Co2 Reg Gauge Reading Plate Buckled.

[Truman42]

Ok I've brought a new gauge and for now it's working okay.

Just a question on these regs, how go you read what gas level is in the keg?
If I connect up the QD the reg still says 0. If I open the valve it climbs to 40 PSI. But isn't this just what I've set the reg at anyway and therefore how much gas is going into the beer?

 

[Wolfy]

When I turn off the CO2 at the bottle, I find that the regulator gauge stabalizes (after a bit) at the pressure that (I assume) the keg is at.
(Which is useful to know when force carbonating the keg or individual PET bottles).

Edit, it's too late now (and I didn't understand all the technical mumbo earlier in the thread) but when you were having the 'over pressure' problem, are you sure that keg was not overcarbonated, perhaps from carbonating it to a set pressure when it was cold and then letting it warm up?

 

[Florian]

Turned on the gas and noticed the backing part of the pressure gauge that has the PSI reading on it is buckled and the needle was getting stuck on it as it rubbed past it.

I have two micromatic regs which have a buckled backing part and needle, both from when the bottles fell over onto the reg.

You can actually open the gauge window with a small screw driver or similar (at least the micromatic ones, there is a little groove to lift the window off) and carefully bend the needle and plate back into shape.

No need to replace the gauge.

 

[glenwal]

Ok I've brought a new gauge and for now it's working okay.

Just a question on these regs, how go you read what gas level is in the keg?
If I connect up the QD the reg still says 0. If I open the valve it climbs to 40 PSI. But isn't this just what I've set the reg at anyway and therefore how much gas is going into the beer?

You can't really read the pressure in the keg because your non return valve stops the pressure returning from the keg to the gauge. If you open the gas bottle and the gauge jumps to 40PSI, then thats what your reg is set to.

If you have force carbed the keg and want to drop it down to a known level (can't think why else you are disconnecting the QD and reconnecting) you'll need to burb the kegs and then hook up the gas again.

 

[Truman42]

@ Wolfy....No I had the keg sitting in the fridge at 4C and havent moved it from there.

@ Florian...I straightened the backing plate by pulling the gauge apart but the needle wouldnt zero. A new gauge was only $10 at KK.

@Glen W.....Thats exactly what Im doing force carbing by adding CO2 until I reach 40 PSI on day one then disconnecting the gas. Doing the same on day 2 then a couple of days later I need to check what the gas level is in my keg. If its below 14 PSI I need to add more CO2 until it gets to 40 PSI again.

(Im disconnecting the gas because the keg is in a normal fridge)

But if I burp the keg then hook the gas back up again wont it show 40 PSI as thats what my reg is set at? How can I check and see when my keg has reached 14 PSI in the keg

 

[Wolfy]

I'm new at this kegging thing myself, but if you're force-carbonating, why not use the 'Ross Method'?

Basically you set the reg to 40PSI and shake the shit through the keg for 60sec, turn off the CO2 at the bottle and continue to shake while watching the pressure gauge drop, continue as required until the gauge drop remains at the pressure you want (14PSI).
It takes a tiny bit of manual effort to shake the keg, but I found it very quick/simple/easy and takes only a couple of mins (not days) to have the keg carbonated and ready to drink - someone here has even provided a photo/video description of how to do it.

 

[glenwal]

@Glen W.....Thats exactly what Im doing force carbing by adding CO2 until I reach 40 PSI on day one then disconnecting the gas. Doing the same on day 2 then a couple of days later I need to check what the gas level is in my keg. If its below 14 PSI I need to add more CO2 until it gets to 40 PSI again.

(Im disconnecting the gas because the keg is in a normal fridge)

But if I burp the keg then hook the gas back up again wont it show 40 PSI as thats what my reg is set at? How can I check and see when my keg has reached 14 PSI in the keg

Thats a fairly odd method for force carbing isn't it? If your taking a week (2 days + a coupld of days) then just hook up the keg to the gas and leave it outside the fridge and let it carb up?

What you can do though is
1) Turn on the gas (before connecting the QD to the keg)
2) Turn the gas off again (the reg should still show the pressure that is in the line between the reg and the QD - this pressure needs to be greater than what you expect in your keg
3) Connect the QD to the keg

The pressure in the line will then equalise with whats in the keg (the higher pressure in the line can flow that direction through the NRV to the keg), and the small amount of gas in the line won't effect the pressure you have in your keg

4) The reading on the reg should be what is in your keg.



edit: Or as wolfy suggests, the ross method will get you carbed and drinking in no time with no fuss.

 

[Truman42]

Thanks guys will give that a go.