Reconnecting a Keg to Regulator

[Raptor99]

Beginner question here. If I disconnect a keg from my regulator, then later on reconnect it, do I have to release the pressure in the keg? I realize that I don't want the keg pressure higher than the setting on the regulator when I reconnect, but if it is the same or about the same, is that fine?

The instructions that came with my regulator say that before turning on the gas supply valve on the tank, I should release any pressure and turn the pressure dial down to zero. But that would mean that I would need to release any pressure in the system as well.

This is the regulator that I have: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YV4TJMC/

 

[day_trippr]

Generally the advised precautions wrt connecting a regulator to a beer keg are to prevent an over-filled keg pushing beer up the gas line into the regulator. If the overfilled condition doesn't exist there really isn't much risk to snapping a gas QD onto a keg with beer in it without releasing the keg head space pressure first. But it's not a bad habit to pop the keg PRV first, actually, as it can preempt what can be a real pita to clean up...

Cheers!

 

[Kickass]

If you’re worried you’ll make a flat beer, briefly relieving pressure will have a negligible effect on keg pressure. It takes a lot more time to get all the gas out of liquid suspension.

That said. If the pressures are close and the liquid is below the gas post, relieving pressure isn’t really necessary. So purge or don’t, the end result will be indistinguishable.

 

[Raptor99]

Thanks! I'm not really worried about losing carbonation. But some of my hard ciders are 3 gallon batches, so there is quite a bit of space in a 5 gal. keg. I'm not sure how much CO2 I would lose if I purge every time I move a keg in or out of my kegerator for any reason. On the other hand, if there is a lot of space, there is zero danger of forcing any liquid out of the gas port.

 

[jerrylotto]

If there's no danger of forcing liquid out the gas port then just don't worry about it. The pressure in your tank behind the regulator is going to prevent anything from coming back. Think about the volume inside the regulator and compare it to the keg. It's going to raise the pressure about a fraction of a pound per square inch, even if the difference between the regulator setting is 20 psi different.