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Author Topic: Leaky kegs  (Read 1597 times)

Offline matt.ballard.587

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Leaky kegs
« on: September 19, 2018, 10:00:58 pm »
Hello
I have 2 ball lock legs that on 1 of the kids is leaking co2.  I checked the o ring and its hard.  Could this be my problem? 
What's possible solutions?

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Offline goose

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Re: Leaky kegs
« Reply #1 on: September 20, 2018, 07:34:42 am »
Hello
I have 2 ball lock legs that on 1 of the kids is leaking co2.  I checked the o ring and its hard.  Could this be my problem? 
What's possible solutions?

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It could be the problem, Matt.   It could also be a leak around the keg plugs.  You can use a spray bottle of water to spritz around the lid and plugs to see where the leak is.  If the lid gasket is really hard, it definitely could be the culprit.

When I clean kegs, I use some keg lube on the lid gasket after cleaning, it helps to improve the seal.  I then pressurize the kegs to 20# with CO2 and store them that way.  When I sanitize them before filling, I can tell if there are any leaks by an absence of pressure when I pull the relief valve.  If there is no pressure, I start looking for the leak by re-pressurizing and spritzing with water around the lid and plugs.  That way I can nip any potential problems in the bud before filling them with beer and draining my CO2 tank with a leaky keg.

It is always a good idea to disassemble and inspect every gaskets and poppet in the keg when cleaning to identify any potential problems.  A lot of guys clean in place with a keg washer because it is easier and faster, but being anal, I take them all apart, look at everything, and replace things if necessary.
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Offline Slowbrew

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Re: Leaky kegs
« Reply #2 on: September 20, 2018, 10:45:52 am »
What Goose said.

I'm replacing all my post O-rings as fill kegs this year.  The connections were all starting to be difficult when attaching/detaching them.  New post seals and they all fit great again.

With kegs come maintenance.

Paul
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Offline Robert

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Re: Leaky kegs
« Reply #3 on: September 20, 2018, 11:17:15 am »
Whenever I buy a new (to me) old keg, I replace everything involving rubber or springs: all o-rings, poppets, and PRV.  Any of those can deteriorate and cause leaks.  That done, it's essentially a brand new keg but for the ugly factor.  Lube the posts, and any need for further replacements will be a long time coming.
« Last Edit: September 20, 2018, 11:22:40 am by Robert »
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Offline kramerog

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Re: Leaky kegs
« Reply #4 on: September 20, 2018, 11:46:28 am »
What Goose said.  I would add that it is easier IME to find leaks by spritzing with diluted starsan than with water because starsan contains a surfactant.  Some people will duct tape around the top of the keg or use a bike inner tube to hold water on top of the keg so that the top can hold water making even the smallest leaks visible.

Offline James K

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Re: Leaky kegs
« Reply #5 on: October 01, 2018, 08:34:38 pm »
Start with trying to isolate the leak as mentioned above. I’d lube everything as well, but that’s me. A while back I had a real effed prv. So just check everything. Look for cracks in gaskets. Etc.
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Offline hopfenundmalz

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Re: Leaky kegs
« Reply #6 on: October 02, 2018, 05:42:19 am »
What Goose said.  I would add that it is easier IME to find leaks by spritzing with diluted starsan than with water because starsan contains a surfactant.  Some people will duct tape around the top of the keg or use a bike inner tube to hold water on top of the keg so that the top can hold water making even the smallest leaks visible.
I run some water into a sink/tub, and put the keg in at an angle. The post are horizontal so that you can determine which is leaking. Oh, crank the pressure up to 30 PSI to make a slow leak more visible.

The inner tube technique is very cool, if I only had one that size I would try it.
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Offline goose

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Re: Leaky kegs
« Reply #7 on: October 02, 2018, 07:13:42 am »
Another bit of information on leaky kegs.  If you are replacing poppets, you might want to get hold of some of the universal ones that FOXX sells (ask your LHBS to get them for you if you don't have an account with FOXX).  They fit any keg and although they are a bit more expensive have a more positive seal.  They are easy to remove as there is a spring and the top sealing part.  They will easily drop out in your hand when you remove the tank plug, no more punching them out with a screwdriver.  I have been using them for a while now and they are great!

The part number I have for them is 15604-200
Goose Steingass
Wooster, OH
Society of Akron Area Zymurgists (SAAZ)
Wayne County Brew Club
Mansfield Brew Club
BJCP Certified