Increasing Pressure on the Low Gauge, Leaking Regulator?

[andygravity]

I just installed a 3-way manifold to my keg system last night. After hooking everything up, I had a problem with the low pressure gauge (keg side) reading increasing as soon as I opened the valve on the tank. This happens even if I have the regulator screw set to zero flow (all of the way counter-clockwise). Thinking this may, somehow, have something to do with the new manifold setup, I removed it and set up a single line from the regulator to a keg. Same problem. Does anyone know if this points to a leak within the regulator? I'm thinking this may be the case as the gauge is down-stream of the screw and it is reading pressure.

I haven't dis-assembled a regulator before (this one is only about a year and a half old). After searching, it sounds like there is a gasket that can wear out inside. Is this a pretty easy fix?

Thanks!

[captain carrot]

If the diaphragm (gasket?) was bad you'd have Co2 leaking to the outside of the regulator. It sounds like something may be sticking inside. Take it apart and check it out. Let us know.
Good Luck!

[Bugeater]

Regulators are easy to rebuild. Kits are available from places like Williams Brewing (a BN sponsor) for somewhere in the neighborhood of $15.

[CRBrewHound]

I agree, you probably have something under the regulator bladder that is allowing gas to link out of the regulator. As suggested take the regulator apart, just be carefull to not and digram how it goes together and clean it out really well.

[andygravity]

Thanks for the input. I haven't gotten a chance to take it apart yet, but it sounds like it isn't too difficult. Up to this point (for about the last week) I've been able to control the pressure relatively well using the valve on the tank and setting the screw on the regulator almost all of the way off. I'm not sure why this is working, but it seems to be.

[Bugeater]

You should be careful about trying to use the valve on the tank to control pressure. Those valves are designed to seal best in the fully on and fully off positions. Sometimes a tank will have a tendency to slowly leak if the valve is in between.

[andygravity]

Thanks for the tip bugeater. I'm still not sure why only opening the valve on the tank a little bit resulted in the ability to control the pressure. It seems to me it would just leak at a slower rate.

Anyway, I took the regulator apart to the point where I had to remove the bladder/seal. I hadn't gotten a new one yet, as I was just looking to take it apart to see if something simply wasn't sealing. I didn't want to tear the bladder, so I left it as is, and re-assembled the rest. It seems to be working ok now. Maybe something just got knocked a little out of alignment or something. If I have the problem again I will just order a rebuild kit.

Thanks for the help!