Co2 Pressure Through The Roof!

[Siborg]

I just replaced my CO2 cylinder yesterday. Since I've put it on, I've done everything the way I've always done it. Turned the reg pressure right down, degassed the kegs, turned on the gas and (slowly) ramped up the reg to 10-12 PSI, leaving the gas on to slow carbonate a keg (one is already carbed). Last night I'd noticed it had jumped up to 20 PSI, so I repeated the above process again.

Anyway, checked it this morning and the pressure was on over 60 PSI!!! I think I remember reading on the side of a corny that the max pressure is something like 70-75 PSI. So I've degassed the kegs, applied 12PSI, then just switched the gas OFF.

What the hell is going on? Is my reg cactus? I'm splitting the gas from one line using a T piece and there's a non return valve. Anyone had this happen to them?

 

[seemax]

Did you check your pour? Were your kegs actually at 60PSI or was it just the gauge?

 

[Siborg]

Did you check your pour? Were your kegs actually at 60PSI or was it just the gauge?

Was the gauge... Fair bit of pressure. Wasn't game to pour when the pressure was reading 60ish. I would have had beer everywhere

 

[Malted]

I find that my regulator has a lag phase between tickling it's dial to showing the resultant pressure in the keg. It takes me days to get the pressure just right once I start tickling it up. Therefore I try not to adjust the reg once it is good but sometimes just can't help myself...

 

[pcmfisher]

I would be interested in a solution for this.

The same thing happens with my keg setup at home. It doesn't matter if you are carbing or dispensing, if you put it on 80kpa, by tomorrow it will be on 120.

So I put it on 40 or 50kpa and let it creep up to 80.

My kegs at the shop, if I put it on 80, there it stays.

Its not the regulator as I have changed them over.

I can't see how it is, but I think its the bottle. With my home setup the reg makes a groaning noise as you turn the pressure up and keeps groaning when you stop turning. I reckon this has something to do with it.

I might have to swap the bottles over one day.

You say you replaced your cylinder, thats interesting.

 

[Siborg]

I would be interested in a solution for this.

The same thing happens with my keg setup at home. It doesn't matter if you are carbing or dispensing, if you put it on 80kpa, by tomorrow it will be on 120.

So I put it on 40 or 50kpa and let it creep up to 80.

My kegs at the shop, if I put it on 80, there it stays.

Its not the regulator as I have changed them over.

I can't see how it is, but I think its the bottle. With my home setup the reg makes a groaning noise as you turn the pressure up and keeps groaning when you stop turning. I reckon this has something to do with it.

I might have to swap the bottles over one day.

You say you replaced your cylinder, thats interesting.

I wonder if it's at all possible to "over fill" a CO2 cylinder? It seems to be OK now.

 

[mckenry]

Mine does the same. Every day I have to relieve the pressure from the keg (or a keg in the system - split 3 ways).
No big deal, but mildly annoying.

 

[Spiesy]

had a strange thing happen to me similar to this.

Background story:
I've recently installed a non-return valve and a nice looking 3-way metal (brass?) manifold that I just bought... one of the valve was leaking in the manifold, tried tightening it - snapped the valve off in my hand, but it snapped off closed. Getting this replaced, with thanks to the eBay seller (it's new, from a reputable shop). Everything is secured tightly with o-clamps.

Did a swap-n-go of my 2.6kg CO2 gas cylinder on Saturday full tank... set everything up, two kegs running out of the 2 available valves through the manifold, normal serving pressure (for my system), of 12 psi. Check it over the last few days... all is well. Get home today, decide to take a look, bastard is at 20psi, and the gauage on the reg is at zero.... wtf?

I have now taken this bloody manifold completely off and replaced it with a plastic, 2-way John Guest splitter. Everything seems okay now.

Can someone tell me what explains pressure ramping up, and then a near empty CO2 cyclinder? A leak? Doesn't quite make sense, a leak would justify the empty CO2 cylinder, but an increase in pressure?

PS: beer appears to be okay... is the non-return valve messing with the reading? I notice the OP has a non-return also.... perhaps a non-return combined with a leak?

 

[woodwormm]

I've struggled with this 'creeping' problem for a long time and usually blamed the regulator... but also i think there's something to be said for giving the bottle some blame also...

I'm onto my 4th regulator now and it's perfect (my first one also keeps perfect pressure but it's had beer through it a few times so it is used only on party setups..)

Reg 1 - Old school Downey,
Reg 2 - Micromatic - chronic creeper
Reg 3 - Dorado cheapie - creeper
Reg 4 - Keg King Multi Gas Reg - big body and big knobs - keeps perfect pressure

Now despite the fact I think it's mostly a reg issue I have noticed it to be worse when a bottle is near empy (?) or possibly overfilled after a new fill also. Noticed it on a fresh bottle filled by company (A) but never by company (B).. I try and go to company B only now despite the further drive but they're cheaper too...

but so far so good - bottle filled by B and Keg King Multi Gas Reg and perfect holding pressure... no creeping.

 

[Dunkelbrau]

Interesting! I haven't experienced this, but I expect I will.. One day.

What about temperature fluctuations on the bottle? Would that have an impact?

