Leaky Co2 Setup

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jkmeldrum

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Hi guys

I'm having a problem with my kegerator setup. I'm filling up my CO2 bottle way too often. I've done it now about 4 or 5 times since I built my kegerator about a year ago. I've been told one fill should last me a lot longer than that, and I don't guts myself...I promise!

Yesterday I pulled everything apart and found two small leaks in the gas manifold that was assembled for me by a retailer. I re-did all the thread tapes and re-tested with soapy water under pressure and all good.

Then started pressurising kegs again....used soapy water and found one pressure relief valve was leaking, so I turned off the gas to it until I could look at it today. All other kegs were soaped up and no leaks could be found....and I really studied it to make sure.

I re-trimmed all the beer/gas lines with nice clean cuts so they would seat in the John Guest fittings better. I soaped everything up and could not see one leak bubble.

This morning I went to re-seat the pressure relief valve and checked the gauge on the regulator and already I've lost half my bottle contents, it's gone from 50 yesterday to 'Order more gas'.

I thought I had found the problem with the manifold but now I'm pulling my hair out. Where could the leak be coming from?

If anyone has any advice for me I'll take it all on board.

Cheers

Molly

keg_setup.jpg
 
Fill up your bath and place the co2 bottle in first to see if the bottle itself it leaking.
 
i know i'm gonna get flamed for this but i see each one of those jg fittings as a potential leak.
i'd replace them all with barbs. i have the same manifold with 6 valves and all barbs and never had a leak.
other than that it could be your reg. ggood luck
 
i know i'm gonna get flamed for this but i see each one of those jg fittings as a potential leak.
i'd replace them all with barbs. i have the same manifold with 6 valves and all barbs and never had a leak.
other than that it could be your reg. ggood luck
Yeah thanks....I did soap up all the fittings and found no leak. I mentioned the fittings issue to my retailer....they said they use them in hospitals for oxygen, so who knows.....I'm just very frustrated cos for it to leak that much you would think it would be a hissing sound, but not even a bubble!
 
why is the gas connected to beer q-d's? you know gas is grey and beer is blk?, sorry if im pointing out the obvious. beer and gas qd's and posts are different sizes
 
why is the gas connected to beer q-d's? you know gas is grey and beer is blk?, sorry if im pointing out the obvious. beer and gas qd's and posts are different sizes
I was waiting for this one...haha...I'm gassing two new kegs so I change the QD's over and put the gas in via the beer out post so it bubbles up through the solutions through the dip tube and it comes up to gas quicker.
 
I feel your pain, as I also get gas leak/s, but can never find them. Only been kegging less than 12 months and on my 3rd (9kg) bottle of CO2 already. Got a 540g backup bottle - that emptied almost overnight too, then my gas will work fine and last for a few months with the gauge hardly moving - then empty again.
I suspect one of my kegs, so try not to use that one except for storage. All kegs had new seal kits put in them (by me) when I got them, although one had a damaged seal on PBV, and no replacement seal in the kit. I found a small rubber washer that fixed it, at the time anyway. Can't remember if it's the suspect one now.
I think some of my lids seal better on some kegs than they do others too, so I try to use same lid - keg combo's now. So far (last 2-3 months) so good... Is a PITA though.
 
I feel your pain, as I also get gas leak/s, but can never find them. Only been kegging less than 12 months and on my 3rd (9kg) bottle of CO2 already. Got a 540g backup bottle - that emptied almost overnight too, then my gas will work fine and last for a few months with the gauge hardly moving - then empty again.
I suspect one of my kegs, so try not to use that one except for storage. All kegs had new seal kits put in them (by me) when I got them, although one had a damaged seal on PBV, and no replacement seal in the kit. I found a small rubber washer that fixed it, at the time anyway. Can't remember if it's the suspect one now.
I think some of my lids seal better on some kegs than they do others too, so I try to use same lid - keg combo's now. So far (last 2-3 months) so good... Is a PITA though.
Spork, that's the same thing that I experience.....It seems that everytime I get the cylinder filled and I connect it up, it goes down reasonably quickly and then it tends to equalize or something and I get a few months out of it without the gauge moving too much then all of a sudden it's dead.
I also replaced all the seals on the lids and the gas/beer posts, only thing I haven't done is replace the ones in the relief valves.
 
