A Few Questions On Co2

[xtrabyte]

I am new to kegs and have a few questions on CO2. Should you hear liquid CO2 sloshing about in the cylinder when half full like LPG? How do you know when your CO2 cylinder is almost empty? What pressure should the regulator show and does the pressure of the cylinder drop when it is almost empty?

 

[clintmo]

i know mine isnt empty yet, but im relying on the weight, i measured mine when i got it new (mkol) and it weighed in at 15.2kg... you will find a weight on the neck of the bottle stating its ?tare weight?, anway its the weight of the cylinder and is prolly somewhere around 8-9 for a mkol co2 tank. this is a good indication of how much co2 is in your bottle,

other than that i think there are strips you can get that also tell you?

cheers, clint

 

[mika]

Don't think I've ever heard a CO2 or Argon or whatever bottle slosh, so I'm going to venture, No.
Cylinder is empty when there's no more left , tank pressure guage will show nothing. Regulated pressure is what you want it to be, tank pressure is ~90-100psi when full and yes does diminish over time.

 

[pint of lager]

There should be a Tare and a Nett value stamped in your cylinder. Using these values, you can work out how much is left in your cylinder by weight.

So long as you do not have a gas leak, your CO2 cylinder from BOC, Air Liquide (D size) will last a long time, typically 12-18 months. Don't know about other sized bottles.

If you have a dual gauge regulator, the pressure in the gas cylinder will stay the same as long as there is liquid sloshing in the gas cylinder. Once you have used all the liquid up, only then, the pressure in your gas cylinder will start dropping. You will probably have enough pressure to dispense half a 19 litre cornie (no gassing up or burping.)

Check for leaks using a soapy mixture on all joints.

There was a thread in the last month that covered the risks of leaks in CO2 in small spaces.

 

[xtrabyte]

Thanks for the advice, it looks like I have lost CO2 over the last month as my CO2 is almost empty. I will have to find the leak as it must have a escaped slowly over time. lucky my garage is well ventilated.

 

[pint of lager]

A leak can empty your cylinder overnight. This is why many long term keggers turn the gas off at the cylinder.

Go over every connection including disconnects. A stuffed gas post o'ring can also cause problems. If it is a stuffed o'ring on the beer post, you lose beer.

Last time I swapped out a CO2 gas cylinder at BOC, it was about $43.

Hope you get your leak sorted.

 

[Screwtop]

Slow leaks around the lid "O" ring are not as detectable at low/serving pressure, you can usually hear leaks in post seals.

Screwy

 

[xtrabyte]

A leak can empty your cylinder overnight. This is why many long term keggers turn the gas off at the cylinder.

Go over every connection including disconnects. A stuffed gas post o'ring can also cause problems. If it is a stuffed o'ring on the beer post, you lose beer.

Last time I swapped out a CO2 gas cylinder at BOC, it was about $43.

Hope you get your leak sorted.

So once the keg or Kegs are at the correct pressure you only put gas on them to serve the beer. That way you can turn the gas off at the cylinder, is that the procedure most follow?

 

[pint of lager]

If your system is balanced (carbonation level = dispense pressure) and you have no leaks, you leave the gas on all the time.

Many people do turn the gas off when not serving beer.

Others use a combination and just turn the gas on when the beer won't come out the tap.

 

[SJW]

I took the gas off one keg and could hear the gas coming out of the gas in post when that little popet thing is in the middle. So how would I fix that? do I need to buy a whole new post?

 

[razz]

Take the post out and give it a good clean, check the o ring under the tube, put some lube on it and the outer o ring screw the whole thing back in and re-gas to test it.

 

[KGB]

So once the keg or Kegs are at the correct pressure you only put gas on them to serve the beer. That way you can turn the gas off at the cylinder, is that the procedure most follow?

Thats what I do.

If your system is balanced (carbonation level = dispense pressure) and you have no leaks, you leave the gas on all the time.
Many people do turn the gas off when not serving beer.
Others use a combination and just turn the gas on when the beer won't come out the tap.

If you have no leaks and your system is balanced, turning off the gas when you are not serving shouldn't do anything except provide a little "insurance" against losing your gas.

I took the gas off one keg and could hear the gas coming out of the gas in post when that little popet thing is in the middle. So how would I fix that? do I need to buy a whole new post?

I had one keg like this, I (think) I fixed it by pressing the pin down a few times with a butter knife - it seemed to re-seat the popet or whatever it is and it sealed again.

 

[newguy]

I took the gas off one keg and could hear the gas coming out of the gas in post when that little popet thing is in the middle. So how would I fix that? do I need to buy a whole new post?

It depends. Once you've been kegging for a while, you'll realize that this type of leak is very common. If you're lucky, the gas in poppet does it. If you're unlucky, the liquid out poppet does it. When your face is directly over it. I usually give it a quick push with my finger, then release. This works as well as any other method I've tried. If the liquid poppet is leaking, cover it with rag or towel, then give it a quick push.

I only replace the poppet when the poppet's o-ring starts coming apart, but I've recently learned that you can actually replace that o-ring.

As far as leaving the gas on vs turning it off is concerned, I leave mine on. When you plumb your system, check all the fittings/connections with soapy water to ensure there are no leaks. Use tight fitting connections, and use teflon tape on all threads. I bought my last CO2 cylinder in October 2007, and it still has liquid CO2 in it (it's a 20lb cylinder). As long as you take care when you install your system, leaks shouldn't be an issue.

Before I bought the commercial fridge I now use, I had a freezer with a temperature controller. To pour a beer, I'd vent the excess pressure on the keg, hook up the gas (at a low dispense pressure), and pour the beer. When done for the evening, I'd top up the keg with 15-20 psi to seat the poppets to prevent leaks. Back in those days I'd go through a 20lb cylinder every 6-8 months. For me, leaving it hooked up 24/7 actually saves on gas.

 

[xtrabyte]

I found this link which helps answer this question on another thread, thanks to HKS

According to micromatic its 46-66 kegs. The 15lb tank I believe is the same as a D type co2 tank. Here's a handy reference chart.

http://www.micromatic.com/beer-questions/h...ank-aid-89.html

A gas tank that is properly filled should read about 750 PSIG when the cylinder is at a 72F temperature. CO2 gas pressure increases when it is exposed to heat, so if the gas tank temperature is above 72F, the pressure will read higher than 750 PSIG. If the gas tank temperature is colder then 72F, the pressure will read lower then 750 PSIG.

The tank pressure should read 750 PSIG until the liquid CO2 in the cylinder is gone, and the tank is almost empty. A decreasing pressure indicates the cylinder is nearly empty.

 

[jaytee]

I had some problems with leaks awhile back. I went over each keg, dismantled, cleaned, lubed, changed rubber and so on.

Since then I've been sitting the gas bottle on a set of scales next to the fridge.
I've used about a kg of gas since I got it, I think it was October or November and that's with emptying a keg every 10 days or so :chug: