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How Do I Know If My Gas Is Leaking?

How Do I Know If My Gas Is Leaking?

 

One of the most common questions we get in our home brew stores is, how do I check for leaks in my gas bottle. 


You can lose a whole bottle of gas overnight with the slightest of leaks. I can guarantee it,  because, yes, I've done it. 


What do you need to do to check for leaks from your gas bottle?


The first thing you should do is hook up your gas bottle to the regulator and turn it on. 


You will then need to pressurise the system by screwing in the regulator. About 10 pounds of pressure will be enough to show you any leaks if they are present.  


Then spray everything with some foaming sanitizer (mixed with water). Spray all the connections between the bottle and the keg. Try to avoid spraying the regulator too much because you don't want to damage it. 


The main areas of concern are where connections are to the reg, one way valve (if installed) on both liquid and gas posts on the keg and both of the disconnects.


You should also check the pressure relief valves on the reg and the kegs. 


What you are looking for is ‘bubbling’. Bubbles are a sign of a gas leak. 


If there was any bubbling coming out where you’ve sprayed the sanitiser solution, then we know, that's where our leak is and that's where we have to sort it out. 


Now turn the gas bottle off and wind our regulator out, then depressurise it,  crack the system on the reg then tighten it back up.


Tighten any connections where you found leaks. 


If using push fits, give them time to pressurise up so that you can be confident they hold the pressure. They are mechanical and mechanical things fail from time to time so do this regularly make sure nothing has degraded over time.


Then you want to go through that process again to make sure you have fixed any leaks.

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