5 replies to this topic

[VirginiaBeach]

Ok, so I kegged a batch today (Belgian Pale Ale, if you were wondering).In order to speed up the process I put the Regulator at 30 psi and let it sit there for a few hours. I then figured I would lower the regulator setting to 12 psi (I didn't think when I started unscrewing the adjustment screw the needle would move, so I made a mental note before I adjusted it to 30 psi of exactly where the screw was [how much of it stuck out] at 12 psi, so I could have a rough approximation when I downed the pressure from 30psi). My reasoning for this was that as CO2 dissolved into the beer I would see the pressure gradually decrease (over the span of a few hours) to my new setting of 12 psi, at which point it wouldn't decrease any further, as the regulator would take over and do it's job. (i.e. the regulator needle would stay at 30 psi and gradually sink to 12 psi)However as I started unscrewing, the needle started moving down as I unscrewed. I didn't think this would happen as I figured the needle is telling you the pressure in the outer-cylinder system (regulator, hose, and keg). I must be wrong then, and the needle only tells you the setting, not (necessarily) the pressure inside the outer-cylinder system. So in my case the pressure inside the regulator, hose, and keg is still 30 psi (neglecting any CO2 dissolving into the beer) despite the fact that my regulator setting is 12 psi.Is this correct?p.s. I know there are more effective ways to force carbonate, I'm just doing a little experimenting here

[Nick Bates]

Hey congrats on starting to keg, I myself seemed to have had the same problems as you, this is a link to the conversation I had with a few others on the brewboard. I hope you find it usefulhttps://www.brews-bros.xyz/index.php/topic/16498-just-started-kegging/

[Jimmy James]

my understanding is the regulator dial that you adjust with the screw is the setting. You can get regulators with a second dial that read the pressure remaining inside the CO2 bottle. To know the pressure inside the keg I believe you need some sort of bleed-off valve with a pressure readout. I think Jimvy or someone posted such a setup in one of the FAQs or some earlier thread. The pressure in your keg would be 30psi less whatever equilibration took place as you wrote (at least I believe this to be the case and that the CO2 flow is one-way).

[gnef]

From my experience, that will be true to a certain extent, and only for relatively minor adjustments, so you need to be careful, especially if you don't have a check valve in the gas line somewhere.For most of my regulators, all of them as much as I can remember, if I lower the psi too much with the adjustment screw, the diaphragm will vent some to release some of the pressure.If you have a check valve, I think it should be fine and work as you expect. I learned long ago to use check valves in the gas lines.

[VirginiaBeach]

Is the check valve something I can see on the regulator? I'm not sure if I have one or not...

[gnef]

Some ball valves have integrated check valves (though these have been known to fail sometimes), and other check valves are attached to the tubing. I use ones made by usplastics:https://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=32233&catid=489I cut my tubing, put these in, and use stepless oetiker clamps to hold the tubing. I've found that the worm clamps leak on me, and I've since moved to using all stepless oetiker clamps from that point on. I order them from mcmaster in bulk.