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Help! C02 pressure to keg keeps changing!

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  • Help! C02 pressure to keg keeps changing!

    Any help or insight would be most appreciated! Here's my story:built a kegerator out of an old mini fridge. Have a dual gage regulator. I set it at 12psi and was running my fridge temp at 34. The next day I checked pressure and it was at 15psi, which was too much. So I set it again at 12psi and changed my temp to 36. The next day it reads 10 psi. Are these fluctuations normal? Why can't I get it to just stay where I set it? I am hoping when I get home today it at at least stays at ten psi and doesn't drop any lower! Do psi levels just randomly change like this? I am new to this, thanks for your help!!

  • #2
    No, that's not normal. Once you set the regulator, it shouldn't move. Where did you get the regulator?
    ____________________________________________
    Our beer, which commeth in barrels, hallowed be thy drink
    Thy will be drunk, I will be drunk, at home as it is in the tavern
    ____________________________________________


    Home Brew IPA

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    • #3
      Micromatic. I have read some posts where people say it takes 24 hours for it to reach it's final resting place, but this is driving me crazy. Do you think the regulator may be bad? I know its not leaking because at first it had a rise in pressure...thanks for any help because this is driving me nuts...

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      • #4
        I just spoke with micromatic and they said after I set my psi to pull the relief pin on my coupler and see what it bounces back to. They said to repeat this until it bounces back to my target psi. I have not been pulling the relief pin previously after setting the psi. Does this sound right?

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        • #5
          tmakrush,

          I've been adjusting my psi that way b/c once you relieve some pressure in the keg the regulator will quickly in a second or so adjust its outlet pressure to your new setting. If you adjust the regulator and don't do this the regulator will take some time to show the full adjustment. I'd take their advice it works for me.

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          • #6
            I had a similar problem where my micromatic regulator kept climbing. It would appear to stay where I set it, but overnight the PSI would always creep up by as much as 10psi. Their response was to disassemble the unit and clean any dust/debris from the diaphragm. When I opened it up, it wasn't very dusty - but doing so fixed my problem. I copied the email below.

            "
            Thank you for the inquiry. From your email it sounds as if the diaphragm assembly may be what’s causing the problem. CO2 is a dirty gas that often contains contaminates, and over time these contaminates can build up on the diaphragm of the gas regulator. Eventually, the buildup will cause the diaphragm to no longer seat properly. This in turn will cause the gas pressure to fluctuate and/or cause of a slow gas leak. To check for this, simply disassemble your regulator as shown in the replacement parts diagram and examine the diaphragm assembly. If contaminants are found on the diaphragm assembly, wiping them off with a cloth often corrects the problem. But if the contaminants have damaged the diaphragm assembly, then it will be necessary to replace it.

            For your convenience, below is a link to the replacement parts diagram for the premium series primary CO2 regulators.




            Should you have any other questions, please feel free to contact us again via e-mail or toll free via phone at (866) 291-5756 during our normal business hours of 8:30am EST to 4:30pm PST Monday thru Friday.




            Thank you,

            Kristina Champeau
            Web Division
            Micro Matic USA, Inc"

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            • #7
              I will try pulling that relief and resetting the psi when I get home...if that cures it they REALLY ought to put that in the instructions.

              Thanks for posting that diagram in case venting it doesn't work !! I'll let y'all know what happens!

              Thanks for all your help, This is my first experience on a forum and it's awesome !

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              • #8
                Okay everyone, so I vented it last night and had it sitting at 11 psi. This morning it was at 12. I will check again when I get home.

                Is this movement normal? My keg ran out last night but I left it hooked up just to try to figure this out before I get another one.

                I know it only moved one pound....but does anyone elses do that?

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                • #9
                  It should not move, at all. Once you set it, it should remain on exactly that number until you physically adjust the knob to change the setting.

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                  • #10
                    That's what I thought. I spoke with micromatic again and they said if the level has moved when I get home today they will send me a new regulator (if I send mine back, of course)

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                    • #11
                      Holding strong at 12psi.... I am going watch it tomorrow before making my final verdict. Since I vented it moved that 1psi difference and has stayed since. Hopefully not venting was the problem. If it moves at all I'm sending it back. Thanks everyone, I'll let you know!

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                      • #12
                        My keg ran out but it seems to still be at 12psi..... I'll get another keg tomorrow...

                        If the regulator was faulty I guess it would have moved by now right?

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                        • #13
                          Nope, it moved again. Sending regulator back.

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                          • #14
                            Update! Got my new regulator and it holds pressure perfectly!! Thanks for all your help guys. I must say, Greg (the micromatic guy I dealt with) was awesome and prompt. The beer is perfect!

                            Cheers!

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                            • #15
                              I'm having same problem. Regulator has been in use for two weeks, so should not be dirty. I increase pressure a psi, next day it is up 2-5 psi. I decrease one psi, next day it is down an extra 2 -3 psi. Also mine is difficult to turn - I use a wrench most of the time, is that normal? I bought the kegerator from kegerator.com - their site indicates that I need to contact the manufac., or Summit. Seems like a run around I want to avoid - thoughts.

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