Quick Pressure Question

[Runyanka]

I recently purchased this kit from kegconnection.com: http://stores.kegconnection.com/Detail.bok?no=324 and am having some problems. Yesterday I filled both kegs with beer at room temperature, hooked them up to gas at 12 psi and stuck them in the fridge. It seems that I had to adjust the regulator every 3 hours or so, due to it losing pressure, dropping to like 10 psi. This morning it was the same thing, I woke up and checked it and both kegs were down to around 9-10 psi. Is this becuase the beer is cold and now absorbing the CO2 or what? I know both kegs hold pressure because they came with pressure in them from the source. Any other ways to diagnose this, I really dont want to be wasting CO2.

 

[Scimmia]

Was the CO2 bottle at room temp when you stuck everything in the refrigerator? If so, that would explain it, as that will lower the pressure going into the regulator, which would then lower the pressure going out of it.

 

[barleynhops]

You should ensure that you have a good seal by taking a soapy sponge or cloth and running it along the seal and connections. If you have a leak, you'll be able to see it quickly. I suspect that it really is just caused by the temperature drop. CO2 contracts at colder temperatures, so you will see a pressure drop if you started with it warm but now it is chilled. I would just readjust the pressure and continue to check on it. If you don't have a leak, I wouldn't worry too much about it.

 

[Runyanka]

Thanks for the responses! I am thinking it is more due to the temperature drop of the beer within the kegs, as well as the slight drop of the CO2 tank itself. The reason I am thinking this is because its a dual body regulator, and both had dropped about the same amount both times, lending me to beleive that the kegs are holding pressure, the beer is just absorbing it faster. Do you guys typically chill your kegs prior to hooking up the co2?

 

[Scimmia]

Thanks for the responses! I am thinking it is more due to the temperature drop of the beer within the kegs, as well as the slight drop of the CO2 tank itself. The reason I am thinking this is because its a dual body regulator, and both had dropped about the same amount both times, lending me to beleive that the kegs are holding pressure, the beer is just absorbing it faster. Do you guys typically chill your kegs prior to hooking up the co2?

No need. Yes, the colder beer will absorb more CO2, but the regulator will just give it more gas to keep the pressure constant; that's kind of the point of a regulator. Your problem has nothing to do with the temperature of the beer, nor with a leak, as you wouldn't see a pressure drop like that unless the leak was absolutely massive.

 

[barleynhops]

To answer you question...no, I don't chill my kegs before putting it under pressure. I simply rack to the keg, put it under high pressure to ensure a good seal. Purge the oxygen, then set to the desired pressure for carbonating.