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Fiber washer troubles

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  • Fiber washer troubles

    Anybody else have trouble with the fiber washers at the regulator to CO2 tank connection? My CO2 supplier provides one of these type washers each time I swap out the tank and I've always used the new one when I connect the refill. But, I've had a tank go empty on me within a few days a couple of times in the past and I wasn't sure where the leak was when that happened. Well, it happened to me again last week. A 1-week-old, 5-lb tank and the hi pressure gauge at zero (the day of a party, of course). So, I got another refill and this time around I connected the regulator to the tank on a counter top outside the kegerator. I used the new fiber washer supplied, as usual. Cranked it down to what I thought was pretty tight. Turned off the output valve and opened the tank valve momentarily to pop the gauges up to pressure. And I could actually hear it hissing as the hi-pressure gauge fairly quickly went to zero. So, I tightened it to the point it would not tighten any further (maybe on the verge of "too tight" in my book) and tested again. Couldn't hear it hissing anymore, but the gauge (more slowly this time) headed toward zero again. Did a soap test and confirmed the leak was at that connection only. I happened to have one of the plastic washers that I bought from Micromatic with some other odds and ends a little while back, so I gave it a try. Tightened the nut with my usual force this time - tight, but not too tight - and tested again. The gauge stayed put and the soap test passed. So, my conclusion was that sometimes, but not all the time, those fiber washers my CO2 supplier gives me cannot be compressed to make a tight enough seal, no matter how hard I tighten the nut. And, of course, I'll be using the plastic washers from now on. Anyone else had problems with the fiber washers? Can they age and get too hard or something? Or do you have to crank the hell out of that connection to keep it from leaking? Just curious.

    Thanks,
    Tom

  • #2
    Does your regulator have any sort of built in washer or oring where it connects to the co2 tank?

    If so, don't use the fiber washer, you don't need it.

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    • #3
      Nope, no o-ring.

      Comment


      • #4
        Sometimes over tightening is no good either with those washers
        What I got:
        Beverage Air #BM23
        with a "Sexy" Double Faucet Tower and Celli Eurpean Faucets
        -MM Premium Double Guage Primary Regulator
        -MM Premium 2 Product Secondary Regulator
        -MM S/S Keg Couplers
        YouTube video of the goods

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        • #5
          I've had slow leaks in the past and had to polish small nicks out of the brass surface where the fiber washer sets with very fine emory cloth.

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          • #6
            So, perhaps the plastic washers are the thing to use? I've had problems in the past getting that connection to seal. I've had to really get onto it. The last time I refilled my tank, I asked for and purchased washers. I didn't realize until I got home that they gave me plastic by default. I didn't try them but maybe I should...

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            • #7
              I've had co2 leak out a bottle in a couple days. Now every time I fill a new bottle I check all the connections with a spray bottle with soapy water to look for leaks

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