Keg taking a long time to carb

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mtnagel

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So I've always used the "set and forget" method and my kegs have always carbed well in a couple weeks. Well I bought a new keg and used it for my last batch. Now I'm on day 23 and it's still not carbed totally. There is some carbonation, but not enough.

The only odd thing I noticed is that when I took apart the post to clean it, the poppet came out. On my other kegs (pin lock by the way), they are attached in the posts. My friends are loose in his kegs (ball lock), so I figured that was okay. I pressure tested it when it was empty and everything seemed fine. Could that be causing my issue?
 
Poppets are meant to be removable. They usually snap into place when you tighten the post down. I use a small screwdriver and give them a whack to pop them back out. If you have the disconnects on the posts then the poppets aren't going to be a cause for leaking. It would more likely be the gasket on the post or the one on the dip tube. If you are carbing it without the beer line hooked up then the poppet could be an issue
 
Hook it up again around 25 psi and pressure test it again spraying starsan or soap and water anywhere it could leak. If you aren't bubbling chances are you aren't leaking and thats not the problem. I have heard of many people using the liquid post to carb there kegs, just because it obviously will go directly into the beer instead of having to absorb it through the atmosphere. I personally lay mine on its side and force carb it by rocking it for about a minute or so at 25psi, then leave it for a weak or so to condition. Works everytime. I tried the set and forget method and it never really worked for me well.
 
Poppets are meant to be removable. They usually snap into place when you tighten the post down. I use a small screwdriver and give them a whack to pop them back out. If you have the disconnects on the posts then the poppets aren't going to be a cause for leaking. It would more likely be the gasket on the post or the one on the dip tube. If you are carbing it without the beer line hooked up then the poppet could be an issue
Thanks for the info. The beer line is hooked up.

Hook it up again around 25 psi and pressure test it again spraying starsan or soap and water anywhere it could leak. If you aren't bubbling chances are you aren't leaking and thats not the problem. I have heard of many people using the liquid post to carb there kegs, just because it obviously will go directly into the beer instead of having to absorb it through the atmosphere. I personally lay mine on its side and force carb it by rocking it for about a minute or so at 25psi, then leave it for a weak or so to condition. Works everytime. I tried the set and forget method and it never really worked for me well.
Well my tank hasn't drained the CO2 in 3 weeks, so I'd be surprised if I had a leak, but I guess it could be a slow leak.

I did actually crank it up to 25 PSI last night and I guess the increase in pressure was enough to cause a leak at where the beer line meets the tap. The worm clamp screw was loose (I never retightened it after building the kegerator). Luckily I only lost a pint or 2 as I noticed it about an hour later. I had already dropped the keg back down to 10-11 PSI before I realized what was leaking. I may try to increase it again now that I know, but I was going to bed and didn't want to leave it. It's just weird that I've never had this issue in the 15 or so batches I've kegged before.
 
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