500psi is a pretty normal reading when the co2 tank is inside the fridge. Keeping the co2 in the fridge is fine. I think keeping the co2 outside the unit is probably the minority. The tank pressure guage doesn't drop gradually, as co2 is used. It remains static until you're near the end of the tank. It will drop rapidly, when the gas is nearly gone.
The co2 tank guage is measuring the co2 gas pressure inside the tank, but there is also liquid co2 in there. As you use the gas, the liquid co2 evaporates into more gas. When the liquid co2 runs out, the tank guage will begin to drop rapidly. But you can still expect quite a bit of beer poured once that guage starts to drop. When mine began to drop, I still dispensed the remainder of quite a bit of a keg, and there was still a bit of gas left when that keg was dry.
Since you had some gas dispensed and you're not sure how much, what I would do is to just continually monitor that guage. I glance at mine at least once a day out of habit. When you see it begin to drop, don't panic, just refill your co2 at your earliest convenience. You should have several days worth of gas left, at least, (unless you're throwing a party)
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Sometimes when I reflect back on all the beer I drink I feel ashamed.
Then I look into the glass and think about the workers in the brewery
and all of their hopes and dreams. If I didn't drink this beer, they might
be out of work and their dreams would be shattered. Then I say to myself,
"It is better that I drink this beer and let their dreams come true than
be selfish and worry about my liver."
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Last edited by cubby_swans; 12-23-2008 at 09:05 PM.
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