[liquidbrewing]

So, I'm wondering what is wrong with my regulator.  My serving fridge is ALWAYS set to 10 psi.  The other day I went to get a beer, it was at 15 psi.  We haven't had any major temp. shifts, and now when I vent all the kegs to relieve the pressure, then re-pressurize, it slowly creeps back up to around 10.  Then the next day without fail its at 15 to 15+!  What the what!!  I did notice that the pressure dial seems like I have to really turn it up before it will even start registering, like it's loose or something .  But it's not leaking, go figure...

[punatic]

Is your CO2 tank getting close to being empty?

[tschmidlin]

Is your gauge in the fridge?

[blatz]

disconnect the QDs from the keg, depress the post inside of the QDs (with the tank valve and check valves open) - does the needle drop and then settle at 10 PSI?

[tschmidlin]

disconnect the QDs from the keg, depress the post inside of the QDs (with the tank valve and check valves open) - does the needle drop and then settle at 10 PSI?

Wouldn't just venting the keg get you the same info, or am I picturing this wrong?

[blatz]

disconnect the QDs from the keg, depress the post inside of the QDs (with the tank valve and check valves open) - does the needle drop and then settle at 10 PSI?

Wouldn't just venting the keg get you the same info, or am I picturing this wrong?

I guess you are right.

I guess I was thinking from the opposite standpoint, i.e. that pressure was dropping - the method I mentioned would help identify if there was a leak in the keg versus at the regulator.

Carry on...

[tschmidlin]

disconnect the QDs from the keg, depress the post inside of the QDs (with the tank valve and check valves open) - does the needle drop and then settle at 10 PSI?

Wouldn't just venting the keg get you the same info, or am I picturing this wrong?

I guess you are right.

Maybe not, I think I'm wrong   If you want to know if the extra pressure is coming from the beer or the tank, you have to disconnect the gas from the keg.  If it's not connected and the pressure goes up after setting it to 10 psi then clearly it is coming from the tank.

[bluesman]

If you have an extra pressure gage, try installing the gage to the outlet side of the keg and verifying that pressure increase. If you can realize the increase, then it's likely you have a defective regulator. If not, then you have a defective pressure gage on your regulator or your beer is continually pressurized above your regulator setpoint.

[davidgzach]

Did you force carb the beer at a higher psi?  The beer could be at 15. 

Or, my regulator is VERY touchy.  Try stopping it at 8 and see what happens there.

My two cents.

Dave

[blatz]

Did you force carb the beer at a higher psi?  The beer could be at 15. 

I'm betting that is it.

[bluesman]

It's certainly possible to overcarbonate the beer. The regulator should regulate the pressure by bleeding off any residual keg pressure exceeding setpoint pressure. This is assuming the regulator is in good working order.

[mabrungard]

Could be a leaky needle valve (or poppet) in the regulator.  That would produce a creeping pressure increase.

[tschmidlin]

It's certainly possible to overcarbonate the beer. The regulator should regulate the pressure by bleeding off any residual keg pressure exceeding setpoint pressure. This is assuming the regulator is in good working order.

Depending on where he got the system though, there should be a check valve at the regulator so it will not read the keg pressure or bleed off any excess keg pressure.

[blatz]

It's certainly possible to overcarbonate the beer. The regulator should regulate the pressure by bleeding off any residual keg pressure exceeding setpoint pressure. This is assuming the regulator is in good working order.

Depending on where he got the system though, there should be a check valve at the regulator so it will not read the keg pressure or bleed off any excess keg pressure.

really?  I have three regulators from micromatic http://www.micromatic.com/draft-keg-beer/regulators-pid-642-2.html . 

they are 'supposed' to have check valves, however, they all will read what the pressure of the keg is if it is over the 'dialed in' PSI.

they only bleed off if the differential is severe, but a 5 PSI difference, I don't hear anything.

hmm...

[tschmidlin]

It's certainly possible to overcarbonate the beer. The regulator should regulate the pressure by bleeding off any residual keg pressure exceeding setpoint pressure. This is assuming the regulator is in good working order.

Depending on where he got the system though, there should be a check valve at the regulator so it will not read the keg pressure or bleed off any excess keg pressure.

really?  I have three regulators from micromatic http://www.micromatic.com/draft-keg-beer/regulators-pid-642-2.html . 

they are 'supposed' to have check valves, however, they all will read what the pressure of the keg is if it is over the 'dialed in' PSI.

they only bleed off if the differential is severe, but a 5 PSI difference, I don't hear anything.

hmm...

I don't know why they don't work if they are there.  And for what it's worth, the one you linked to doesn't seem to have a check valve, just a shutoff valve on the outlet.