Regulator not holding pressure

Kegging
1

Hello

A few weeks ago I bought my first keg and regulator. I set it up yesterday with ~5 gallons session mead and set the pressure to 20 PSI, hoping for ~2.5 vols CO2 at room temperature (I have no means of temp control atm). I’ve noticed now that every few hours the regular has dipped to ~15 PSI and I have to turn it up again. I’ve triple checked every connection and felt no gas coming out from anything, including spraying everything down with star san and looking for bubbles.

It’s the CO2PO that comes with the Northern Brewer kegging kit. This is the kit I bought:

Keg System

Is there something I might have hooked up wrong or is it possible I have a defective product? I assume the former, this is the first time I’ve ever kegged.

2

Did you check you hoses what leads to the kegurator manifold. Or. To the keg coupler. There might be small hole in the hose or conectors. Or the tank valve not all the way open

3

The keg lid and keg valve are good to check, also.

4

Is your high pressure gauge dropping? It’s normal over time but a quick drop indicates a leak. Dish soap and water in a spray bottle will bubble up better than Starsan to check for leaks.

If you call NB and explain your problem I bet they will make it right if they think the regulator is defective.

5

shut the valve on the reg to isolate from the keg system if it still leaks its on the regulator/ tank side if not its on the keg/line/serving side.

3 Likes
6

Good idea @brew_cat

7

One thing I’ve discovered that is hard to detect is the PRV on the keg lid. Make sure it’s screwed in tight. They can loosen slowly over time.

8

It could be small leak in the neck of the tank as well.

9

Honestly I think it was user error because it’s been steady at 20 psi for a day or two now.

10

Glad it worked itself out!
Welcome to kegging, most of us, not all, would never go back to bottling. There may be new twists and turns ahead (and don’t hesitate to ask)but for the most part kegging is great.

11

I bought a keg after bottling 5 gallons of braggot lol

2 hours of filling and capping, I was like “I’m done.”

12

I bottled ONE batch. Said that was enough of that! Bought a kegging system the next day.
Edited: I do occasionally bottle of a keg with a beer gun.