[jeeyeop]

So, I just hooked up my keg for the first time. Leaving it at room temperature I adjusted the psi to 29 and went to bed. Waking up, the psi was at 15. Is this normal or do I have a leak? Or does it have to do with the ambient temperature changing (it's probably colder now than it was when I went to bed)? I didn't see any leak when I applied soapy water to the fittings.

[HoosierBrew]

Did you apply 29psi for a period then turn off the pressure, or leave the pressure connected @ 29psi ?

[jeeyeop]

connected, using http://www.taprite.com/3741-br-30mt-3741-br-30mt

what exactly is a manual pressure relief valve for btw? I asked the guy on AIH and he said you can pull it to reset the pressure cause the meter can get stuck. First time I pulled it I lost some psi.

I set the psi to 28 now and it's been there for an hour, maybe the issue is done I'll check again periodically, going to apply another soapy water test as well.

[HoosierBrew]

connected, using http://www.taprite.com/3741-br-30mt-3741-br-30mt

what exactly is a manual pressure relief valve for btw? I asked the guy on AIH and he said you can pull it to reset the pressure cause the meter can get stuck. First time I pulled it I lost some psi.

I set the psi to 28 now and it's been there for an hour, maybe the issue is done I'll check again periodically, going to apply another soapy water test as well.

For starters, you're carbing @ 28psi. When you're ready to serve, even if you back the pressure down to say 10psi, you'll get several glasses of all foam coming out at higher pressure, until the pressure in the keg equalizes at serving pressure. If you vent the 28psi first, then set the regulator where you want to pour, you'll get beer instead of foam. Secondly, when the keg blows empty, you need to be able to get the lid off again - vent the pressure out of the keg and you'll be able to.


Edit- Also, leaks can be stubborn. You're doing the right thing to leak check all connections. Sometimes you'll have a tiny leak that can only be identified by submersing the keg in a tub of water.

[PutnamBrewer]

The manual pressure relief valve is so that if you have too much pressure in the keg and you want to let it out to set the serving pressure, you can.  Also if you over carbonate the keg, you can disconnect it from the CO2 and "burp" it every so often to release some carbonation.

I would watch it today and see how things go.  I know generally the beer is going to take the CO2 and absorb it into the liquid so it could have been that but the pressure should have remained the same.

Also, pressure will change when the beer cools.

[jeeyeop]

appreciate the responses. as for the manual pressure relief one I mean the one attached to the regulator (it's northeast of the knob in the picture in the link). does pulling that help me get an accurate reading? cause i didnt do that the first time around.

[HoosierBrew]

appreciate the responses. as for the manual pressure relief one I mean the one attached to the regulator (it's northeast of the knob in the picture in the link). does pulling that help me get an accurate reading? cause i didnt do that the first time around.

I never pull that one. On most regulators it's more of a pressure relief (safety) valve. I vent the keg, turn the pressure down to zero, then apply the pressure I want, to see an accurate reading.

[jeeyeop]

sounds good, appreciate the help! hopefully the co2 stays consistent now

[jeeyeop]

so I found the issue, and boy is it stupid -.-

when I took out the posts from the keg to dip in star san, all the poppets came apart. I put the universal poppet springs in backwards on both ends. I didn't get to testing the beer out post before realizing this and I didn't apply soapy water to that post either so I can't confirm if it was there the co2 was leaking, but the psi is stable as of now.

on a related issue if anyone can help me out, what do you guys do when the gas in dip tube is stuck? I don't know how it's stuck in there so bad but the dip tube alone won't come out. I tried pressing firmly from within the keg and just pulling as hard as I could from the outside, but there isn't much of a grip. I don't wanna use a wrench or anything and warp the steel or damage the o-ring. I'm thinking I'll just tap it with a hammer once the keg is empty from the inside, maybe cover the tupe with cloth to minimize denting. Any other suggestions?

[HoosierBrew]

so I found the issue, and boy is it stupid -.-

when I took out the posts from the keg to dip in star san, all the poppets came apart. I put the universal poppet springs in backwards on both ends. I didn't get to testing the beer out post before realizing this and I didn't apply soapy water to that post either so I can't confirm if it was there the co2 was leaking, but the psi is stable as of now.

on a related issue if anyone can help me out, what do you guys do when the gas in dip tube is stuck? I don't know how it's stuck in there so bad but the dip tube alone won't come out. I tried pressing firmly from within the keg and just pulling as hard as I could from the outside, but there isn't much of a grip. I don't wanna use a wrench or anything and warp the steel or damage the o-ring. I'm thinking I'll just tap it with a hammer once the keg is empty from the inside, maybe cover the tupe with cloth to minimize denting. Any other suggestions?

Congrats on figuring out the leak. As for the dip tube, I've used a straight blade screwdriver (placed right under the flange under the post) to pry the tube up on some used kegs I bought. I keep keg o-ring change kits around, so changing the o-ring wasn't an issue. Isn't this a new keg?

[jeeyeop]

yep brand new, not sure why it's stuck, maybe i screwed in the post too tight (not sure how that would make the dip tube stick though). I don't the tube is bent or anything. I'll give that pry off method a go, I got a couple extra o rings in case I mess this one up, just wanted to save em -.-

thanks for the tip!