Leaking post...

[yabodie]

On my keg!!!

OK, I was getting some kegs ready over the weekend for some mead and one of the kegs I was transferring star-san into started to hiss at the base of the gas in post when under pressure, right where the post meats the rubber top of the keg.

Is that anything I can do to plug that hole or is this keg destined to be a sanitizing vessel for tubing and a container for tap cleaning solutions?

I can't weld so no option there.

Thanks!

[Crut]

is it leaking through the actual metal? Or is it the post itself. Did you try tightening it?
If its a pinhole leak you may be able to have it welded at a welding shop for pretty cheap.

[DannyW]

Unscrew the post, pull out the dip tube, and check for the O-ring under the lip of the dip tube. If it is missing or damaged, replace it. Put a little keg lube on it regardless and see if that fixes it.

[yabodie]

I think it is a pinhole leak, but will double check everything else when I get home.

Any other suggestions?

[Crut]

mix up a little bit of dish soap and water and rub all around the post and base. This should pinpint where your leak is. It will bubble up where the leak is at. If it is a pinhole it can be welded fairly easily by a welding shop. Resist the urge to try to quik-fix it with JB weld or other epoxies.

[DannyW]

Any other suggestions?

Not until you take it apart and see what is going on.

Why do you suspect a pinhole in the metal? I've seen far more mangled, dry rotted, or missing o-rings than I've seen perforated kegs.

When you hear hoofbeats, expect to see a horse not a zebra.

[yabodie]

I am leaning towards a pin hole for a couple reasons. I tried to tightened the post when I saw the bubbles (a second use for star-san BTW) coming out of the area right next to the rubber at the base of the threaded portion of the post. Yet the bubbles still were coming. And I had rebuilt the keg as I had all the other ones, which do not leak. But it never hurts to take it all apart and try again. Will fill ya in tomorrow...

[Lars]

I've had a few off kegs that need 2 orings on the dip tube in order to seal. They look just like all the others... and work fine with the double orings, they just leak when I only use 1.

When these things were in service with the soda people they probably mixed all kinds of parts together when servicing the kegs. Now we're left with their sloppy seconds. Not that I'm complaining about it...