Kegging CO2 problem

[Johnman1971]

So I kegged my first beer at 6 PM yesterday. Things went well with only a few minor issues dealing with unfamiliar equipment. I set the regulator at 9 PSI, since it it an Imperial Stout, and planned to let sit a few days to collect a mild carbonation. I returned home after work last night to find that the gauge that lets me know how much CO2 is left in the tank that read 7000 PSI dropped down to half way into the red area. This morning at 10:30 it is now just about completely empty! I JUST filled this 5 Lb. tank before kegging this beer. Is a 5 Lb. tank not big enough for a 5 gallon batch? I cannot hear any leaks so I'm pretty sure that's not it.

 

[geoffm33]

So I kegged my first beer at 6 PM yesterday. Things went well with only a few minor issues dealing with unfamiliar equipment. I set the regulator at 9 PSI, since it it an Imperial Stout, and planned to let sit a few days to collect a mild carbonation. I returned home after work last night to find that the gauge that lets me know how much CO2 is left in the tank that read 7000 PSI dropped down to half way into the red area. This morning at 10:30 it is now just about completely empty! I JUST filled this 5 Lb. tank before kegging this beer. Is a 5 Lb. tank not big enough for a 5 gallon batch? I cannot hear any leaks so I'm pretty sure that's not it.

Is your CO2 tank in the fridge? If so, the high pressure gauge will naturally drop. Not saying you don't have a leak, but that a drop in the high pressure gauge doesn't always mean you do.

 

[cease]

Don't use that gauge to know how much CO2 you have left, go by the actual weight of the tank. Most aluminum CO2 tanks (5 gal that is) weigh 7 empty so at 12lbs you are full. The gauge will drop in the fridge but you are still good.. unless you have a leak.


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[NedStackey]

Take a sponge with soap and water and dab along your connection to see if there's any bubbling which would mean you have a leak. This happened to me when I first started kegging too and it turned out to be a bad popup valve on one of the ball lock posts. Did you get the kegs used? If so did they give you a new set of seals (around the lid, and one for each post). Perhaps look into replacing those if they are old. Good luck.

 

[btbnl]

Ah yes ... been there, and boy is it frustrating. A 5lb tank should card and serve a fair few batches, but you wouldn't hear a leak unless it was a really dramatic one. Refill your tank, paint a soap solution on all of the connections and keg seals (even the ones it "couldn't possibly be") and look for bubbling.

 

[kombat]

You won't necessarily "hear" a leak. The only way to be sure is to spray all openings and connections with some StarSan and look for bubbles.

The way CO2 tanks work is that the guage will stay near the "Full" level until it's almost empty, then it will rapidly drop down into the red "Empty" zone. This is because as long as there is any liquid CO2 left in the tank, the pressure inside will remain constant. Once the last of the liquid vaporizes, the only pressure in the tank is from the gaseous CO2, and as it bleeds out, the pressure will finally drop.

That said, a 5 lb tank should most definitely be way more than enough to carbonate 1 5-gallon batch. It should be enough to carbonate 10 5 gallon batches. You almost certainly have a leak somewhere.

Did your regulator come with little plastic washers that are supposed to go between the regulator and the outlet port of the tank? If so, is there one in there in that connection? Did you use keg lube on the big O-ring around the inside of the keg's main lid? Is your pressure relief valve screwed down tight? Are the hose clamps connecting your Quick Disconnect fittings to your gas line screwed down as tight as you can get them? Spray all these areas with StarSan and look for bubbles.

 

[sandyeggoxj]

So I kegged my first beer at 6 PM yesterday. Things went well with only a few minor issues dealing with unfamiliar equipment. I set the regulator at 9 PSI, since it it an Imperial Stout, and planned to let sit a few days to collect a mild carbonation. I returned home after work last night to find that the gauge that lets me know how much CO2 is left in the tank that read 7000 PSI dropped down to half way into the red area. This morning at 10:30 it is now just about completely empty! I JUST filled this 5 Lb. tank before kegging this beer. Is a 5 Lb. tank not big enough for a 5 gallon batch? I cannot hear any leaks so I'm pretty sure that's not it.

7000? Are you sure it is co2? That is REALLY high pressure!

Check for leaks with starsan/dish soap. Weight is the only measurement for quantity. the co2 is liquid in the bottle and then equalizes the head space with a gas form of co2, which is what you are using.

Lots of questions now but once you figure it out it will be easy to deal with. Good luck!

 

[Johnman1971]

7000? Are you sure it is co2? That is REALLY high pressure!

Check for leaks with starsan/dish soap. Weight is the only measurement for quantity. the co2 is liquid in the bottle and then equalizes the head space with a gas form of co2, which is what you are using.

Lots of questions now but once you figure it out it will be easy to deal with. Good luck!

700 actually. That was a typo

 

[Johnman1971]

Thank you all for your input. It indeed was a leak between the tank and the regulator. It says in the setup manual that came with the regulator "DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN" so that freaked me out a little. The soapy water was bubbling very little. Hardly noticeable. Now to wait a few more hours to see if it drops again.