Teflon Tape for Gas Connections

[SEndorf]

Start with the shut-off closed to test the reg, then test your lines and QD detached from the keg. If the gauges stay put on those, your leak is at the keg.

This.
I'm hoping the OP is troubleshooting from disconnected kegs.
Once I blew a tank (rather quickly) due to a bad washer seat on the primary regulator at the tank.
The rest of my occasional bang-yer-head-against-the-wall, kick the cat, curse till yer blue in the face, extremely slow leaks have always been at the keg. On most of those very slow leaks, there are no visible star-san bubbles from spraying the tops.
The only way I can find it, is isolate each keg and turn the gas off at the secondary. Wait a half hour to hour, then turn the gas back on. If your gauge drops as it refills and you hear the infamous "gas groan", you've got a keg seal problem.

Once your gas lines and regulators are set up properly, I rarely find problems on the gas line side.

 

[S-Met]

As far as buying the swivel nut washer that @IslandLizard showed above, when you buy 'em, buy a half dozen. Unless, that is, you wish to expand your vocabulary the first time your only one slips through your fingers, bounces twice, and goes to an inaccessible place under your equipment or down the drain.

Don't ask me how I know this.....

No joke! I bought a dozen thinking they would last forever. I gave 6 to a friend and hae since bought another 2 dozen. I don't like being frivolously wasteful, but if I ever doubt their integrity, I toss them. Down the drain/disposal fish out and toss. Step on one on cement, toss.

 

[jmcquesten]

So last night I turned the tank off and left it to see if the low pressure gauge would drop as well, and it did. So this morning (0700) I started from the top. I re-pressurized the system. Close the shut-off leaving the regulator and I closed the tank. I just check it now (0900) and the high pressure (tank) gauge is flat while my low pressure gauge actually increased 4 psi. Not sure what that is about!? I'm going to leave it as is today to see if it leaks out, and if it does it would mean that my regulator is leaking somewhere. Correct?

FWIW, I've soaked everything with soapy water and nothing....

Or, it could be the shutoff valve. If you're talking about the little cheap Chinese made ball valve type shutoffs, that could be adding to the problem.

 

[GoeHaarden]

I think I found the culprit. My quad ring on the regulator has a small tear.

 

[mongoose33]

I think I found the culprit. My quad ring on the regulator has a small tear.

Thar she blows!

 

[chezhed]

I think I found the culprit. My quad ring on the regulator has a small tear.

bingo!!!!

Didn't someone suggest it might be the regulator to the keg connection.....

 

[GoeHaarden]

Didn't someone suggest it might be the regulator to the keg connection

I was still in denial that I even had a leak...lol Thanks! Got rid of all that Teflon tape though don't you worry..

 

[day_trippr]

[...]Didn't someone suggest it might be the regulator to the keg connection.....

Perhaps, but that's not where that damaged O-ring lives, so...

Cheers!

 

[cswant88]

All this talk of leaks made me go check mine. Sure enough, slow leak at the QD/gas post connection. Little keg lube and a squirt of starsan cleared it up.

This happens to me from time to time. Sometimes just popping off the QD and putting it back on takes care of it. I think the burna-n hardens a bit in the cold and sometimes compromises the seal. I switched to a silicone o-ring on the gas post because they stay softer but the darn things shred taking the QD off and on just a few times, even with liberal keg lube, so I switched back.

Anyone else deal with this?

 

[Soulshine2]

Could the leak be your regulator connection to the tank?
Did you know there is yellow teflon tape and that is preferred for gas as opposed to white for liquid.........so I have been told

that is correct. white for water , yellow for (natural) gas. I made sure to read all the comments up to you to make sure someone covered it already.

 

[IslandLizard]

[...] I think the burna-n hardens a bit in the cold and sometimes compromises the seal. I switched to a silicone o-ring on the gas post because they stay softer but the darn things shred taking the QD off and on just a few times, even with liberal keg lube, so I switched back.

Anyone else deal with this?

I had a few silicone o-rings that also shredded fast. I just keep the Buna o-rings well keg-lubed and replace when I even have the slightest doubt about their integrity. Maybe we should keep a sticker or some blue/green tape on the keg to keep track of maintenance/service.

I have 2 kegs with gas poppets that tend to leak a little from time to time. They are marked, and it's easy to see or test, and fix on the spot. As long as I keep an eye on them after removing the QDs.

 

[MaxM]

Long overdue update: A few days after the thread died down, I found the flare washer which I gather had fallen out when unhooking. I reinstalled it and have had leak-free dispensing for months. Yay!

 

[day_trippr]

Hilarious - I bet nobody noticed you never followed up before now

General tip wrt Buna (or any other) O-rings: never install them (or the fittings they work with) dry. Microscopic tears in the surface are more than enough to allow gas molecules to bleed through.

At the least wet them with H2O, else use compatible food grade lube...

Cheers!