regulator creep

[Cain Harland]

I was having a real problem with the pressure slowly rising from where I had it set to 10psi or more higher so I replaced my regulator. The new one worked great for a few days. Yesterday I refilled my CO2 bottle and today the new regulator is doing it. I thought maybe a small leek somewhere could be causing problems so I submerged everything I could and found only a very small leek that was on the out side of a valve that was turned off anyway.

Bottle and reg live inside fridge connected to 4 way manifold. I'm thinking it must be something other than the regulator since its been exactly the same issue with 2. Anyone got any ideas about what the problem might be or how to fix it?

[Crusader-Rob]

what happens when you take the bottle/reg out of the fridge?

It could be the bottle itself otherwise? I had some issue with a seal on my current bottle, (I still need to sort it)

welcome to the world of leaks, I've lost count of the number of leaks I've had.

[Sam DT]

It's not the cheaper beer shop one is it? I had a creep issue with mine & sent it back.

Try setting your pressure with the outlet closed - should equalize more quickly.

[Phil]

I'm just embarking on making a keezer - is there any particular recommendation on a CO2 reg. Ideally I want the ability to run a double pressure as we want a soda water tap also. Suggestions welcome.

Thanks

[Peter Smith]

This stuff is the Dogs Bollocks, but not cheap.  I picked some up when a bar went under a while back.  Go 100% John Guest, they sell everything as well. 

http://www.ultraflow.co.nz/category/Co2---Mixed-Gas-Equipment/351.aspx

[Phil]

Thanks, looks like quality stuff - priced accordingly it seems - eek!

[Cain Harland]

Of the 2 I'm having problems with, the keg king MKII seems better. Someones got them on trade me for $55 at the moment. I'm fairly convinced its just a temperature thing now it warmed up while I checked for leeks and the creep seemed to disappear.

[Cain Harland]

Thanks for the reply guys.

Sam, first one was, the new one is a keg king MKII

Rob, I think your on to something with the taking it out of the fridge.

I've been doing a bit of reading round other forums and web sites and apparently below a certain temperature the flexible membrane in a regulator starts to harden and then when you raise the pressure it can take up to 4 hours for the membrane to adjust fully to the new position of the screw so basically you end up opening it way to far if you go off the immediate response of the gauge. So its not broken, the response is just slowed down to the point where the only way to set it is adjust in small increments and check in a few hours. I have a vague memory of turning the temp down on the fridge a while back and I'm guessing this pushed the regulator under hardening temp but had no effect until next time I tried to adjust it. My fridge is way colder than it needs to be particularly this time of year so I will turn it down (up?) and see how this effects the regulator. If this one sorts its self out I will have to buy the pipe for joining the 2 regulators together.

[Cain Harland]

Does any one know of a fixed pressure 10 psi CO2  regulator? I would happily do away with the adjustment and settle for a reliable 10 psi as the only thing I have ever used more for is fast carbonating and those beers were better 2 weeks later and could have just been carbonating at serving pressure for that time. And if I ever have anything in there that would be better at a significantly different pressure it will be the odd keg out and just have to cope with the same 10psi its mates get.

[Crusader-Rob]

No such thing

[Smiffy]

I believe it is due to the bottle pressure dropping as it cools down in the fridge, it should stabilize now that the bottle has cooled down to fridge temperature.

Smiffy

[Smiffy]

The gas pressure of the bottle changes at around 1 bar per degree centigrade, so from a bottle at 20C, to the same bottle in the fridge at 10C, the pressure has changed by 150psi. That makes it impossible for a simple diaphragm regulator to keep the output pressure constant within a few psi.

The only way you will get around this is either keep the bottle at a constant temperature, or have two regulators one after the other, i.e. one taking cylinder pressure of around 50 bar down to say 20 psi +/- 5psi, then one taking that 15-25 psi down to your desired pressure, and because it's input is only varying by 10psi, it will be able to regulate with an accuracy of less than 1 psi.

[Cain Harland]

You make a very good point and from now I think I will let the bottle chill for a few hours after being out for a refill before even trying to set so I don't add that issue into the mix. After a few hours the temp in the fridge should be more stable than room temp. But I don't believe this is my problem as I've been having it once the bottle is already chilled. I seem to have a stable 10 PSI now with the fridge set at level 3 rather than 6 as it was before.