I found my leak

whovous · Jul 30, 2018

I have a newish Taprite 740 series (two gauge) regulator. One gauge measures CO2 tank pressure, the other measures pressure to the keg. The latter gauge is leaking. The gauge, not the connecting thread. Vapor is sometimes visible coming out of the gauge onto the square shank.

Am I correct in assuming this is not something to repair? Do I buy a gauge, or an entire assembly?

What is the best regulator on the market? By best, I mean which one is least likely to leak?

day_trippr · Jul 30, 2018

I'd be surprised if a gauge was user-repairable. You can pick up replacement 60 psi gauges for under $10 via Amazon.
I have Taprite, Chudnow and Micromatic regs. I prefer them in that order.
Most of mine are over 10 years old. None of them leak...

Cheers!

ancientmariner52 · Jul 30, 2018

whovous said:
I have a newish Taprite 740 series (two gauge) regulator. One gauge measures CO2 tank pressure, the other measures pressure to the keg. The latter gauge is leaking. The gauge, not the connecting thread. Vapor is sometimes visible coming out of the gauge onto the square shank.

Am I correct in assuming this is not something to repair? Do I buy a gauge, or an entire assembly?

What is the best regulator on the market? By best, I mean which one is least likely to leak?

I had to google an image, because I'm not familiar with your model of regulator. Looks to be a standard type. That square shank is a place to put a wrench. The square is turned round and threaded, so that it can be screwed into the regulator body. It may simply need to be tightened, or removed and Teflon pipe tape applied. Worst case, the leak is in the shank itself, in which case the entire gauge can be replaced. If you are not comfortable doing this yourself, most welding supply shops offer regulator repair services. Hope this helps. Good luck!

BTW, if the leak is caused by a crack in the gauge shank, or stem, there is a possibility that the stem will break off completely when you try to turn it. If so, don't panic. There are ways to remove the broken stub.