Pressure barrel leak

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Ajhutch

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I'd be grateful for the advice of regular barrel users. I don't use mine all that much and most recently it seemed to have developed a leak. It had had a bitter in it for several months before I started drinking it. This may have been too long albeit the first few pints that came off seemed reasonably carbonated, allowing for the fact I hadn't primed it to be very carbonated (sadly I can't remember the exact priming rate). After a few pints in quick succession it was slowing so I used a bulb of CO2. When screwing it in, gas and a bit of beer spray came out of the base of the cartridge thread where it attaches to the cap itself. It was very definitely at the base of the thread and not from the thread itself (like if I hadn't been screwing it on quickly enough). I've drawn a crude arrow on a picture to try and illustrate what I'm talking about.

I'm trying to establish if my cap has a leak or if this is normal.

401b253858910fadc3a80562885f8d04.jpg



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Are you sure it's from the black rubber o-ring (bad) and not the rubber pressure-release band (good) very slightly above it?
 
Acknowledging the fact I wasn't expecting it so wasn't looking super closely I'm as sure as I can be that it was between black band and black cap, and not between black band and brass thread.
 
The pressure relief rubber can perish quite quickly and it will manifest its poor condition by releasing gas when there is a sudden influx of CO2 from a capsule.

I would buy a replacement ASAP ...

... and while your at it you may as well renew the one that lets the CO2 into the barrel.

They are about a quid each! (Ouch!)
 

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