Tank dead but no leaks

[jacksonbrown]

I refilled my 5# tank on Mon morning, every thing's been running fine since. Just now I try to get a beer and the tank is dry. Pressure was good this morning, nothing's changed since, and I am confused. I'm confident my system has no leaks, but now I can't get a refill until Monday morning. Does anyone have any clue what might have caused this? One of my kegs was low, but that shouldn't matter I wouldn't think. Thanks.

 

[Yooper]

Well, if your tank was full 5 days ago, you definitely have a leak. It should last like 8 kegs! I had a leak once, and it went fast. Without a leak, a 5 pound tank lasted me months.

 

[david_42]

I'd have to agree about the leak. Whenever I attach a fresh tank, I'll open the valve pressurizing the regulator, then close it & check in 12 hours. This verifies the tank to regulator connection is tight.

 

[jacksonbrown]

I checked for leaks when a redid the setup and moved the tank outside the fridge. Everything was fine. The weird part is that the tank presure was at 800 psi when I started, 600 psi yesterday morning, then dead in the afternoon. It just seems like a huge drop off in one day. I will recheck it when I refill the tank. I really hate that I can't get CO2 on the weekends, because wouldn't you know that's when it always runs out.

 

[HenryHill]

I really hate that I can't get CO2 on the weekends, because wouldn't you know that's when it always runs out.

This is why having a spare CO2 tank is as important (or more so) as a spare propane tank.

Most can usually at least go get a propane swap/refill from HD or somewhere on a weekend...

 

[sittingturbo]

I can explain your pressure drop off.

You must have a leak first off... But, as for the psi drop... Your Co2 tank contains liquid, once this liquid is depleted, only the gas remains, and it is at this time that your pressure will start to drop, so when it does drop, it will go fast... Does that make sense? I just read it in a Zymurgy article so I am assuming it is correct.

 

[jacksonbrown]

I got a refill on my tank this morning, rechecked the system and still couldn't find anything. In the water test, my splitter was getting a few tiny bubbles every 5-10 sec, so I tightened all that up and it was clear. The latches for the kegs were clear. My only guess now is something connected to the tank itself. Can I do a water test on that or will it screw my gages?
Also, when I hooked it all up this morning the tank was at 800 psi, it's been 6 hours and it's already down to 700 hooked up to only one keg set at 20. I'm really getting baffled here, I've gone through and tightened the heck out of everything, what else can I do?

 

[Yooper]

What happens when you take the keg off? I'm wondering if you are leaking around the lid of the keg. I'd mix up some soapy water or star san again, and turn the pressure up. Put the solution all around the lid of the keg. I bet that's where it's leaking! If not there, then remove it from the gas and tap disconnects, and put some water around the poppits on the posts. Also, check and make sure the o-rings on the posts look good.

 

[Liquidicem]

Don't use just water. Go with Yooper's suggestion of Star San. It works great as a leak detector.

 

[jacksonbrown]

What happens when you take the keg off? I'm wondering if you are leaking around the lid of the keg. I'd mix up some soapy water or star san again, and turn the pressure up. Put the solution all around the lid of the keg. I bet that's where it's leaking! If not there, then remove it from the gas and tap disconnects, and put some water around the poppits on the posts. Also, check and make sure the o-rings on the posts look good.

O-rings all look good, I check before I refill the kegs. What are the poppits and posts? That where the gas and bev lines connect?
I will check the lid. On a positive note, I shut off the gas to the Nut Brown which is at drinking stage and just have the CO2 running to the now carbonation Blonde. The pressure has stayed at 700 since I was home for lunch 5 hours ago. So I'm thinking the leak is involved with that one keg somewhere somehow. Oof!

 

[jacksonbrown]

Did a soap solution check (ran out of star san this morning), and nothing noticeable around the lid of said keg. I'm gonna keep them both running till bed time and see what happens with the main tank. If it drops again I'll know I'm missing something with that keg. If not, I'll still be baffled. I'll keep up to date. Thanks as always.

 

[Pimp Juice]

Happened to me a while ago. Spent the longest time looking for the problem. Ended up being the o-ring on the gas-in on the keg. Its gotta be coming out some where. Dip it in the pool, if thats possible(like a tube/tire).

 

[jas0420]

For the sake of covering the obvious, are you sure they actually got you a full tank last week?

I haven’t used a 5lb tank, so I don’t know how heavy a full one is compared to an empty one. If it’s an unmistakable difference (I have a 20lb aluminum tank that falls into that category) then I’m sorry for asking the obvious. I would think a 5lb steel tank would be relatively heavy empty though? Anyway, it’s my understanding that if there’s even a little liquid CO2 left in the tank, the pressure will be around 800 psi (and drop to about 600 psi if you refrigerate your tank). Like sittingturbo said, once the liquid is gone, it falls off fast.

 

[shoebag22]

For the sake of covering the obvious, are you sure they actually got you a full tank last week?

I haven’t used a 5lb tank, so I don’t know how heavy a full one is compared to an empty one. If it’s an unmistakable difference (I have a 20lb aluminum tank that falls into that category) then I’m sorry for asking the obvious. I would think a 5lb steel tank would be relatively heavy empty though? Anyway, it’s my understanding that if there’s even a little liquid CO2 left in the tank, the pressure will be around 800 psi (and drop to about 600 psi if you refrigerate your tank). Like sittingturbo said, once the liquid is gone, it falls off fast.

good advice here... emptied my 5lb tank overnight last weekend. I have what I believe to be a steel tank and I can tell the difference between empty and full if no regulators are attached to the tank... not sure if you are keeping your tank in the fridge, but if you are it should hover right around 550-650...
If you do keep in the fridge, take it out for about 30 mins... condensation will form around the bottle showing you how much liquid is left.

 

[jacksonbrown]

I set it up to be out of the fridge a few weeks ago. It's been consistent now for 20 hrs at 700 psi, so I'm hoping that's a good sign (considering the first 100 psi drop off took place over 6 hours). I can tell the difference between a full and emptied tank, and have weighed them for assurance.
I like the idea of the condensation check and will try that tonight.