Leak & Pressure Testing

Series X Plus User Guide | Leak & Pressure Testing

Important

Performing a CO2 leak test is important to ensure that your system will hold pressure and that there are no leaks in any connections in the system.

If there are any leaks this can result in the CO2 cylinder becoming empty in a short period.

Initial pressure testing can be performed in two different ways. If leaks are detected an Isolation Test can help determine the location of he leak.

Method 1 - Pressure Decay Test

1

Connect System

Attach all disconnects to an empty keg. If there is liquid in the keg this will give a poor reading as CO2 will become absorbed into solution

2

Set Pressure

Set the pressure on the CO2 regulator to 20psi. Wait for the empty keg to fill with CO2 to 20psi to ensure the system is properly pressurised

3

Turn CO2 cylinder valve off

Once pressurised, turn the valve handle on the CO2 cylinder clockwise until the valve is turned off

4

Check Pressure

Wait for at least two hours then check the pressure reading on the right hand (low pressure) gauge of the regulator

If the pressure reading has not changed (so is still reading ~20psi) then there are no leaks in the system

If the pressure has dropped a noticeable amount then it is very likely there is a leak in the system. Use Method 2 - Detergent Bubble Test to locate the leak. Note: Even if this test is passed it is quite a good idea to perform this test in any case

Method 2 - Detergent Bubble Test

1

Connect System

Attach all disconnects to an empty keg. If there is liquid in the keg this will give a poor reading as CO2 will become absorbed into solution

2

Set Pressure

Set the pressure on the CO2 regulator to 40-50psi. Wait for the empty keg to fill with CO2 to ensure the system is properly pressurised. Note: We use a higher pressure in order to make any leaks easier to detect. Ensure there is no beer in the keg as it may become over-carbonated

3

Check For Leaks

Using a soapy water solution (washing up liquid and water is perfect for this) in a spry bottle or simply dabbed on, check for leaks at all connections. The soapy water spray will slowly bubble if there are any leaks.

Connections to check include:

• The connection between the CO2 cylinder and the regulator • All duotight connections including the 8mm x FFL duotight connected to the regulator, ball lock disconnects and keg coupler, the 6.5mm x 8mm duotight reducers connected to the short shanks and the 8mm duotight tee pieces • Around ball lock disconnects and keg couplers when they are connected to the keg • Around the lid of a Cornelius keg • Make sure to remove the ball lock disconnects from the posts of the ball lock keg and check the post itself for leaks

IMPORTANT: Do not spray any duotight fittings with StellarSan or phosphoric acid solution to perform a leak test.

4

Perform a Pressure Decay Test

Once any leaks have been located and fixed, perform another Pressure Decay Test to ensure that the system holds pressure

Isolation Test

If any CO2 leaks are detected, if can be helpful to perform an Isolation Test to determine where the leak is in the system

1

Connect System

Attach all disconnects to an empty keg. If there is liquid in the keg this will give a poor reading as CO2 will become absorbed into solution

2

Set Pressure

Set the pressure on the CO2 regulator to 20psi. Wait for the empty keg to fill with CO2 to 20psi to ensure the system is properly pressurised

3

Isolate System

Once the system is pressurised, isolate each part of the system.

  1. Turn valve of CO2 cylinder fully off.

  2. Fully unwind the (anti clockwise) the regulator knob

  3. Remove Gas Disconnect from the keg

  4. (If using) Remove Gas Disconnect from gas inlet of kegerator

  5. (If possible) Weigh the CO2 cylinder

  6. Wait at least 12 hours

4

Test System

After at least 12 hours, if there is a leak in the system we can determine roughly where the leak is after isolating

  1. If the weight of the CO2 cylinder has gone down noticeably, the cylinder possibly has a leak

  2. If the pressure on the regulator has gone down, the regulator, gas line or fittings may have a leak

  3. Test the keg(s) by pulling the PRV. If no CO2 is released then the keg may have a leak.

  4. Once the general location of the leak has been determined by isolation testing, perform a Detergent Bubble Test in order to locate the leak precisely.

NOTE: It is safe to submerge duotight fittings and EVABarrier in water when locating leaks. Regulators cannot be safely immersed

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