Gas died again, and I have a new dilemma

[BlackDuck]

Chris, you should have tape on the 3 gauges, the pipe connection to the first regulator and the short pipe connecting the two regulators also.

There very well might be tape there. It came pre-assembled from Kegconnection, so they may have put tape on there when they assembled it. I will double check that tonight when I get home.

[BlackDuck]

Jeff, you are correct, there is tape on those connections. I never payed that close attention to those.


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[Inkleg]

I never payed that close attention to those.

You got it from Kegconnection and they payed attention so you wouldn't have too. They rock and thats how they roll. Thinking about getting a Nitro set up from them.

[FedoraDave]

Yeah, that's what I meant. The connections to the gauges. I knew what I meant, but it was too early in the morning for me to express it correctly.

Even so, I'm gonna work as much as I can with the LHBS guys to figure this out.

[BlackDuck]

Good luck Dave....I'm sure you'll get it figured out in no time.

[Beer-lord]

My thoughts are that compressed gas is in a liquid state, which logically weighs the same whether it's warm or cold.

It seems logical that the pressure of the gas is lower when it's colder, that's why the gauge reads lower when the Co2 tank is stored in the refrigerator.

I'm having a hard time with this guy saying in effect that colder compressed gas, which is a liquid by the way, weighs different than warmer compressed gas which is also a liquid. Especially when the weight is off by 2 pounds or 40%!

I chilled the tank that was only partially filled this week before taking it somewhere else to see how they are (they were only open half a day and I have to pick it up Monday). The tank weighed 9.5 lbs at room temp and after chilling to 36 for 24 hours, it's still 9.5 lbs so, question answered I guess.
It's amazing how much incorrect info is out there. Measure twice, cut once!

[ScrewyBrewer]

Paul you ever hear that saying "I cut it twice and it's still too short", it's one of my favorite lines ever. It's right up there with another one of my favorites too "I taught you everything I know and you still don't know anything".. although my kids just shake their heads now whenever they hear me say them.

[Beer-lord]

That's a good one Vince but kids don't think us old farts are smart until they leave the nest. Then we become geniuses.

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[FedoraDave]

Okay, problem solved (it would seem; I still have to complete the process but that will come later). Here's the sitch:

I detached my regulator and took it to the LHBS today. I explained the situation, and the guy took one look and said, "Well, it's probably because that gauge is bent." I hadn't even noticed! But it shows you what an expert eye will see that a layman's eye misses; I experience it all the time, since I can recognize the difference between termite and carpenter ant activity in about two seconds.

No doubt the thing fell over at some point, or, more likely, I bumped it while loading in a keg. Perfectly reasonable scenario. So he put a new gauge on it, and sold me a metal cover to protect it. I wish I'd known about that when I was first putting my kegging components together, but there you go.

I'm going to have to wait to get a new CO2 can until Tuesday, but that only costs me a bit of time. If everything is fixed, it'll be worth it.

I'm glad I've got an LHBS that has such expertise, and is so reliable and competent. I love those guys!

[BlackDuck]

Wow. I would have never guessed that. Glad you got it figured out.


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[Beer-lord]

At lunch I went to pick up my tank and they charge $15.50 instead of 10 but only $17.50 for the 10 lb tank. It's still more expensive than the other guy but I weighed it and it was 12 lbs so just a half pound shy of totally full. That's good enough for me.
So I called the other guy and told him not to wait for me to come by soon but that I would remind him he owes me a free refill and that by refill I meant FULL and he said he wants my business and he'll take care of me. He asked what I paid to the other guy and I was honest and he said he's not raised his prices in 8 years and likely won't but I'll be grandfathered in.
I'm considering this another lesson learned and a closed case.

[ScrewyBrewer]

That's a good one Vince but kids don't think us old farts are smart until they leave the nest. Then we become geniuses.

Truer words were never spoken.

[FedoraDave]

I'm gonna stop before work and get another tank, so I can finally get my keezer charged again. I had an early call this morning, so I couldn't do it.

I'm gonna ask the guy there about using Teflon tape.

It'll be good to have homebrew on tap again.

[BigPapaG]

Ok, so I finally unhooked my tank to get it filled...

Tare is 7.5 lbs and the tank weighed 7-8 lbs (closest I could get on my scale).

The tank came out of a 34°F fridge, hit the scale and then the air conditioned car.

Drove 10 minutes to the fill place and handed them the tank.

They opened the valve for a burst and said 'good'.

He was back in less than 10 minutes with my tank.

Then I asked if they prefer them cold or warm prior to filling.

He said 'the colder the better, this way, when we start filling the CO2 is less prone to moving to a gaseous state which allows us to fill the tank properly and efficiently.'

Then he said, 'In fact it's even better when there is a blast or two of gas left so when we blow it off it cools the entire tank as it moves to gas and exits'.

Note: The tank was warmer near the top of the tank once filled than when I handed it to them.

Stopped at a couple of spots on the way home, then weighed the tank...

Final weight on this 5 lb tank was: 12-13 lbs (again, close as I could get with my scale)...

So, I'm calling it a good fill... 5 lbs at $15.

My new playbook is as follows:

1.) Leave a blast or two of gas in the tank if possible to help them pre- chill before fill.
2.) Refridgerate your tank (or cooler if you can) ang go immediately to the fill place with the cold tank.
3.) Hope to have the closest fill place located within minutes of your house. (Not always practicle but I lucked out I guess)

[Beer-lord]

That's pretty much what the 'other' company I went to told me. Lesson learned, even after 3 years of kegging and filling tanks.
Thanks for following up.