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Author Topic: Can your pressure "hit a wall"  (Read 2793 times)

Offline newrocset

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Can your pressure "hit a wall"
« on: August 20, 2011, 07:56:27 am »
I set my CO2 to my 4 gallons of Witbier at 12psi.  After about 8 days it carbed up OK, and had some decent head retention.

However....it needed more carbonation so I cranked the CO2 to 16psi.  After about 6 days, I took a sample expecting a foaming effervescent beer, but the beer is almost flat - no head retention whatsoever, and much less carbed than where it was last week.

I found no leaks on my keg or equipment.  Did I pressure out?  In other words could it not take any more CO2 since it was already in there?  Anyway, I knocked my pressure back down to 12 and will see what happens - hopefully it will equalize and begin absorbing gas....any ideas about what might have happened?  ???
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Offline a10t2

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Re: Can your pressure "hit a wall"
« Reply #1 on: August 20, 2011, 08:17:21 am »
Quote from: newrocset on August 20, 2011, 07:56:27 am
Did I pressure out?  In other words could it not take any more CO2 since it was already in there?

No. If you increased the regulator pressure and let it sit for several days, you should have seen a noticeable increase in carbonation. You may have a leak. Are you sure you set the regulator for 16 psi? No offense, but I've found most people don't know how to set a regulator.
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Offline newrocset

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Re: Can your pressure "hit a wall"
« Reply #2 on: August 20, 2011, 09:36:57 am »
I think I set it at 16.  It's an old used regulator that I got off of Ebay, so I'm figuring the readings are probably off and it needs to be calibrated....I'm pretty positive that I did increase the pressure though.

The thing about leaks is I did spray soapy water on the keg connections and found nothing.  Think the leak can be at my regulator connection?  Before I dropped the pressure yesterday, I pulled the relief valve to let some pressure off and when I turned the pressure back on, I heard the CO2 hissing back into the keg....I'm taking that as an indication that the tank is sending CO2 into keg. 

I have my system set up on a 3-way....are those prone to leaking? It seems like I have them sealed up pretty tight.  Would it help if I wrapped some teflon tape onto regulator to tank connection?
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Offline tom

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Re: Can your pressure "hit a wall"
« Reply #3 on: August 20, 2011, 09:43:55 am »
How did it pour from the keg?  If it comes out all foamy the carbonation gets released.
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Offline newrocset

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Re: Can your pressure "hit a wall"
« Reply #4 on: August 20, 2011, 01:22:41 pm »
I poured with a picnic tap...now that I have dialed down the pressure, there's a decent head on it.
I've noticed lately that my beers have been pouring slow, so I'm guessing I have a leak somewhere.....hmm, must troubleshoot.
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Offline Jimmy K

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Re: Can your pressure "hit a wall"
« Reply #5 on: August 21, 2011, 11:09:16 am »
Even with a leak your regulator should maintain the pressure. You'd just loose gas quickly. Is the picnic tap on a short piece of tubing? If so it should pour fast at 12psi, so that makes me think your regulator or low pressure guage has a problem, or you're out of CO2.
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Offline euge

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Re: Can your pressure "hit a wall"
« Reply #6 on: August 21, 2011, 02:19:49 pm »
Sure you don't have a "clog" somewhere? Pouring slow sounds like a restriction.
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Offline newrocset

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Re: Can your pressure "hit a wall"
« Reply #7 on: August 21, 2011, 11:56:19 pm »
Quote from: euge on August 21, 2011, 02:19:49 pm
Sure you don't have a "clog" somewhere? Pouring slow sounds like a restriction.

Yep, I'm sure I have a clog on the pour-slowing ones - makes sense since I added hops or other "floaties" to them that didn't get filtered out.  8)

After having the pressure set to 12 for a while, it seems to be getting better, and pouring really nice...the head was looking quite frothy when serving it to friends last night....so my guess is that it's just going to take a while to carb up where I want it to...maybe it just needs to age a little with the pressure on there?  Last night I had a Blanche de Bruxelles and the carbonation on that baby was high - it burst in my mouth like Champange - I'm trying to achieve that type of carbonation with my Wit, and I'm not even close  ???
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Offline Pi

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Re: Can your pressure "hit a wall"
« Reply #8 on: August 25, 2011, 08:44:13 am »
Quote from: newrocset on August 21, 2011, 11:56:19 pm
Quote from: euge on August 21, 2011, 02:19:49 pm
Sure you don't have a "clog" somewhere? Pouring slow sounds like a restriction.

Yep, I'm sure I have a clog on the pour-slowing ones - makes sense since I added hops or other "floaties" to them that didn't get filtered out.  8)

After having the pressure set to 12 for a while, it seems to be getting better, and pouring really nice...the head was looking quite frothy when serving it to friends last night....so my guess is that it's just going to take a while to carb up where I want it to...maybe it just needs to age a little with the pressure on there?  Last night I had a Blanche de Bruxelles and the carbonation on that baby was high - it burst in my mouth like Champange - I'm trying to achieve that type of carbonation with my Wit, and I'm not even close  ???
You could try reversing your connectors and "backflush" with CO2 to clear the clog
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