Understanding my regulator

[raz7au]

I have just purchased a kegerator, Have connected my 50l coopers keg up, all is connected correctly (as far as im aware).

I have 5mm id line at approx 2.5metres. Fridge at 3 degrees

Big dial reads a flat 0, small dial keeps increasing to about 40,

Question? What should big dial read? And how do i keep small dial at 12 psi??? Tighten main screw or loosen???

Thank you in advance


Rey

 

[Camo6]

Your 'big' dial should read tank pressure with the valve open. Mine reads 5000Kpa (725psi) while there's sufficient gas in it. It reads zero with the tank valve closed.

Your serving pressure gauge is adjusted by the main screw. Tighten clockwise to increase pressure and anti-clockwise to decrease (but you will have to release this pressure with the relief valve to allow an accurate reading.)

Is it a new regulator and what brand? Is the keg carbonated and do you have a non return valve in the line? Have you checked for leaks? Is the gauge slowly increasing to 40 PSI?

 

[raz7au]

Thank you camo,
Brand new regulator Keg King brand.

I have turned pressure valve right down as when i have it open too far the reg keeps popping gas out of the release valve. Commercial keg was purchased from a distributor (so i believe it is carbonated. Thought this was how they came. I dont have a non return valve that im aware of. What does one look like?? where does it go??.

Yes it slowly increases to 40 and above, i check it every 10-15 mins.

Rey

 

[Camo6]

Kegking sell NRVs and they primarily protect the reg from liquid getting into it. How long did you have the reg at high pressure? You may have inadvertantly over carbed keg and this is why the pressure creeps up. Disconnect the gas from the keg, release and reset pressure and see if it still creeps. If it does give KK a call and tell them about it. Hopefully you haven't damaged it from over tightening main adjuster.
Don't have any experience with commercial kegs (ahem) but imagine they need minimal line pressure, just enough to balance lines. Hopefully someone more experienced can chime in.

 

[raz7au]

Thanks again,

The reg was only high pressure for a few seconds, as the air was pumping through the relief valve.

I have since loosened the main screw and turned on bottle valve again, Big dial reads 1300 psi and small dial is slowly creeping up again.

I thank you for your help, and if anyone else has some assistance this would be appreciated.

Hope i havent ruined my keg!

Rey

I have just poured another schooner and it seems to be pouring way TOO fast. All head too.

 

[mxd]

I would assume your over carbed, can you turn the gas bottle off, release "most" of the gas in the keg and do a slow pour. If it comes out and is still all froth, release all gas, turn fridge off, leave open everytime you walk past release gas, try this for 24 hours, then turn gas on 12 psi, do a pour and see what it's like, then turn fridge on, do a

N.B pics and vids help to diagnose.

 

[NewtownClown]

I would assume your over carbed,

? he purchased a commercial keg of coopers - he didn't carbonate it. coopers did, so I would say it is carbonated correctly.

A "creeping" low-pressure gauge is usually indicative of a fault (in my experience, that has been the fact twice)

 

[431neb]

Sorry to derail but you "regulator heads" might be able to help me find a replacement low pressure guage for my Teusco Single stage Reg. Yep. I knocked the bottle over and smashed it.

Raz7au , Is there a chance that your gas bottle is empty and the pressure in the carbed beer is giving you a reading on your reg? Just thinking out loud.

 

[raz7au]

Gday guys, Thanks for all assistance,
I turned gas bottle off, disconnected everything, put everything back together, loosened main screw on reg. Coiled all lines,

yes Gas bottle is full (thanks 431neb), gas bottle is now on, big dial reading 750psi and small dial reading 12psi, all stable, Will pour one in an hour and see how it turns out.

All seems goiod so far.

I really appreciate all the help fellas, as we are all here to ENJOY BEER.

rey

 

[raz7au]

Ok all is fixed, Seems keg had a lot of built up pressure, So i turned the gas off and just used the pressure in the keg until now.

Pressure has dropped, so gas reintroduced,

New question is why does the head dissapear so quickly, old beer glases have been washed in soapy water, so i can understand that, But ive also tried new Glases, and these still lose the head very quickly.

An ideas???