I think my regulator is leaking please help

[Mark_tries_brewing]

First time kegging. Racked to keg a few days ago but regulator didn't arrive until last night. When I first hooked it up everything seemed good. Connected keg, turned on CO2 and then turned off tank to see if everything stayed pressurized. Seemed good. It came set for 20 psi so in between a 4 or 5 purges of air from the keg I turned it down to 14. Then a short while later I came back and tried to turn down the pressure. The keg was still hooked up with about 14psi in it and the check/ ball valve on the line was open. As I turned the knob the needle went back to about 12 psi and there was a popping sound. I was worried both because of the sound and I think the needle should have stayed in place because the pressure in the system wasn't actually lowering? I could hear gas hissing out but when I turned the knob back up it stopped. At first I thought the regulator (T752HP) was just manually releasing the excess pressure in the line. However later in the evening when I came back it seems that it is continually hissing regardless of pressure setting. If I turn on the tank the tank gauge goes up to a little over 500 and I can hear hissing. If I then turn off the tank within a minute the gauge reads zero (this is with the other regulator body turned to zero and both check valves closed). This means that it is leaking, correct? Even without the gas on the tank gauge should stay put unless there is a leak in the system, correct?

This was a brand new regulator. Did I do something wrong by trying to turn down the pressure with pressure in the line? Should I get over my fear of messing with it and try to take it apart to see if I can find the issue? I checked quickly with star san and could not see any bubbles but was not that thorough. It sound like the hissing is coming from under the adjustment knob and again I did not see any bubbles on any of the threaded connections. Everything looks okay as in there is a good amount of thread tape. I clearly heard a popping sound when I tried to turn down the regulator and thats when the hissing started as well. Also it is a dual product regulator and the problem seems to be in the first regulator body, should I just remove that part and send it back in?

Thanks

 

[day_trippr]

Remove the regulator from the tank and see if the regulator coupler has either an integrated O-ring at the end, or you find a removable gasket. If neither of these exist there'll be a rather large leak...

Cheers!

 

[wilconrad]

Fill your bathtub with water and submerge the whole regulator/tank assembly. Bubbles should rise from wherever the leak is and you can diagnose from there.

 

[Mark_tries_brewing]

There is an O ring on the regulator I wouldn't have hooked it up without. Also the problem was not immediate happened a little later.

 

[Mark_tries_brewing]

I guess I spent too much time explain the situation and wasn't clear on what I was asking. The high pressure gauge should stay put even with the tank off, correct? And to respond about test there are no problems with the regulator being put in water? Finally did I do something wrong by turning the regulator down with pressure in the line?

 

[beargrylls]

i would take off the regulator and reattach it making sure the o ring is on there properly. also make sure you have it screwed on right bc its easy to screw the regulator on lopsided for some tanks and it will leak. ive had that problem at work before. it shouldnt be hissing continually. i think the regulator psi should stay put at the set psi for awhile when you turn off the gas as long as you have the end closed/hooked up to a keg. im not sure about the tank gauge tho

 

[beargrylls]

i adjust the tank regulators psi at work all the time with the gas on and pressure in the line and ive never had a problem, so i think youre fine with that

 

[Mark_tries_brewing]

To clarify the pressure gauge on the regulator stays at what its set to, but you can watch the high pressure gauge drop from 500 to zero in under a minute when the tank is turned off and the check valves are shut. Also the other regulator has nothing hooked up so I have it set to zero and the check valve shut, could this be causing issues.

I could figure it out by putting it in a bathtub as the person above suggested just wanted to hear from more than one person that it was okay to submerge the regulator.

 

[wilconrad]

I could figure it out by putting it in a bathtub as the person above suggested just wanted to hear from more than one person that it was okay to submerge the regulator.

Full disclosure: I've never actually needed to try this myself but have heard of others doing it in an "I can't find the leak" situation and it works. Apparently it is frowned upon by vendors like Micromatic because some water gets in your gauges. The gauges will drain, but you'll be getting some parts wet that aren't designed for it, so maybe unscrew the cover off the gauges afterwards and dry them out with a hair dryer?

 

[Mark_tries_brewing]

I was right! The first of the two regulator bodys is leaking from under the knob. Should I try to just remove this part or send the whole thing back in? I am going to try to contact the seller but really just want take out the first regulator body because it would still be a taprite dual gauge regulator just not dual product.

 

[madcore]

I had this prob. I fixed it by taken the regulator apart and making sure the inside and spring was clean that fixed it. It was brand new too. Sometimes the I inner workings get out of place in shipping


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[Mark_tries_brewing]

So I removed the regulator that was the problem and have everything hooked up now as a dual guage reg rather than dual product (effectively gone from t752 to t740). How to I open the regulator? Leave the red adjustment cap alone and turn the black plastic ring underneath it? I am nervous about trying to get that thing open, especially the plastic part as I accidentally bent up the brass a little when taking the leaky regulator body out. Anyone know a good way to get it open without cracking the plastic?

 

[madcore]

Take a pic of ur regulator and we can walk you though is. Some there's 4screws some it's just the regulator screw so let us see what one u have


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[Mark_tries_brewing]

I have the T752HP but as I said now its effectively a T742. This is it.

 

[Mark_tries_brewing]

I think I just need to put it in a vise. I can see now that the black plastic has spots for it to be gripped by a wrench. Do I need to take the red knob off first? I turned it all the way clockwise until it seemed to stop. Didn't put much more torque on it, it could screw out but I didn't know and did't want to break it.

 

[madcore]

That's how mine is. I just unscrew the knob all the way and it comes off. Then you will see a spring and on to a plastic pcs that connects the spring and knob make sure it's all clean and reassemble. Haven't had a problem with mine since


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[Mark_tries_brewing]

**** so I turned the red knob as far as it would go easily and then put a little more torque on it. Now it just spins on it. I can feel it attempt to turn to screw underneath but it slips. Is it necessary to take the red know off before undoing the black part underneath. I really don't know if I can it just keeps slipping and the more I try to turn it is just slips more easily.

 

[Mark_tries_brewing]

Alright well I now know that the red knob does not screw out if anyone runs into a similar issue in the future. I took the regulator body apart by unscrewing the black plastic part. Was able to fix the stuck adjustment screw by turning it from the inside and now that it is not stuck the knob doesn't slip. However I could not figure what was causing the leak in the first place. The diaphragm looked okay. I put keg lube around the edges of the diaphragm and put it all back together. Hopefully now it won't leak but I am not confident because I didn't really change anything. Any advice on what could be the problem/ what causes gas to exit the weeping valve. Again this is a Taprite 742/752 where there is a little hole called a weeping valve under the adjustment knob. I'll try putting the second body back in the regulator tomorrow most likely and check if I managed to fix it just with opening it, lubing a little, and closing it back up.

 

[day_trippr]

As that model regulator doesn't come with an external PRV, I'm pretty sure it has an "automagic" relief valve that exhausts under the knob (the "weeping valve") so when you turn down the pressure it should equalize by letting excess pressure out.

Doesn't explain why the regulator is obviously having issues holding pressure, but you wouldn't be the first person to receive a brand new defective Taprite regulator. It happens...

Cheers!