Help! Again!

[collinsDPT]

Guys, I am at a loss. I need your help.

Quick background: First batch kegged has been sitting in kegerator for ~4 weeks. A few weeks ago I posted because I went to check the system after approx 2 weeks to find my CO2 tank empty. I went through extensive leak testing of everything and found NO leaks. I came to the conclusion that the tank I bought off Craigslist wasn't full as the guy told me and instead was close to empty.

Update:
I then connected a different 5# CO2 tank that WAS full and have had it hooked up since (12psi). I thought everything was fine and dandy since my high pressure gauge was finally reading ~600psi (was stuck on zero the entire time with first tank). I tried another pint today and it came out of the picnic tap with great speed and had a great head. But, IT STILL TASTES FLAT!

To see if the tank was empty, I used the pressure relief valve on the keg and let out all the CO2 in the headspace. The regulator and tank did NOT kick in to restore the pressure, nor did the pressure on either gauge drop! To further check the tank, I turned the screw on the regulator, but to my surprise I actually heard the tank and the regulator making noise when I got near 18-20psi and up.

What the hell is going on? I apparently have gas in the tank, but I was under the impression that if I leaked out CO2 in the headspace of the keg, the regulator should sense that and should force CO2 back in to make up for it. Is this wrong? Is it because I am using a very short picnic tap line (1ft)? Do I have a bad regulator or am I just an idiot?

 

[Hex23]

I apparently have gas in the tank, but I was under the impression that if I leaked out CO2 in the headspace of the keg, the regulator should sense that and should force CO2 back in to make up for it. Is this wrong?

That's my understanding too and its also my experience. When I am purging the headspace out of a newly racked keg, each time I release the pin, I hear the CO2 start going through the regulator and into the keg. Sounds like your regulator is bad.

 

[Homercidal]

If you are handy you might want to open up the regulator and check for contamination or something. Just make sure to do this with the regulator DISCONNECTED from the tank! It sounds like the gauge or the regulator is out of adjustment.

BTW it takes 1 week+ at serving pressure to fully carb up a beer. It will carb faster in the kegerator than outside. Once you get the beer carbed up you can balance the system to give a not-too-foamy pour and have beer that's not flat from the foaming.

 

[collinsDPT]

Thanks for the replies guys. I think I may just go buy a new regulator today. Although I am going to be very pissed if that is not the source of my problem. This regulator was supposed to be brand-new...

 

[collinsDPT]

I thought I figured it out!!!

I had an "Ah-Ha" moment tonight. I disconnected the regulator to dismantle it when I noticed that there was an o-ring taped to the back of the unit. The previous owner must have taped it there before giving it to me. It never dawned on me that I didn't have an o-ring between the tank and the regulator until I read some posts in this forum.

Syre enough, I tightened that sucker as tight as I could get it, turned on the tank (which now let me dial in ANY psi I wanted, not just 10+), opened the manifold valve and heard the keg filling. The real test was when I pulled the keg's relief valve, watched the low pressure gauge psi drop briefly, and then heard the regulator and tank working to re-pressurize to the set amount.

I thought all was good until I woke up this AM, bled a little out of the keg, just to see that the regulator DID NOT adjust this time back to the preset value, but I could hear the CO2 "kick in" if that makes sense. I uploaded a video of this as it is very weird. Does this mean I have a leak downstream of the regulator?