Bad gas

[Dave Warner]

Regulator that is...

I had a 20 psi propane regulator develop a leak after only a few brews. It's one like this:
http://www.bayouclassicdepot.com/m5hpr1 ... ulator.htm

The leak developed right between the plastic attachment and the regulator. Anyone have this problem and know if it's user error? If it's just a bad/cheap part and needs replacement, where do you get your high pressure regulators? Eliot's hardware sells a $30 variable pressure regulator. I'm not certain the regulator is bad, but I'm not sure if it's safe to try and replace the part.

[Guerra]

The leak developed right between the plastic attachment and the regulator.

Dave, when you say "plastic attachment" do you mean the plastic part shown in the "Type-1 fitting" shown below? Is the leak where the 1/4" end of the brass fitting is screwed into the regulator?? If it is, I bet is has become loose, have you tried tighening it? Often when you screw the regulator into a propane tank and then try to rotate the regulator you sometimes untighten the type-1 fitting from the regulator body. I would try to tighten it first and then check for leaks.. Or simply unscrew it completly from the regulator body, remove the old teflon tape, re-tape it and install again. Check for leaks. If no leaks, you are done.

Or is the leak comming from the "regulator body". If it is comming from the regulator body, then you need to change the regulator.

If it's just a bad/cheap part and needs replacement, where do you get your high pressure regulators?

I bought my regulator from: http://www.cajunshoppe.com/pageidx.htm I can not give them a 100% recommendation because they did not help me when I had issues w/ a regulator I purchased from them. But some of the stuff they carry you can not find anywhere else, so I will most likely do business w/ them again.

I'm not certain the regulator is bad, but I'm not sure if it's safe to try and replace the part.

If the leak is not comming from the regulator body, then the regulator should be ok. I have change a few of them out before, just carefully check for leaks once you are done.

[Dave Warner]

Thanks Orlando!

Yeah, it's coming from the rubber gasket on the Type 1 fitting that you have pictured. The threaded ends seem to be leak free coming to and from the regulator.

I'll check over the part again and if I can't seem to resolve the problem, I'll try and order a couple of those fittings. Thanks for the help.