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I have just kegged my beer and connected the regulator to the CO2 supply. I turn it on and I get no pressure. On my regulator the needle has moved up to the top of the "buy more" zone, but on the other gauge there is no pressure.

I bought this CO2 under the auspices that it was full, and I want to make sure that I am doing everything correctly before I fire off a call/email to the supplier.

EDIT

here is a picture

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4 Answers 4

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I can't say for certain what you're looking for without seeing a picture of your regulator, but there should be some sort of knob or screw on your regulator that you'll need to turn. When you turn that, it should open up the flow from the regulator to the tank, and you'll see the pressure on the second gauge go up.

Editing some of the info from my comments into the answer: That screw in the center is what you are looking for. You'll want to tighten that, and that should start increasing the pressure on the other gauge. You may have to use a wrench or screwdriver to turn it to get it opening up. You will also have to turn the shutoff valve at the base of the regulator (the one with the little red handle) so it is in line with the tubing to open up the flow of CO2 from the output of the regulator to the tank.

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  • So, I added a picture. I've tried various positions of the valve feeding my gas hose. There's a screw coming out of the black part of the regulator junction. I loosened it hand-loose. Tightened it hand tight. Nothing.
    – swasheck
    May 10, 2012 at 1:58
  • Ok, so you definitely have co2 in the tank (unless that gauge is broken somehow), and that screw in the middle is what you're looking for. Have you tried tightening it with a wrench/screwdriver? My roommate has a regulator like this, but it has a bar on the end to help you turn it by hand. It never felt particularly hard to turn, but the bar may have made it deceptively easy.
    – fire.eagle
    May 10, 2012 at 2:14
  • I will add that if you feel uncomfortable with this, then don't do it. You are working with things under pressure; much safer to talk to the manufacturer than to do something that feels wrong.
    – fire.eagle
    May 10, 2012 at 2:16
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    This should really have been a comment asking for a picture before speculating what the cause might be.
    – mdma
    May 10, 2012 at 6:29
  • It wasn't that much speculation; he was detailed enough that I could tell that the regulator wasn't opened. He said that there was pressure from the tank, but no pressure on the line. Unless the regulator's broken, which a picture won't necessiarally show us, turning the valve's going to be the answer. I just couldn't say whether the valve on his regulator was a screw, knob, or t-shaped thing, as they vary between systems. I suppose I failed to communicate that it would be in the middle of the regulator in the first post, but it apparently got the right message across.
    – fire.eagle
    May 10, 2012 at 13:17
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You need to open the check valve. Little red lever near the bottom. Turn it so it's parallel to the hose. Once you've done that, adjust the main valve (in the centre of the regulator) until the pressure reading shown on the right-hand dial is at around 10psi.

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  • sound advice. also be sure the quick disconnect is pushed firmly into the gas in post on the keg. if it's not all the way in, no gas will flow.
    – mdma
    May 10, 2012 at 6:31
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    Pressure should show on the "out" side regardless of the check valve's state, unless it's open to the atmosphere on the other end (and sometimes even then).
    – baka
    May 10, 2012 at 15:09
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swasheck have you solved the problem yet? Is the regulator used? I wonder if something has traveled back, up the gas line and into the regulator at some point (used regulator). I'm trying to tell from your picture if your's has a little screw on the front in the middle or a giant chrome "nut" that would take a very large wrench. I use different types of gas regulators at work all the time. My experience with the "giant chrome nut" style is that if they aren't adjusted regularly the nut becomes hard to turn. You may need to gently use a large pair of pliers (or the proper sized wrench if you have it) to turn the nut. Clockwise to increase the pressure, Counter clock wise to decrease. Procedure: Turn cylinder tank valve on (counter clock wise turn). Left hand gauge (with "order gas" on the face) will show pressure. Slowly attempt to turn the giant chrome nut in the center of the regulator (or turn the screw if it is that type) clockwise to increase pressure to the line. When the knob (nut or screw) travels deep enough into the regulator you will see pressure register on the second gauge with or without the ball valve open (valve with little red handle). You may not hear the sound of gas if the ball valve is closed, however it will register on the gauge either way. You may also consider that the gauge could be broken, check to see if you can hear or feel gas coming out of the line once you have opened up the main valve (chrome nut of screw). Don't be afraid to turn the main adjustment valve a lot. 70% of the travel on that valve does nothing (closed position). It's only the last 30% of the screw that will actually allow gas to flow. You can turn the main valve all the way clockwise until it stops. If you still have no gas, there's something wrong with the regulator. Once you hear gas, keep the pressure around 10 PSI as mentioned above.

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I ran into the same issue this week. The problem is that the gas disconnect (ball or pin lock) has been pressurized without being on a keg. This pushes the poppet in the gas disconnect closed on the gas supply side. When you push you gas side ball lock onto the keg the pin in the gas fitting will push the poppet on the keg side down but there is no flow of CO2. To fix this issue you need to discharge the pressure between the regulator and the gas disconnect. Turn off the CO2 at the tank, discharge the pressure in the gas line between the keg and the gas (pull the pressure relief on the CO2 gauge or remove and replace the gas disconnect if you have a shutoff valve make sure it is open). Put the gas disconnect onto the keg 1st, open your shutoff valve, open the tank value, set your pressure.

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