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Message |
    
Kevin Kowalczyk
Intermediate Member
Username: Itsfunbrewingbeer
Post Number: 252
Registered: 10-2007
Posted From: 12.165.82.136
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 27, 2008 - 10:29 pm: | 
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This past weekend I took a corny of Irish Red to a party with a CO2 injector and a faucet with the adapter that lets you attach it right to the quick disconnect.
The keg sealed fine and stayed sealed under the force carbonating pressure (about 12psi), but when I bled off the excess pressure and hooked up the injector and faucet, the keg would lose pressure in a few minutes after every pour, forcing me to keep injecting more co2 into the keg.
After I used a whole cartridge on only about 6 beers, I installed another cartridge and decided to start pouring pitchers to maximize the amount of beer I was able to pour. (Less time between pours for the gas to leak and lose pressure). I was able to pour 3 or 4 pitchers on the second cartridge, at which time I was completely out of gas. Luckily we decided we were going to kill the keg, so I opened the keg up and started pouring direct to the pitchers. (A little foaming, but still a workable solution).
I guess my question is, what steps can I take to get this keg to seal at low pressures? Keg lube? New O rings? I have never had this problem before with the injector or the faucet adapter, and like I said, the keg seals at a higher pressure. I haven't had the problem before with any other keg, or this one as far as I know (I don't keep track of which keg I serve in this manner, so I may or may have not used the portable setup on this keg in the past).
Also, I couldn't readily determine where the keg was leaking from (no bubbles or audible hissing). |
Paul Muth
Intermediate Member
Username: Pjmuth
Post Number: 348
Registered: 10-2002
Posted From: 68.210.104.213
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 27, 2008 - 11:39 pm: |
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I did a write up about this issue a bunch of years ago. Take a look - it might help:
Getting Your Keg Lid To Seal |
ChriSto
Intermediate Member
Username: Christo
Post Number: 372
Registered: 02-2006
Posted From: 216.176.226.154
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 - 10:53 am: |
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Yep, after checking the fit, keg lube is a wonder. |
Kevin Kowalczyk
Intermediate Member
Username: Itsfunbrewingbeer
Post Number: 253
Registered: 10-2007
Posted From: 67.167.4.225
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 - 01:29 pm: |
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I've never used keg lube--do you lube the O ring on the lid, the one's on the posts, or both? Do you also use it on the poppets? What about the pressure release valve? Is there a gasket in there?
What do you guys think about the fact that the keg holds a seal at high pressure, but not low? |
Bill Pierce
Moderator
Username: Billpierce
Post Number: 8917
Registered: 01-2002
Posted From: 24.57.225.170
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 - 01:40 pm: |
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If the keg has problems at low pressure, it's usually due to a poor lid seal. Follow the advice in Paul's link and use some keg lube around the lid o-ring. It's possible to buy thicker o-rings for particularly stubborn situations, but this is seldom necessary. |
ChriSto
Intermediate Member
Username: Christo
Post Number: 373
Registered: 02-2006
Posted From: 216.176.226.154
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 - 03:03 pm: |
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double click
(Message edited by christo on May 28, 2008) |
ChriSto
Intermediate Member
Username: Christo
Post Number: 374
Registered: 02-2006
Posted From: 216.176.226.154
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 - 03:17 pm: |
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triple click
(Message edited by christo on May 28, 2008) |
ChriSto
Intermediate Member
Username: Christo
Post Number: 375
Registered: 02-2006
Posted From: 216.176.226.154
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 - 03:18 pm: |
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I set the o-ring on the lid and then smear a very thin stream with my finger on the top of the o-ring where it seats with the underside of the keg top. Usually that's all it takes. Maybe one time I've had to "coat" the whole o-ring.
You can add on your poppet valve rings if you ever get a leak at you coupling as well. Not on the pressure relief though. |
Vance Barnes
Senior Member
Username: Vancebarnes
Post Number: 3217
Registered: 03-2003
Posted From: 74.7.7.66
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 - 08:16 pm: |
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The extra thick lid O rings that Williams sells have fixed all of my problem lid seals. Although I have also indexed some of my lids to the keg. They seal fine one way but not the other. |
Chumley
Senior Member
Username: Chumley
Post Number: 5440
Registered: 02-2003
Posted From: 63.118.227.254
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 - 08:42 pm: |
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Keg lube rocks! It solves everyone of my oval lid troubles....and about 3/4 of my leaking poppet problems. |
Brews and Views Archive 2008 
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