 

[cdbrown]

Pressure creep can only be due to the regulator - either it doesn't hold it's set point and allows a bit more pressure through which after a while is displayed on the gauge or the gauge isn't showing the right pressure. It shouldn't be the bottle or how much is in there as it's the regulators job to hold the pressure in the bottle and allow a set amount out to the kegs. If the kegs get warmer they might show a higher pressure on the reg, but at that point the reg shouldn't be allowing any gas out of the bottle.

When I adjust the pressure on my reg - had to do it last night as a tap I have seems blocked and had to ramp the pressure to clear - there is always a lag between adjusting the reg and what is shown in the gauge. Just takes time for everything to settle - After any adjustment check it about 5 mins later (give the gauge a flick to help the needle move) then again 20mins later and perhaps an hour. If you see it moving up, turn the reg slightly and check again later.

 

[Nick JD]

My Micromatic creeped all over the place. Till I learned that I couldn't just turn the knob and walk away.

Now I treat it like a guitar tuning peg - tune "on the up". If you let it down from 100 to 50, it'll end on 30. If you tune down to zero ... and then up to 50, it'll stay on 50.

 

[CONNOR BREWARE]

My Micromatic creeped all over the place. Till I learned that I couldn't just turn the knob and walk away.

Now I treat it like a guitar tuning peg - tune "on the up". If you let it down from 100 to 50, it'll end on 30. If you tune down to zero ... and then up to 50, it'll stay on 50.

+ 1, well put. Exactly how I adjust.

 

[woodwormm]

i try not to 'tune down' too much as even though i've got NRV"s i don't like the concept of beer going back up the line...

surely if you're tuning down, you're going to be getting beer back into the reg? (if you don't have NRV's)?

i tried venting the kegs and tuning up heaps of times with the micromatic and it still creeped...

funny isn't it with car tyres you tune down, with guitars tune up....

 

[Dunkelbrau]

Pressure creep can only be due to the regulator - either it doesn't hold it's set point and allows a bit more pressure through which after a while is displayed on the gauge or the gauge isn't showing the right pressure. It shouldn't be the bottle or how much is in there as it's the regulators job to hold the pressure in the bottle and allow a set amount out to the kegs. If the kegs get warmer they might show a higher pressure on the reg, but at that point the reg shouldn't be allowing any gas out of the bottle.

When I adjust the pressure on my reg - had to do it last night as a tap I have seems blocked and had to ramp the pressure to clear - there is always a lag between adjusting the reg and what is shown in the gauge. Just takes time for everything to settle - After any adjustment check it about 5 mins later (give the gauge a flick to help the needle move) then again 20mins later and perhaps an hour. If you see it moving up, turn the reg slightly and check again later.

Makes perfect sense, I totally didn't think about the two guages and what they are reading (was eating lunch).

My Micromatic creeped all over the place. Till I learned that I couldn't just turn the knob and walk away.

Now I treat it like a guitar tuning peg - tune "on the up". If you let it down from 100 to 50, it'll end on 30. If you tune down to zero ... and then up to 50, it'll stay on 50.

This is what I've done since day dot, just out of habit I guess - maybe this is why I've never had an issue!

 

[glaab]

before you put a reg on anything[ argon/ oxy/ co2 ] etc it's good practice to always crack the bottle open for a sec first so any dust/ moisture is cleared. I've nevr had this problem but I'd try taking the hose/s off the reg and blowing gas thru the reg to blow out any moisture or other crud. worth a try. I don't understand the guitar analogy. how do you "let it down from 100 to 50"? to adjust the reg don't you need to back it off then bleed the lines then adjust it up? I spose with a mig you can hold the gun on and adj the reg but how do you do that with a keg? to get from 12psi to 10psi I back off the reg , release pressure from the keg then wind it up to 10psi. maybe if that isn't how people are doing it then that's the problem. or maybe i'm missing something, I got a hangover that'd kill a brown dog :icon_vomit: , that's why I'm loitering around the computre

 

[labels]

You ony get what you pay for. I had a micromatic, after three weeks it was in the bin - garbage. I now run a CIG unit not a welding unit but for food grade CO2. It wasn't that expensive, has an inbuilt check valve and best of all you can buy spare parts.

 

[nathan_madness]

Definitely a reg issue. No matter what pressure is in the bottle your reg should regulate it.

I have a Harris regs on all my gas gear and never had an issue. The 802 model that I have on my CO2 has a lock nut so that it can't creep up. All the other regs that I have a push pull knob that locks them in to place.

 

[husky]

Had the same issue with my new keg king reg. Huge overcarbonation out of the blue. I now run an SMC regulator between the bottle regulator and kegs. Holds bang on 14PSI for the past few months no issue. I dont run NRV's as yet, have them sitting there but dont think I will use them. I would say invest in a good quality regulator. I had this unit already so I could run a couple of different keg pressures, now I use it inline with the bottle regulator and for $100 or so I would recommend this to anyone. If the bottle reg starts to creep the secondary reg will still amintain correct pressure.

 

[dicko]

+ 1 for both the Harris and the CIG
Get what you pay for etc etc....

Cheers