Used keg won't hold

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EricK The Red

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I bought two used cornys a few weeks ago and one of them won't hold @ 5psi with water in the keg. Should I return it to my LHBS or is 5psi not enough? It'll hold at higher pressures just fine. The seals are new, I just don't have any lube for them.

Thanks for any help.
 
did you search for leaks?

one of the first corny keg i got had a lid that had to be turned a certain way for it to seal. so basically the lid had to be on the keg one way rather than the other. i used a sharpie marker to mark the corny lid and the corny body so they line up properly. i have since decommissioned that particular keg as i acquired a few more. it will work in a pinch in the event i ever get the other 7 cornys filled at the same time!
 
I would try some keg lube or some other form of food grade lube.
Also, it depends on what your serving pressure is going to be. I would say no less than 8 PSI, and you are good to go.

Also, double check all your posts and make sure all the fittings are tight. If you are able to, put pressure to it, and spray soapy water around it to see where it might be leaking.
Hope this helps.
Josh
 
It leaks out of the lid no matter which way I turn it. It'll hold pressure 5-8 psi for a short time, passing the soapy water test. When I come back to it an hour later & crack the relief valve, there's no hiss. If I shake the keg after an hour, water will leak out the top.

:confused:
 
I lightly lube the lid oring, install it and rotate the lid (more like a wiggle) back and forth as you pull up on it. Then snap it down. This has stopped any leak I've ever had in a lid seal (after replacing the oring of course). The lube doesn't do any of the sealing, it more so helps the rubber slip into position without getting hung up.

Don't discount the possibility that the water is just becoming carbonated. This reduces the head pressure. Try it without any liquid in it.

No, I'm not obvlivious to the huge amount of innuendo in this post.
 
Bend the two arms on the lid so it pulls harder against the o-ring when you lock it.

Use some Vaseline on the o-ring to see if you need to get some keg lube.

Look/feel the flange on the keg to make sure there isn't a bend or gash allowing for the leak.

Cheers!!
 
I also lube the flange inside the keg (where the o-ring locks up against). You can also try turning the o-ring over after you lube it.

Have you tried switching lids with another keg?

As a last ditch effort you can lightly tap on the flange a bit with a hammer before trying to lock the lid in place.
 
if all else fails, Williams Brewing sells these nice, extra fat, slightly softer than normal, o-rings for the lid.

I had two kegs that took a lot of monkeying around with to seal properly. changed to these fat o-rings and they seal perfectly now.

+1 for keg lube also.
 
It isn't like turning on the TV, there is some messing with it each time, that needs needs to be perfected. You get used to the things that can come up, with experience.

If there is a defect in the sealing surface of lid or keg, than bend it back into shape. Checking to make sure you have a good seal at each closing is a must. You should mist with a spray bottle to find gas leaks.

As Bobby stated, a liquid will absorb the CO2 pressure you put on it until saturated, so coming back later and finding no pressure isn't necessarily a bad thing, depending on what pressure and how long...

It is easier to return the sealing surface to normal, if slightly deformed, than to return the keg to the dealer... for most of us.

Make sure that the posts are tightened, as they can be screwed in, but not seated properly and leak slightly. They do not need to be torqued real tight to seal, though.
 
Push the pressure up to 30 psi to seal, then drop down to what ever psi you want it at.
 
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