Carbonating keg before cold

So the directions say to chill the beer in the keg before adding the CO2. Does it really matter?

No, just let it sit at the pressure level you're looking for at the desired temp. It's all about the C02 volume you'll get with the proper PSI @a specific temp.

If you put the C02 @ 10PSI when it's warm, the regulator will keep it @ 10PSI while the temp of the beer and C02 drop. This means that the regulator will continually push in extra C02 until you reach your desired temps.

Use this chart as an example:
http://www.kegerators.com/carbonation-table.php

If you're goal is to have 2.3 C02 volumes @36 degrees F, then set your fridge/kegerator to 36 degrees and put the C02 regulator to 8PSI. The regulator will keep the C02 @ 8 PSI while the temp drops and you'll eventually reach your volume goal.

Also, I'd suggest leaving this alone for at least 2-3 weeks before testing.

2-3 weeks
I was hoping to start drinking within a week

I start drinking at 4 or 5 days with my kegging system.

I hit it with 30psi and shake it a bit, then watch some TV or play a video game for an hour while rolling it under my foot (all at room temp). Then I put it in the kegerator for 4 hours, and start drinking. Granted I have only done this once, but it worked excellent!

The method HappyDrunk describes works just fine if you are in a hurry and want to drink this weekend. It isn't perfect and not what I do most the time. But I've done it in a pinch before. You'll probably lose a couple pints blowing foam but not a serious amount. You'll also be unsure of the exact amount of CO2 in solution, but you'll have a drinkable beer.

Yeah, I did have a first pint of all foam! I wonder if I could have fixed that by turning the PSI down to serving pressure (~12PSI) and then bleeding the excess off? Either way, I think it came out excellent, and me, a couple of friends, and my fiance are almost done with it in 5 days! Everyone loved the beer too.

Yes, you can do it earlier. However, check out this thread for specifics on all of this talk:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/keg-force-carbing-methods-illustrated-73328/

John_FL said:

The method HappyDrunk describes works just fine if you are in a hurry and want to drink this weekend. It isn't perfect and not what I do most the time. But I've done it in a pinch before. You'll probably lose a couple pints blowing foam but not a serious amount. You'll also be unsure of the exact amount of CO2 in solution, but you'll have a drinkable beer.

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I too sometimes have to have a carbonated beer in a pinch.

What I like to do is put the beer to the desired temp and PSI level. Then I shake for a very long time (10 minutes straight).

Next, I let it sit for about an hour and do this again (another 10 minutes or so).

Repeat about 5 or 6 times in a single day and you'll be pretty close to the C02 volume you're looking for.

It's a much larger pain in the ass, but gets you pretty close to your volume while making sure you don't overcarb the thing.

Of course, the important part to this is keeping the keg cold between your shaking sessions. In addition, make sure to disconnect the kegs from the c02 line while you're shaking.

I've done it in a week, starting at fermenting temp. I did 1.5 days at 30 psi, 3 days at 20 and then set to "normal" PSI (my case it was 12)

put it in the keezer, pump that puppy up to 40-50 lbs/psi, 12 hours(6 if you cold crashed) check and usually good. Make sure you check for gas leaks every time you do this or you night use #5 OF Co2 before you check(guess how I know this?). I am drinking a beer that I kegged at 8am today, and the only shaking I plan to do today is for my girlfriend tonight
pete

Well I do German wheat beers, which should be around 3.5, so according to the chart i'm getting right where I should be. Obviously it depends on the type and desired level of carbonation.