Leaking c02 regulator

[brianccarr]

I have a single gauge c02 regulator setup that has the pressure regulator and a tank volume gauge. I lost a whole 5 lb tank of c02 the last time I used it. Today I hooked up the regulator to a c02 tank and dunked the whole regulator in a 5 gallon bucket of Starsan in an attempt to try and find the leak. All of my threaded connections were good but I had bubbles coming out of both gauges themselves. What Are the odds that both gauges are messed up? This is very odd to me. Anybody ever seen the actual gauge leaking. It is in the housing of the gauge, not where it is threaded on.

 

[day_trippr]

Pretty unlikely both gauges are actually leaking.
What you're most likely seeing is the air in the gauge heads being displaced by water.

Do you have some kind of gasket or O-ring to seal the regulator stem to the cylinder valve?
That's the most likely place folks lose gas...

Cheers!

 

[grampamark]

Pretty unlikely both gauges are actually leaking.
What you're most likely seeing is the air in the gauge heads being displaced by water.

Do you have some kind of gasket or O-ring to seal the regulator stem to the cylinder valve?
That's the most likely place folks lose gas...

Cheers!

I beg to differ...

 

[day_trippr]

If you have a leaky O-ring you should probably have that checked out...

Cheers!

 

[brianccarr]

Connection at the cylinder is solid with no leak. I’ll try again and leave dunked long enough to confirm it’s no just air displacement in the gauges.

 

[IslandLizard]

There are several threads on finding and narrowing down possible leaks.
It's usually leaky hose connections or o-ring seals on the kegs.

Make sure the tank valve is all-the-way open, until it stops turning in the top (open) position. Not just one or 2 turns.

Is the tank a swap or a fill?

Most gauges have paper scales, so they'll get nasty looking after being wet.

 

[bracconiere]

how old is this reg? i just gave one away here that was leaking, they sell rebuild kits for them......and yes, i've had two regulators that started leaking...i've so far just replaced them, and haven't tried rebuilding one yet.

 

[brianccarr]

Not leaking any more. As much common sense as I THINK I have(maybe not); I’m embarrassed say that I believe it was just air in the gauge purging out.

 

[bracconiere]

Not leaking any more. As much common sense as I THINK I have(maybe not); I’m embarrassed say that I believe it was just air in the gauge purging out.

i'd still want too weigh the tank every few days to make sure there's no leak....if you already lost a 5lb'er....

might be a leak somewhere else in your system.

 

[tdiowa]

I've had leaks in the past from the regulator. Bought rebuild kit and fixed the problem. A real easy fix.

 

[IslandLizard]

i'd still want too weigh the tank every few days to make sure there's no leak....if you already lost a 5lb'er....

might be a leak somewhere else in your system.

That! ^

Don't forget to use a nylon swivel nut washer ("fisheye") between metal to metal flare connections. But they're not needed on plastic QDs, the tippy is the flare washer.

 

[bracconiere]

If you have a leaky O-ring you should probably have that checked out...

Cheers!

hate to bring back a semi old thread....but i just wanted to say the o-rings on your kegs should be replaced every year or so......


and a way i used to catch a leak in my system, was shut off the gas for an hour or two, then turn it back on....if the pressure in the kegs has to come up again, i knew i had a leak somewhere.....

(and how bout an update? did you loose another tank? find the leak? inquiring minds want to know!! )

 

[day_trippr]

Who are you talking to now?
I haven't "lost a tank" in forever...

Cheers!

 

[bracconiere]

Who are you talking to now?
I haven't "lost a tank" in forever...

Cheers!

i was attempting to quote your joking post to the OP......and say, leaky o-rings ARE serious!! LOL

 

[day_trippr]

Yeah, you suck at witty repartee when you've been drinking, you know.
You should stop...That wasn't even a response to the OP at all...

Cheers!

 

[bracconiere]

Yeah, you suck at witty repartee when you've been drinking, you know.

nay, other people are just to serious...... (i still like your LCD tap monitor though!)

 

[brianccarr]

hate to bring back a semi old thread....but i just wanted to say the o-rings on your kegs should be replaced every year or so......


and a way i used to catch a leak in my system, was shut off the gas for an hour or two, then turn it back on....if the pressure in the kegs has to come up again, i knew i had a leak somewhere.....

(and how bout an update? did you loose another tank? find the leak? inquiring minds want to know!! )

I tightened up all the connections before I originally dunked the regulator in water. Like an earlier poster said, the air from the gauges was just air displacement from the gauge itself. I should realized that at the time but I didn’t. Anyway I hooked it back up and. It’s not leaking. So the retightening of the fittings did the trick.

 

[bracconiere]

Anyway I hooked it back up and. It’s not leaking. So the retightening of the fittings did the trick.

how do you know it's not leaking? as long as there's liquid in the tank the tank gauge won't budge.....just looking out for you...


(i really hate co2 leaks!!! just had one last year, lost a good two pounds before my orginal bathroom scale showed the weight difference...now i use a postal scale....)