Beer Forum

annabellemang · #1 (**permalink**) 11-11-2006, 09:01 PM

Hi, My husband and I just set up a small 10 litre size kegerator. We were told to use a cylinder of nitrogen/CO2 mix for the gas. We have the cylinder in the fridge with the keg. We keep trying to set the pressure for the keg around 10-12 psi but after we pour beer the pressure drops to zero and does not rise back up to that set level. Does this mean there is a leak somewhere?? We had tested it with soapy water etc without anything obvious.

Should we be using that mixed gas when the beer we will have are usually ales or lagers???? What actually is the pressure that should be set for that gas mixture? Is it different than for pure CO2??

Thanks for any help for the kegerator ignorant!!!

edramshaw · #2 (**permalink**) 11-12-2006, 01:19 AM

I am not sure about the leak but I do know that you should only be using a blend if you are pouring Guiness (or similiar type beverage) or if your taps are far from the kegs such as in some bars and restaurants. If you are running a basic kegerator set up then straight CO2 is what you need. Good luck! - Ed

ernestbud · #3 (**permalink**) 11-12-2006, 07:46 AM

on usuing the blended gasses you will no get the same yield from your gas bottle the reason these are used in long draw systems is so that you do not over carbonate your kegs the pressure you use is the same it all depends really on what type of beer you dispensing

annabellemang · #4 (**permalink**) 11-12-2006, 07:19 PM

Okay we found a leak after doing leak testing and think now the system is tight. But is the pressure in the low pressure side supposed to drop down to zero after a pour??? Will it build back up to the set pressure of the 10-12 after a while now that our leak is fixed??? (we think!)

Sorry obviously we are not into the physics of fluids and pressure!!!

ernestbud · #5 (**permalink**) 11-13-2006, 04:07 PM

sounds like the regulator isn't keeping up with the pour. is the co2 tank turned on all the way or just partway should be on all the way

one por should not drop it to zero

beerboy52 · #6 (**permalink**) 11-21-2006, 10:15 AM

Is the regulator a new one? Has it been kept in the cold box for a long time? Your problem sounds like a sluggish regulator. Does it eventually recover back to the original setting? I would suggest replacing it with a new one, they are not that expensive (a 60psi regualtor is all you need to have).

The cold damp air inside of a cold box is very hard on regulator guages. They will look fine on the outside but be out of whack inside.