Those blowoff valves in the keg lids are notoriously overlooked. Thing is when they are old - they can be intermittent. This is the key point!

People refurbish kegs with new seals but don't replace the valve. The spring gets weak with old age and sometimes it seals perfectly (when you test it :angry: ) then a week later you refill that keg, use the valve and it seats slightly off kilter...

...and you lose craploads of gas. Even though you had "no leaks".

Your situation is pointing to something intermittent. JG fittings are supurb, and if you have new seals on your posts - replace your lid valves. They're not cheap though.
 
Those blowoff valves in the keg lids are notoriously overlooked. Thing is when they are old - they can be intermittent. This is the key point!

People refurbish kegs with new seals but don't replace the valve. The spring gets weak with old age and sometimes it seals perfectly (when you test it :angry: ) then a week later you refill that keg, use the valve and it seats slightly off kilter...

...and you lose craploads of gas. Even though you had "no leaks".

Your situation is pointing to something intermittent. JG fittings are supurb, and if you have new seals on your posts - replace your lid valves. They're not cheap though.
Thanks

I think this may be where the problem is.....I've tested everything else, even underwater and there's no leaks.

It has to be this!
 
Maybe try disconnecting all kegs and opening up the manifold. Increase the pressure and then turn the gas bottle off. Leave it over night and then check in the morning. If it is still at the same pressure ten your problem must be keg side. If te pressure is gone then there is a leak within the gas lines.
Cheers
Robbo
 
I also have a leaky setup. I have recently installed some keg king gas line splitters. I also have check valves that are JG push in style. Has anyone had any issues with these? I had no leaks before I put my 2nd keg in. It could also be the keg.

Any thoughts are appreciated.
 
Hi Adam,
Try what I have said above. Should be a good starting Point

Cheers
Robbo
 
Hi Robbo,
I have been doing just that. Shutting off the gas bottle, leaving about 12psi in the reg and isolating the setup to try and find the leak. Annoying stuff!!
:icon_cheers:
 
i know i'm gonna get flamed for this but i see each one of those jg fittings as a potential leak.
i'd replace them all with barbs. i have the same manifold with 6 valves and all barbs and never had a leak.
other than that it could be your reg. ggood luck


Hmmm, i thought i was the only one with JG fitting issues.... 2 out of 4 of my last JG inline joiners leaked when the gas line wasn't straight (ie- when the kegerator lid closed it caused the gas line to bend, causing a leak). Took forever to find, and quite a bit of co2.
That said though, barbs are a pain. I still use JG fittings, just not the inline joiners, & not where the gas line will flex...
 
I don't find john guest fittings as reliable as barbs.
I would be looking at your practice of carbonating through the beer post as well.
Confusing, and not necessary imho.

That said, you should be able to find leaks with soapy water.
 
Those blowoff valves in the keg lids are notoriously overlooked. Thing is when they are old - they can be intermittent. This is the key point!

People refurbish kegs with new seals but don't replace the valve. The spring gets weak with old age and sometimes it seals perfectly (when you test it :angry: ) then a week later you refill that keg, use the valve and it seats slightly off kilter...

...and you lose craploads of gas. Even though you had "no leaks".

Your situation is pointing to something intermittent. JG fittings are supurb, and if you have new seals on your posts - replace your lid valves. They're not cheap though.



Thanks Nick, I might get some new valves. $50 worth of gas every few months isn't cheap either, especially when you "have to" buy craft beer/s to drink while waiting for full cylinder to come back.
 
I don't find john guest fittings as reliable as barbs.
I would be looking at your practice of carbonating through the beer post as well.
Confusing, and not necessary imho.

That said, you should be able to find leaks with soapy water.

I find the practice of carbonating thru the beer post an excellent way to go ... I don't get over carbonating issues like I do with force carbonating sometimes because I leave the gas regulator alone and beer is carbonated usually 2 days quicker than normal. All my JG fittings are MFL so I simply unscrew the grey one and swap it for a black one and attach it to the beer out post. Gas goes in through the dip tube and bubbles up through the solution and absorbs quicker. Simple!
 
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