Leaky regulator

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Yooper

Ale's What Cures You!
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I just got my co2 tank filled, and it's empty. I think I've found where the leak is- it seems to be leaking around the adjustment screw. The nut around the adjustment screw was very loose but I never noticed it before. I guess my questions are these- was it only leaking because the nut was so loose? Or was it leaking there because I have a bad diaphram or something like that?

Is there a way to tell just by looking at it if it's bad? I do suspect it's more than around the adjustment screw- because even when the tank wasn't empty, I got a slllooooooowwwww pour at a supposed 12 psi. That's what made me realize I had a leak somewhere. After spraying with some star-san, I ruled out every where else, but seemed to be hearing it leak by the adjustment screw very slightly.

The regulator is less than a year old, and treated like a baby. (Well, except for being in the fridge part. I never put any of my kids in the fridge for any length of time).
 
The nut should have nothing to do with the leak its just to lock the screw in position.

I had a leak that I also thought was coming from the screw (I could hear the hiss there) it turned out to be the lid leaking and I was just hearing the gas pass through the regulator.

I hope you can find the leak. I hate the empty co2 tank blues.

Good luck
John
 
I don't know a lot about regualtors, but I had a leak in mine. Posted here and Bobby_M recommended taking it apart. I took it apart (pretty easy to do) and cleaned and tightened it and that seemed to fix it. I think little piece of dirt and dust can get in there and cause things not to seal correctly.

Here is the thread:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/micromatic-regualtor-problems-42939/

Hope this helps.
 
Ah, that makes sense. I do think it was leaking out of the side hole (my regulator is a bit different). The problem is now- I am out of gas and can't double check, and also, I can't get the "bonnet" off of the regulator. I found a webpage with instructions. Here's mine: Checking for Co2 Leaks

I just can't get that bonnet off. I must need bigger muscles or something.

Once I get it off, do you think I need to replace the diaphram, or just clean it off?
 
I remeber I had trouble getting the bonnet off too. I had to use big wrench and struggle with it for a while.

I would think you would only need to clean it and maybe tighten the needle valve. I don't see why it would wear out unless this regulator is really old.
 
I used a friends vice to get the bonnet off mine. Once the bonnet was seated it in the vice, i turned the back side of the regulator by hand and it screwed off. I couldn't do it w/ just a wrench cause i couldn't hold the back side hard enough.

My reg is leaking out of the side hole as well. But when i opened it up, i didn't see anything wrong with the diaphragm. Maybe i will try cleaning and tightening really hard and seeing if it fixes it. Otherwise hopefully a replacement kit will do the trick.

Let us know what fixes your problem. Might help me out, and others as well.

Cheers
 
ARRRGGGGHHH! I got the bonnet off, and followed these instructions for correcting a leak: Checking for Co2 Leaks

Once it was opened, there were no apparent leaks. None. You turn on the gas while the regulator is apart. No leaks. I put it back together and turned on the co2. No leak. Hooked it back up to a keg. Now, I hear a slight leak. No leaks in the keg, though. Or in the other one. I'm wondering if there is a leak around the poppit valve in one of the posts. I can hear a hint of gas going through the regulator, but can't find a leak. The kegs seem to hold pressure, but I'm getting a slow pour at 10 psi.

The only thing I can think of is to wait until these kegs are empty (keep the gas off except to dispense) which won't take me long at all and tear them down and put some new kegs in and see if the problem is corrected. I guess there could be a hop particle or something in the poppit or elsewhere.

Any other ideas? This is driving me crazy.
 
Unhook all your quick disconnects from the kegs. Then turn on the gas....crank your pressure to 5PSi...LISTEN...10 PSI....LISTEN....15...20...25....IF you hear the leak there, it's not the kegs...it's the regulator, or a hose leak.
Use strong starsan solution to find the leak.
 
Gas in was leaking on one of mine before... Try BigKahunas suggestion to try and isolate the issue.. Good luck!
 
BK did what I did to find a poppet leak.

No leak when removing all gear from the kegs.
 
My gas in leak was a bad poppet- The poppet foot on my in valve had one that was slightly flattened, causing it to not seal. After pressurizing the keg (empty, since I sanitize and check pressure before using), found the leak. I was able to bend the foot back and remedy this issue without replacement parts. Good luck Yooper!
 
I'm now wondering if some hops particles could be stuck in the poppit, or if the gas in tube is not seated right. Oh, it seems just fine when I spray some star-san, but I turned off the gas and even though there is still some pressure, I get a slow pour. It should be faster if there wasn't a leak. So, I guess it's in the keg after all, even though I swore it wasn't!

It's ok- it's a fantastic APA using my homegrown cascade hops, so I can't imagine there is much beer in there anyway! I'll be kegging my Tongue Splitter this week (in a different keg) in its place and I can tear down that keg and replace all the o-rings. It's really driving me crazy though!
 
I've seen pin holes in kegs on the forums- another possibility. Once it's empty, pressurize it and submerge it in the tub. It could be a pin hole leak under the top rubber, which you won't find until you kick that keg and do the above. I hope you find it! I would be going nuts myself- I could easily see myself get an idea wake up in the middle of the night just to try something I thought might fix it :)
 
I'm now wondering if some hops particles could be stuck in the poppit, or if the gas in tube is not seated right. Oh, it seems just fine when I spray some star-san, but I turned off the gas and even though there is still some pressure, I get a slow pour. It should be faster if there wasn't a leak. So, I guess it's in the keg after all, even though I swore it wasn't!

It's ok- it's a fantastic APA using my homegrown cascade hops, so I can't imagine there is much beer in there anyway! I'll be kegging my Tongue Splitter this week (in a different keg) in its place and I can tear down that keg and replace all the o-rings. It's really driving me crazy though!

Please forgive my ignorance. Why can't you use a diluted solution that contains a high foaming surfactant i.e. manual dish soap to detect the leak? The outside doesn't have to remain sterile, right?
 
Please forgive my ignorance. Why can't you use a solution that contains a high foaming surfactant i.e. manual dish soap to detect the leak? The outside doesn't have to remain sterile, right?

oh, no, it's not for sanitation. Star-san is crazy foamy stuff. It bubbles when there is a leak- better than dish soap, and I keep it in a sprayer anyway for quite sanitizing of objects.
 
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