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Leak & Pressure Testing

KL30670 | KL07429 | KL10870 | KL07443 | KL07436 | Leak & Pressure Testing

Pressure Decay Test

If there is a leak in the system or you suspect that the regulator is leaking, the best way to confirm this is a Pressure Decay Test.

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 the leak.

Method 1 - Pressure Decay Test

1

Connect System

Connect the regulator a CO2 cylinder that definitely has pressure - this can be confirmed by weight.

2

Isolate the regulator

(MK5 Regulator) Shut the ball valve to prevent gas escaping from the regulator

(MK4 Regulator) Insert a short length of 8mm EVABarrier terminated with a duotight Disconnect, or plug the KL06880 FFL fitting with an 8mm duotight plug.

3

Set Pressure

Set the pressure on the CO2 regulator to 50psi, or at least 15psi less than the rated pressure of the installed PRV if using a different rated PRV.

4

Turn CO2 cylinder valve off

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

5

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 ~50psi) 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.

If leaks are detected then proceed to a Detergent Bubble Test to locate the leask

Note: It is not unusual to see small pressure drops or variance. This is caused by ambient temperature changes or minimal cross talk which =is normal in most pressure systems like this

Method 2 - Detergent Bubble Test

1

Connect System

Connect the regulator a CO2 cylinder that definitely has pressure - this can be confirmed by weight.

2

Isolate the regulator

(MK5 Regulator) Shut the ball valve to prevent gas escaping from the regulator

(MK4 Regulator) Insert a short length of 8mm EVABarrier terminated with a duotight Disconnect, or plug the KL06880 FFL fitting with an 8mm duotight plug.

3

Set the pressure

Set the pressure on the CO2 regulator to 50psi, or at least 15psi less than the rated pressure of the installed PRV if using a different rated PRV. The higher the pressure, the easier it is to locate any leaks.

4

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.

Check the joins for the high and the low-pressure gauages, the join for the outlet and inlet of the regulator and (MK4 only) the FFL duotight fitting as these can be cracked if over-tightened.

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

5

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 there is a leak in the system, but the regulator is not leaking as determined by a Pressure Decay 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 - typically a kegging system (kegerator or glycol 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 at least 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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