[James Lorden]

So the topic name is really overkill.  I bought a secondary regulator some time ago.  There is a nipple on the "in" then at the bottom a check valve for the CO2 to exit.  On the end opposite the "in" there is a plug.  I wanted to remove the plug so that the pressure from the primary regulator would pass through the secondary.

For the life of me I can't get that nut to turn.  It seems like it's just screwed in with a bit of tefflon tape.  Am I missing something here?  Is there a chance that the plug is not removable or I'm missing a step?  Perhaps I'm just weak !

[bluesman]

James...Can you post a pic showing the nut?

[Joe Sr.]

That plug is removable.  If I recall, mine took an allen key (hex).

Try a ratchet, of you have one.  Make sure you're not tightening it instead of loosening it.

Sometimes these things take more force than you would think.

I would place the regulator on a bench or other flat surface so that it is steady and have at it.  

That said, I don't believe mine put up much resistance when I removed the plug to add the high pressure gauge.

[jeffy]

Some of these are actually left hand threads.  You should be able to see some mark on it if so (LH) or be able to tell that the threads look backwards or try turning it the wrong way a bit.  Just a thought.

[Slowbrew]

Some of these are actually left hand threads.  You should be able to see some mark on it if so (LH) or be able to tell that the threads look backwards or try turning it the wrong way a bit.  Just a thought.

That's what I was going to tell him.  My Dad used to say "before you twist off the head you might, and this is just a suggestion, turn it the other way".  It's not like I had a reputation for breaking off bolts but I did have 2 older brothers so Dad had seen it happen before (and he saw it happen again, I had a little brother too).

That, or turn off the CO2 tank before you try to remove the plug.   

Paul

[evandy]

I reconfigured my regulator a month or so ago.  The yahoos that put it together had torqued the CO2 output on so hard that I stripped the nut on the valve that was screwed in to the regulator.  I had to use the body of the valve itself to get enough leverage to get the thing out.

[James Lorden]

I have tried all the suggestions and the thing is not coming off....Grrr.

[tom]

Which brand is it? I have seen some with thread-lock on them. Don't know if there are any tips to that.

[Hydro]

Hi James,
I hope you have resolved your problem with the regulator by now.  I know it must be vary frustrating to not be able to do what you want to do.  At least you gave me an excuse to go down into my basement and check my keezer.  I went ahead and poured a Cross Roads Pale Ale while I was down there.  I have six regulators in it from Micro Matic.  I looked at the paperwork and they are discribed as Economy Standard Regulator.  They are bright red in color with the gauge on top and the exact configuration you are describing as far as the connections go. At this time, I have all of my regulators in a dazy chain connected to each other, so that I can feed from one CO2 tank.  The Micro Matic has a threaded plug on the left side which uses an allen wrench to remove the plug.  It rotates in a counter clockwise direction in order to remove plug.  You may have to mount the regulator to something solid, so that you can apply the necessary force to release the plug.  Hopefully you have the proper sized allen wrench, so that the plug does not get stripped.  It is a rather large one.  I keep it right inside the lip of my keezer, unfortunately I do not know the size.  Do you have a vice grip set of plires.  If not, you may want to invest into one.  Attach the vice grip plires to your allen vary snugly.  This will enable you to apply enough force to break the threaded plug loose from the regulator.  Cross you toes, because you are going to need your fingers.  Apply counter clockwise pressure.  That's it, vary simple. 

Again I do hope you have already solved your problem and moving on to bigger and better things.