slow CO2 leak

[c2mack]

I have a slow leak in my CO2 system. Recently, I had my CO2 bottle refilled. When I hooked the bottle back to my system I used the cardboard gasket that the industrial gas company included with the bottle. The next day I noticed that the bottle had almost emptied. I had the bottle filled again and this time insured that I tightened the connection as tight as I possibly could. The system went from 1400 PSI to 900 PSI in 48 hours. I removed the cardboard washer and attached the gage back to the CO2 bottle as I have done in the past. I turned on the gas, turned off the valve which allows the gas to flow to the keg and then turned the gas off in an effort to isolate the leak. In this isolated state the gauge drops 100psi about every 15 minutes. This leads me to believe that the leak exists within the gauge or at the connection point to the CO2 cylinder. Should I replace the shaft which connects to the cylinder and re-evaluate or purchase a new gauge? The current gauge and tap system are only 7 months old.

[CoreyD]

You can check for leaks around the threads on the gauges and the stem with soapy water. The gauges also leak internally where the pieces are soldered together. It is also possible that the safety release valve is leaking. Try the soapy water and see what happens.

[Scott Zuhse]

It is not uncommon to have two or more leaks in a system. Be certain to check elswhere after you repair the regulator. If you suspect that the regulator is defective, is it still under warranty?

Scott Zuhse, Instructor Micro Matic Dispense Institute

[etoh]

Soapy water in a spray bottle (1 oz.dawn dish soap)works great for checking for leaks in any pressurized system. I must have gone through 20 kegs and 5 twenty pound co2 cylinders before I realized that this was excessive co2 use. I checked for leaks at EVERY fitting and found several small leaks. Using that thin white plastic thread tape, I rethreaded all connections and "its all gooood" My co2 use is way down (Check the Micromatic FAQ for proper co2 use for various cylinder:keg sizes) Best Regards JJT Do Hoes like Hoegaarden?

jjt