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Author Topic: The leak is fixed! ...maybe  (Read 2804 times)

Offline enso

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The leak is fixed! ...maybe
« on: September 19, 2010, 09:28:10 am »
As I posted in my rambling other post, I believe i have my kegerator co2 problem fixed.  Here is my final concern.

I have everything hooked up again.  I pressurized the system and then turned off the gas at the tank.  None of the QD's are attached to kegs so everything should remain pressurized.  I left it for a couple of days.  All of the low pressure gauges are staying steady at the reading they were at when I pressurized it.

My concern is this.  Over the span of about 2 days, the high pressure gauge has started to fall slowly.  All other gauges are holding steady as mentioned.  Does this indicate a leak still?
Dave Brush

Offline bluesman

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Re: The leak is fixed! ...maybe
« Reply #1 on: September 19, 2010, 10:40:36 am »
Possibly leaking from the main regulator although I'm not sure how that could be.  Did you snoop around the main reg?
Ron Price

Offline Pawtucket Patriot

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Re: The leak is fixed! ...maybe
« Reply #2 on: September 19, 2010, 11:09:47 am »
Did you move the CO2 tank to a colder area in the past few days?  The pressure gauge will drop if you move the tank from ambient temperature to a refrigerator. 
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Offline enso

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Re: The leak is fixed! ...maybe
« Reply #3 on: September 19, 2010, 11:50:04 am »
Did you move the CO2 tank to a colder area in the past few days?  The pressure gauge will drop if you move the tank from ambient temperature to a refrigerator. 

I thought of that, but it seems to have dropped significantly more than that effect would have.  The tank has not been moved but the basement temp has dropped a bit this week.  Not significantly though.

Yes, bluesman.  I had sprayed that down in my investigations of the whole system.  I will check it again.  The only change made to the primary reg. during my rebuild was a new lowpressure gauge.  The other worked fine but it wasn't very easy to read.  I did check that after I intstalled it.  Otherwise the regulator remained connected to the tank the whole time.
Dave Brush

Offline enso

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HELP!
« Reply #4 on: September 21, 2010, 06:33:30 am »
This is going to put me over the edge!   :o :o :o

 :'(

Okay, the high pressure gauge is completely zeroed out now.  All the other gauges on the primary and secondary regulators are holding the same reading.  The only thing strange I noticed is that the low pressure (0-60 psi) gauge on the primary regulator jumped about 8 psi up yesterday as the high pressure was going down.

What the hell is going on here!!!!

Can anybody help here?
Dave Brush

Offline Mikey

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Re: The leak is fixed! ...maybe
« Reply #5 on: September 21, 2010, 09:17:26 am »
You're about to run out of CO2. Your tank pressure is so low that the high pressure gauge can't read it, but there's enough left to show up on the low pressure gauges. I'd make plans to get a refil ASAP.

Offline enso

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Re: The leak is fixed! ...maybe
« Reply #6 on: September 21, 2010, 09:24:08 am »
hmmm.  Not sure about that.  Maybe.  The tank is still pretty heavy and it has been mostly off for the last few months as I attempted to find the leak.  Though maybe it was leaking before I realized it...

I will keep that in mind.  Time will tell I guess.
Dave Brush

Offline Mikey

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Re: The leak is fixed! ...maybe
« Reply #7 on: September 21, 2010, 09:36:46 am »
Best way to tell is to weigh it. The TW should be stamped on it.

Offline enso

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Re: The leak is fixed! ...maybe
« Reply #8 on: September 21, 2010, 10:08:44 am »
yeah, I will do that.  Though I have thought more about it and I am even less sure that is the answer.  What I did is pressurize the system then I shut the tank valve as stated above.  It should hold the pressure it was at when I shut the valve should it not?  Unless it is leaking somewhere yeah?
Dave Brush

Offline Mikey

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Re: The leak is fixed! ...maybe
« Reply #9 on: September 21, 2010, 10:13:24 am »
It should hold pressure, unless it's hooked up to a beer keg. If you turned the tank valve off, then that's probably why the HP gauge is at zero.

Offline enso

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Re: The leak is fixed! ...maybe
« Reply #10 on: September 21, 2010, 10:50:50 am »
nope.  No kegs are hooked up.  I have not had any kegs on gas for a while now while I have been looking for the leak.

Just weighed it.  27 lbs.  Tare weight is 15, so I still have gas.

I went ahead and retaped the low pressure gauge and I pressurized the system again and shut the valve.  Guess I wait and see...  AGAIN!   >:(
Dave Brush