Chronic CO2 tank problems(with different tanks). What am I doing wrong.

[FeralBrewMinster]

Hello all,

I've been using CO2 tanks for sometime(5-6 months), but the last two tanks I've gotten my hands on(our Airgas store doesn't refill only swaps out) the o-ring fitting at the end has come off when I remove my regulator. I remove my regulator whenever I move my tank from home to office which is quite often as we have social events. I have found the star part online for $2.99, but i didnt know if there was a tool or a trick to press this O-ring back on with the brass ring or how I could avoid this happening in the future. The first time it happened I brought the tank in and the air gas store was confused so they just provided me a new one(very nice of them) well I used the new one once and took the regulator off to travel home and I was being extra careful... and welp... it popped off. So now i have a 95% full 20# tank that is unusable until i buy another part or find a way to fix it. So either I need advice on how to stop doing this, or I need a tool to fix it when it falls apart, and I have zero education on these tanks and what their parts are called.

 

[Minbari]

Is the "leak stopper" breaking? How tight do you put the reg on? It just needs to be snug

 

[FeralBrewMinster]

Is the "leak stopper" breaking? How tight do you put the reg on? It just needs to be snug

I am not sure what a "leak stopper is" I use an adjustable crescent and generally tighten it down... Too tight could cause this?

 

[GFHomebrew]

I am not sure what a "leak stopper is" I use an adjustable crescent and generally tighten it down... Too tight could cause this?

Yeah I'd but the brass washer on first then the rubber O-ring.
Tighten as you have been doing but hit it with some soapy water or starsan solution around the join to check for leaks.

My regulator has a nylon washer on it fixed in place inaide the female thread. Well you'd need a screwdriver to ply it off.

As you do up that nut it should seat down on that rubber O ring and provide the seal.

It sure is weird there is a brass washer in there that can just fall out if your unaware (that shoity engineering).

Now you should get yourself some Duotight push fittings then you just push the gas line in and free it from the regulator when you go mobile.

 

[Minbari]

I am not sure what a "leak stopper is" I use an adjustable crescent and generally tighten it down... Too tight could cause this?

CO2 Tank Leak Stopper - 3 Piece kit https://a.co/d/eoEYlXO

Was it something like this or was it always 2-3 pieces? Over tightening with a rubber oring could, yes.

 

[FeralBrewMinster]

CO2 Tank Leak Stopper - 3 Piece kit https://a.co/d/eoEYlXO

Was it something like this or was it always 2-3 pieces? Over tightening with a rubber oring could, yes.

Yes thats totally the piece, but somehow my larger komos regulator peels off the brass ring when i take off the regulator, even if i support the far end so there is no downward or twisting torque. But that is the identical piece, see how it says 3-piece, the rubber oring is one, the brass ring is the other and the center with the alan wrench fitting is the third, and somehow my komos keeps separating them.

 

[Minbari]

Yes thats totally the piece, but somehow my larger komos regulator peels off the brass ring when i take off the regulator, even if i support the far end so there is no downward or twisting torque. But that is the identical piece, see how it says 3-piece, the rubber oring is one, the brass ring is the other and the center with the alan wrench fitting is the third, and somehow my komos keeps separating them.

I guess the question is, do they go back together? Or is it broken at that point?

Maybe sand down the brass bit just a touch so it doesn't get stuck?

Maybe just get the hard fiber seals?

 

[Donoroto]

My tanks use a nylon(?) washer between the tank fitting and the regulator, instead of your 3-piece brass fitting. One side sits in the groove on the flat face if the tank fitting, the other side has tiny concentric rings that seal against the regulator flat face. The washer is almost 1/8" thick and mostly stays with the regulator. It comes out easily enough but doesn't fall out.

It is a hard clear-white plastic, maybe polypropylene, maybe nylon, not sure, and the home brew store gives them to me free. My experience is that it seals well, no leaks.

 

[GFHomebrew]

Hey how'd you go with this @FeralBrewMinster you fix your Gas leak?

 

[Limey]

It is a hard clear-white plastic, maybe polypropylene, maybe nylon, not sure, and the home brew store gives them to me free. My experience is that it seals well, no leaks.

Like these?

 

[Donoroto]

Like these?

Yes, seems to be.