Coupler check valve and pressure inside keg

[rcvx]

Cheers. I am currently force-carbonating my first keg of ale (20L), and after around 10 days I would like to have an accurate view of how much pressure is inside the keg (at 5ºC), just to make sure I have reached my carbonation goal. I read and saw videos of brewers simply shutting the main (high pressure) CO2 valve and letting the supposed pressure inside the keg show up in the low pressure regulator. However, considering my coupler (S system) has the rubber gas-in check valve in it, designed to prevent gas and pressure from leaving the keg, how does that even work? Should I therefore remove the check valve and plug everything back to see what the pressure in the keg really is, or what am I not seeing here? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

[F00b4r]

A spunding valve would allow you to check but you would need an accurate one and most are not. Is probably easier to relax and just see how it pours after the 10 days as it will probably now be in equilibrium with the pressure you set or very close to it. You may find that it is actually a few PSI lower than set as check valves usually require a few PSI to open them, although I am not 100% sure that is true of the ones on couplers.

 

[simon12]

The valve is basically a 1 way valve so if the keg pressure is higher than the line feeding it it can't get out so you can't read the pressure on your regulator and removing it will allow you to measure the keg pressure.

 

[Druncan]

I got this; https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ball-Loc...hash=item56ca93b2d0:m:mE6dngc8aLBLJl_XAQW4PMQ But now found this; https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Kegland-...611495?hash=item5d923fc5e7:g:lWwAAOSwDUZc5oBT -Looks a better gauge as mine is only 1 bar.

 

[F00b4r]

I got this; https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ball-Loc...hash=item56ca93b2d0:m:mE6dngc8aLBLJl_XAQW4PMQ But now found this; https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Kegland-...611495?hash=item5d923fc5e7:g:lWwAAOSwDUZc5oBT -Looks a better gauge as mine is only 1 bar.

The Kegland one is diaphragm based too so won't just get stuck open like the first one which is poppet based.

 

[rcvx]

Thank you very much everyone for answering. I poured the beer last night and it was maybe slightly less carbonated than I wanted, just like F00b4r pointed out, but delicious still. I am removing the check valve next time I am force carbonating the keg. Lesson learned.

 

[F00b4r]

Thank you very much everyone for answering. I poured the beer last night and it was maybe slightly less carbonated than I wanted, just like F00b4r pointed out, but delicious still. I am removing the check valve next time I am force carbonating the keg. Lesson learned.

Don't remove the check valve as it is there for a reason (to stop beer getting in your regulator), just add another 3PSI.