Help... CO2 leak?

[stadelman]

So, I recently got a secondary CO2 regulator. I'm in the process of rebuilding my kegerator to incorporate this. I've re plumbed everything and I'm checking for leaks.

I've sprayed everything down thoroughly (very thoroughly) and I can't find any bubbles.

The test that makes me think something is leaking is... I turn on the CO2 so that both of the secondary regulator dials are reading a known pressure and then cut the CO2 supply and see if the pressure changes over time.

So, last night it was 40 psi and this morning it was 20 psi. That makes me think it's leaking.

So, my question is... is charging up your system with CO2 and then turning off the CO2 and waiting a valid method to test for leaks? Or... is this showing a temp change or does the CO2 get slowly absorbed into the tubing?

[brewinhard]

Upon first look, I would say that temperature change could be the cause of your pressure change. Especially if the tank got chilled. You didn't mention what temp the kegerator was at but that would be my first guess. Once your tank/kegerator maintains that constant temp that you choose, change the pressure on the tank regulator and see if it maintains that pressure for a bit.

[ApresSkiBrewer]

If you charged it at room temp, and then it chilled down, there will definitely be a pressure change. Do the same test with the temperature constant.

[Bugeater]

I assume you are doing this test without hooking the gas up to a keg. Otherwise you are simply seeing gas being absorbed into the beer.

Wayne

[stadelman]

All of the equipment, tubing and tank are at room temperature.

Wayne, you're correct, kegs are not attached.

[Blowmax10]

All of the equipment, tubing and tank are at room temperature.

Wayne, you're correct, kegs are not attached.

sounds like a leak - but them I'm no brewcaster

[kezgin]

do you have shutoff valves on the secondary side of the regulators? try setting them with nothing connected just to prove out the regs leaking then move on from there, component by component

[stadelman]

I do have shutoff valves on the secondary side.

I think this must be a temperature thing.

It dropped 20 psi two nights ago. I turned the gas back on yesterday (without relieving any of the built up pressure) and then turned the gas back off before going to bed. It dropped 10 psi last night.