at most LHBS's.

 

[BradleyBrew]

make sure the thing is tight on the keg... mine leaks every once and a while and I just push down on the pin that typical has a pull tab and that seals it back up... yeah holy crap on that glass carboy sitting on the age of destruction.

 

[JonM]

Yeah - make sure the pr valve is all the way in.

I've been kegging for a couple years and I only recently took a pr valve out because it started to leak. Taking it apart was pretty enlightening because I didn't really have an understanding of how the pr valve works. Bottom line - if it's not seated fully it'll leak.

 

[zachattack]

I've had several stubborn PRVs, but all of them stopped leaking once I hit them with keg lube.

Take off the lid and shove a dab of keg lube into the underside of the PRV while you're pulling the ring. Open and close the valve a few times to work it in, then wipe off the excess.

 

[sleepspeaking]

I dropped the temp on the keezer and layered on the keg lube, the leak is slowed. The prv is welded in, and from where it is leaking is bound to be a pin hole leak in the weld. The replacement is on it's way. Thanks for the tips.