Tank Sealing Blues

[jcooper_87]

So I just got my new tank a couple of days ago and it came pressurized. Now I'm ready to sanitize it before putting in my beer and I can't get it to pressurize in order to pump the solution through the hose. I can hear it leaking all around the the top but cannot figure out why. The keg is refurbished so all the o-rings are new and in good condition and I am using a co2 charger. Any ideas?

 

[GulfCoaster]

I'm a noob. But until someone else responds I say put some keg lube on the rubber seal.

 

[jakecpunut]

Did you crank the PSI up to 20 or 30 to make sure you sealed it good?

 

[Armen_Tamzarian]

Brilliant! Was kegging for my first time this morning and had this same problem. Lubed it up and cranked it to 25 psi, problem solved. Purged a few times and dropped it to 13-14 psi and now it's chilling in the fridge!

 

[KYB]

Yea on half of my kegs it will leak until i crank it up to 20+psi, then it seals.

 

[jcooper_87]

I guess I need to go get some keg lube, that seems to be the last resort...

 

[edie]

I guess I need to go get some keg lube, that seems to be the last resort...

FWIW just watched an episode of brew tv and he said just use vasoline.

 

[malkore]

Vasoline is a petroleum product. If your o-ring is made of petroluem 'rubber' the vasoline will dissolve it.
Keg lube is silicone grease (and food grade) so it won't eat petroleum or latex rubber.

It would, however, dissolve silicone o-rings.

 

[Bobby_M]

I've never seen silicone grease used. I used sanitary white petroleum jelly on bunan and silicone but malkore is right.

 

[Ravenshead]

As far as I know Vaseline won't dissolve much of anything. Is pretty much inert chemically. It's not sanitized but it would likely work in a pinch. The alcohol in the beer will likely take care of most of the sanitation issues.

 

[P-J]

jcooper_87,

I made a write up a while ago on the issues with getting your keg to seal.
Take a look: Keg Lid Geometry & Adjustment

Hope this helps.

 

[woodstone]

Petro-based lube will break down the seals at some point.
KegLube and psi = your friend and a great seal.

 

[jcooper_87]

this is why i joined this forum!

 

[JeffB]

Vaseline/white petro jelly is absolutely safe for all orings, synthetic and natural. We use it all the time to help seal up fuel and oil orings in turbine aircraft engines. Think about how many petro based seals are in your car submersed in oil and fuel.
Silicone and petro are fine to use.