Help on 2 alternatives for prepping keg for transport

Hi all,

Really appreciate all the help I’ve gotten here and I’m hoping you can settle 1 final debate I’m having over my move to kegging. Basically I will be racking to my keg and then transporting the keg to another location 40 minutes away where my kegerator/CO2 is located. So the dilemma is how to prep the keg for the drive in the simplest/easiest way possible given that my CO2 tank/regulator will be at the other location. Here are the 2 options I’m mulling:

1) Get a compact injector like this (http://www.midwestsupplies.com/compact-co2-injector-only.html) . I would fill the keg carefully to avoid oxidation and then purge the headspace with the injector. My concerns here are around stories I’ve hear of these things exploding (especially since this isn’t really the intended use of these things) and reports that you’re supposed to use the entire cartridge once you’ve attached it to the keg whereas I’d only need a few bursts

2) Get a 12 oz paintball tank and cheap regulator. Downside is that it’s more expensive; upside is that it gives me more control and possibly safer/easier; and I could purge the entire keg of CO2 before filling since I’d have the bigger tank (maybe I could do this with the compact injector; not entirely sure)

I’d love to hear peoples’ thoughts, especially if you have experience with the compact injectors

Easiest option:

RDWHAHB, you're overcomplicating things. I've been in your shoes before, and posted here for advice, and that was the general consensus.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/transporting-recently-filled-keg-345618/

I had a 2 hour drive. What I ended up doing was just filling the keg as normal, then leaving it for a little while I cleaned up, etc. By the time it was ready to go in the car, there was already a bit of pressure in the headspace from the CO2 coming out of solution. I pulled the pin and released the gas. After loading it into the car and jostling it a little bit, I got another good hiss from the pin. Periodically during the drive I'd pull the pin, the gas would just keep coming out.

So in conclusion:
1) RDWHAHB, the amount of oxidation isn't really a big deal unless you want to age the keg for a long long time.
2) If you vent the keg periodically, chances are most of the air will be pushed out by CO2

and,

3) If you're really really worried about it, I would just naturally carb the keg. That way the yeast would eat up the O2.

Buying extra equipment seems a bit silly IMO.

I would just rack to your keg like normal and not worry too much about oxidation. Obviously the less headspace in the keg the better. That or just strap your Carboy into a seat belt and go for it! I've done both.

I have two of the injectors (I bought one and then my wife bought one as a gift for me a few weeks later). It would work fine for your application. You would use the whole cartridge: hit it with a burst, purge, hit it again, etc., until it's used up (it won't take long, 4-5 bursts). Don't just lay on the trigger and try to empty the whole thing at once, and don't pull the trigger without the disconnect on the keg, and you won't have any trouble with the thing. At all.

That being said, I agree with some of the others. I believe you're overthinking it: rack to the keg and go about your way. Unless the keg is less than half full, I can't imagine you having a problem with oxidation.