Co2 Regulator

[drew9242]

Sorry i tried to look for a thread that may have my answer, but couldn't manage it.

Well i have 2 dials on me regulator. What i like to do is force Carb my kegs and then let them sit in the fridge for a week. When i am not serving i will switch the gas on, then after i switch it off. After doing so when i come back the next day i notice that my low pressure dial won't drop down at all. But the other high pressure dial does. My question, is that a sign of a leak in the system?? Just a bit confused on this one. Any help would be appreiciated.

Thanks Drew

 

[michael_aussie]

Sorry i tried to look for a thread that may have my answer, but couldn't manage it.

Well i have 2 dials on me regulato. My low pressure dial won't drop down at all. But the other high pressure dial does. M question is that a sign of a leak in the system?? Just a bit confused on this one. Any help would be appreiciated.

Thanks Drew

Your HP gauge shows the pressure in ur bottle.
This will drop as the bottle is consumed.
Unless your bottle is tiny, this will take a long time.

The LP gausge shows the pressure after it has been "regulated".
When you say ur LP gauge "won't drop at all" do you mean, even if you adjust the regulator down and then bleed off some gas?
If that's the case, and that even if the LP side of your reglator is vented to atmophere, then your gauge is u/s.

If you are concerned about leaks, spray soapy water over all fittings and look for bubbles.

 

[drew9242]

Sorry i jsut mean over night i t won't drop. As soon as i use it or bleed some pressure it will drop. Just the HP regulator drops when i turn the gas off over night. If it is reading the pressure in the tank i would'nt be loosing to much gas when i turn it off for the night.

Ohh and i have sprayed all my fittings with starsan and i couldn't see any bubbles. I just get woried now because i went through 6kg bottle of gas in 4 months. thats why i turn it off whenever i am not serving.

 

[michael_aussie]

Sorry i jsut mean over night i t won't drop. As soon as i use it or bleed some pressure it will drop. Just the HP regulator drops when i turn the gas off over night. If it is reading the pressure in the tank i would'nt be loosing to much gas when i turn it off for the night.

Ohh and i have sprayed all my fittings with starsan and i couldn't see any bubbles. I just get woried now because i went through 6kg bottle of gas in 4 months. thats why i turn it off whenever i am not serving.

If you turn your bottle off, then it only takes a minute consumption of your gas to make the HP gauge drop. This could just be your beer absorbing a little more gas.
The LP gauge will start to drop once the gas on the HP side of the regulator has dropped to equal the pressure of the LP side. Therefore, if overnight your HP side is still just above the LP side then the LP pressure will not drop.

The question about how long should your gas last depends on a few things...
1. How much you "waste" setting up new kegs? Some people blow lots through to ensure they have no oxygen in the kegs. Others are more frugal.
2. Do you use the CO2 to carbonate your beer or do you use sugar. Obviously, using sugar will save CO2.
3. What pressure do you server at? The higher you server at , then obviously the more gas is in your keg when you are finished so you will use more, however in the scheme of things I don't think this is a major factor.
4. Finally, the number of kegs you have consumed for your bottle. I haven't finished my first bottle yet .. I'm a keg newbie ... however, long term keggers will be able to give an indication of how many kegs they normally get from whatever size CO2 bottle they are using.

 

[drew9242]

If you turn your bottle off, then it only takes a minute consumption of your gas to make the HP gauge drop. This could just be your beer absorbing a little more gas.
The LP gauge will start to drop once the gas on the HP side of the regulator has dropped to equal the pressure of the LP side. Therefore, if overnight your HP side is still just above the LP side then the LP pressure will not drop.

The question about how long should your gas last depends on a few things...
1. How much you "waste" setting up new kegs? Some people blow lots through to ensure they have no oxygen in the kegs. Others are more frugal.
I just rinse and then fill up withsome CO2 to flush the lines. and then just squirt a bit in the bottom.
2. Do you use the CO2 to carbonate your beer or do you use sugar. Obviously, using sugar will save CO2.
I carbonate with the Ross method so i use up gas on that one.
3. What pressure do you server at? The higher you server at , then obviously the more gas is in your keg when you are finished so you will use more, however in the scheme of things I don't think this is a major factor.
I serve at roughly 75kpa.
4. Finally, the number of kegs you have consumed for your bottle. I haven't finished my first bottle yet .. I'm a keg newbie ... however, long term keggers will be able to give an indication of how many kegs they normally get from whatever size CO2 bottle they are using.
Yea i have only been doing it for 4 months my self and thats why i was a bit worried after i went through a 6kg bottle in 4 months (roughly 10 kegs). That was when i just left the gas on all the time. And i have a feeling when we had a baby and i didn't look in the fridge for a few days was when i lost the lot. But i will keep switching the gas off between serves and see how we go on this one. I can't see why i would be loosing a heap of gas if i switch it off and the LP gauge stays on 75kpa.

Thanks Drew