Kegging

[Mike Neilson]

Looking at doing a keg set up, Is it cheaper and easyer to go with the brew craft setup or designing your own set up, and getting the bits from the likes of Craft brewer, etc?
Whats your thoughts?

[JackoNZ]

Just connecting my co2 tank up and it appears no leaks when I put the gas disconnects in water and I can't hear any leaks either. However when I hook up to the keg and turn the gas on, I get a whining type noise and also I can hear what sounds like a leak. However I can't find one anywhere. Only thing it could be is the regulator nut, I don't have a spanner that fits so I can't tighten it right up, it's hand tight. Would that cause an issue do you think? Should I just wait till I get a spanner tomorrow and try again?

[denimglen]

Wait til you get a spanner then try again. For the time being get a bit of soapy water and put it around the join - if it bubbles it's leaking.

Regulators and one-way valves can be a little noisy sometimes. And the regulator will hiss as it lets off pressure if it needs to.

[Barry]

That could be it - the washer between the reg and gas bottle is a compression washer - it needs to be tight. Not so tight you break anything but probably tighter than hand tight.

Other thing it could be - I notice this in my system, is the one way valve makes a noise as the gas goes through it - either when connecting for the first time or as it tops up as I pour a beer. It stops as soon as the pressure has equalised though so if your noise is ongoing that isn't it.

No other ideas from me, good luck!

[JackoNZ]

Cheers guys, no one way valve yet. I'm using the existing setup I got. I'll try again tomorrow when I've got a spanner to tighten.

[JackoNZ]

Where can I get a new washer fellas? Think this one has seen better days and could do with replacing.

[jt]

also I can hear what sounds like a leak

It's not gas going into the keg is it - pshhhhhh ?

[JackoNZ]

Nah there is a definite whine sound and I can hear the regulator itself leaking.

[jt]

Like an off tune violin ?

[JackoNZ]

Not sure how to explain it mate, more like a whiney creaking sound! It sounds like it's coming from the tank itself and the reg is hissing like it has a leak.

[vdog]

Anywhere you can get your gas bottle filled will have the washers - last time I filled up and had to get checked for leaks, the guy just gave me a handful 'in case you ever need them'.

[JackoNZ]

Still a bit stumped here guys. I tightened the nut right up and turned on the gas, little bit of a whine then it settled down. But I still have a leak I think. It starts out with quite an obvious hissing at the regulator and then after a short time it dies right down to almost nothing but if you listen carefully you can still hear a tiny hiss.

I've checked all the points with soapy water and nothing is bubbling. Any other ideas, there shouldn't be any hissing at all eh? By the way I am getting pressure into the keg.

[vdog]

One way to check would be to dial the pressure up (say 30) and just leave the ball valve from the reg to the keg shut. Turn off the gas bottle and leave it alone - if you start seeing a pressure drop, you definitely have a leak. Otherwise, just do what I did: take it apart, add thread sealer (loctite or similar) and put it back together again. That seemed to solve it for me straight away.