No CO2 into regulator?

[kbradford]

So I haven't had anything on tap for a month or so and was just about to clean my lines since I'm going to be getting a keg in a few days.

Well I opened my kegerator door and noticed that the regulator had no pressure at all. At first I was afraid I had a leak and my CO2 tank was empty. I checked and it's still almost completely full, plenty of CO2. I hooked it back up to the regulator, opened the bottle valve again, and it nothing at all is flowing into the regulator. I've tried all the release valves on the regulator and there is no pressure.

This is the kit I have: http://stores.kegconnection.com/Detail.bok?no=324

Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[mordantly]

is the adjustment screw backed out and loose? is there infact pressure in the tank?

 

[david_42]

No indication at the high-pressure gauge? Sounds like something is wrong with the tank valve.

 

[kbradford]

Both adjustment screws are backed out. And yes, a whole bunch of pressure in the tank since if I leave it open and start to unscrew from the regulator it starts to gush out.

The high-pressure gauge does indeed move and shows pressure in the tank. It just won't show on the other gauges.

 

[kbradford]

Scratch my last comment. The high-pressure gauge is not showing anything now.

 

[david_42]

Then the problem has to be at the tank. If you're not an easily startled type, disconnect the regulator, take the tank outside, point it away from anything that can't handle abrupt chilling, and open the valve a bit. No flow, you'll know it's not the regulator.

 

[kbradford]

Then the problem has to be at the tank. If you're not an easily startled type, disconnect the regulator, take the tank outside, point it away from anything that can't handle abrupt chilling, and open the valve a bit. No flow, you'll know it's not the regulator.

Just tried it. PLENTY of pressure in the tank. That thing is loud.

 

[ClaudiusB]

Both adjustment screws are backed out.

If both are all the way out I would expect no pressure indication on the gages.

Turning the screws in will increase the supply pressure.



Cheers,
ClaudiusB

 

[chuggs]

If you have TANK pressure...and you have ZERO secondary reading after screwing in the adjust screw...You've got a problem.

It will probably require some disassembly to find the cause.

I'm not familiar with the internal of that regulator...but in the IMI Cornelius regulators...there is a filter screen. If something backed up into the regulator...it's possible that the poppet/cartridge seat is sticky/stuck...or the filter screen is plugged.

I've never experienced what you're going through. I've had check valves stick before...and I just had to screw up the pressure until they unseated, and begin working again....dailing the pressure back down before reconnecting to the keg. But when this happens...the secondary gauge still reads adjustments...it's just that no gas reaches the keg.

.....................................


Oh...just read your NO PRESSURE reading comment...

It's possible that something is blocking the stem from the tank connection to the regulator body.

Have you weighed your tank? Is there actually liquid in it? Primary regulators are designed to operate at higher gas pressures than secondary regulators. Typically 500 psi... So, if you've got just a little bit of gas in the tank...it can still make noise/blow gas...but not enough pressure to make the PRIMARY regulator work well...Still I would EXPECT the tank pressure to move the CO2 Tank pressure gauge reading....

It's all follow the flow.

Bare tank...does gas come out with valve cracked open? Does the weight of the tank reflect CO2 qty? Are you out of gas? is there a mechanical problem with the tank valve?

Connected to regulator...open tank valve...is gas making it to the HIGH SIDE? IE...Is the CO2 Tank pressure gauge showing 500-800 PSI (depending on ambient tank temperature)?? Or do you have a blockage... Does the tank washer block the opening in the regulator stem? Did a foreign object get lodged in the stem? Is the pressure gauge working?

LOW Side...when you screw the adjustment screw IN...which increases pressure on the regulator spring, which increases pressure to the poppet/cartridge valve...does gas make it into the LOW side? Is it reflected in the Low Pressure gauge (0-15 psi, 0-30 psi, 0-60 psi, etc...)? If not, is your filter screen plugged? Valve seat stuck? Gauge inoperative? Spring broken?...internal parts missing?

Tank connection... Is gas coming out here when the valve core is depressed? Is there crude in the quick connector? Is your check valve turned ON/OPEN? Is the ball in the check vavle stuck?...

It's time consuming...but hopefully by following the flow --- you'll discover the problem.

Over time...you'll get to see/ trouble shoot all of these maladies...If not, consider yourself very lucky...

 

[Want2Brew]

So what was the problem here? Enquiring minds want to know....

 

[kbradford]

Sorry, never posted that I got it fixed! I backed the screws on the regulators all the way out, and then screwed them back in and it started working. I sure thought I had done that before, but doing it while not hooked up to the tank or anything seemed to work.

 

[xanadan]

I recently had a similar problem. After tearing down the regulator and finding no problems there, I bit the bullet and (I have a dual gas splitter, single regulator) took apart the splitter connection. Lo and behold there was gunk clogging up the 1>2 terminal and the inlets to both gas lines. Ive had tap lines clog up because i didnt best filter out all the hops from my carboy, but in the gas lines? Soaked in some PBW and all good.

Question still remains: why did gunk build up in the gas line (note: there was a greenish liquid condensation inside the regulator...)? I can only imagine that I cleaned or soaked the regulator--by accident, of course--with water based cleaner (PBW) that promoted corrosion. The green was indicative to me of corrosion, but I'm a finance guy, not a scientist.

Anyways, if anything I hope it helps someone out. Let me know your thoughts if you think I'm on/off base here.

In case youwere wondering, here's the beer I was gassing when this happened: http://hopville.com/recipe/1694645

 

[day_trippr]

The green stuff looks kinda like hop pellet mush, and I noted the dry hopping in the recipe. How did you carbonate that batch - and is there any chance you had some of that batch back up the gas line?

Cheers!

 

[rereedrumr]

I had a very similar problem, with a unique solution, and just wanted to share here in case anybody else was having issues. My line seemed clogged, and after I saw your post about Hop sludge being the culprit, I took my system apart and tried to see if I could flush any water through the tube, but nothing went through. There was a stiff part of the tubing, clearly there was something in there that wasn't budging.

Then after a minute or two, I heard something fall out of the tube. Then another. They were tiny pellets of Ice. I guess that some liquid had backed up in the co2 tube, possibly during a force carb, and then froze in the spot where the tube goes out the back of the kegerator.

So the problem is solved (I've had the kegerator for about four years and never had a problem before), I just wanted to share in case anybody else went searching for a solution.