opinions on my list of intro keg gear list to buy

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mwhc22

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SO I have been scouring the homebrew equipment sales sites for a few days now in search of some quality components to start my kegging operation with. Here is what I have come up with so far. If anyone has any input on any of these items or on the company that is selling them feel free to critique as i am not set on these items since some of you may know something that I don't.


From MicroMatic...

- metal housed 2 gauge co2 regulator - $52.95
http://www.micromatic.com/draft-keg-beer/regulators-pid-642.html
the classic series looks good too though any one have experience with them? http://www.micromatic.com/draft-keg-beer/regulators-pid-342.html

-#5 aluminum co2 tank - $56.95
http://www.micromatic.com/draft-keg-beer/gas-cylinders-pid-430A-5E.html
I am also trying to find a local beergas supplier to see if they sell anything locally for cheap. I may be able to get a hold of a used one from them that is bigger if i can find one.

the hoses and fitting i will order from whoever i buy my regulator or tank from and put them together myself.

What does everyone think?:mug:
 
I got the 2 keg setup through kegconnection.com, and I've been happy with it. You might save a little by picking up various parts from different stores, but probably not enough to make it worthwhile imho. Plus, the shipping costs will be more. I suggest that you look at kegconnection. They are on ebay too, and you can save a little more that way. Whatever way you go, you will love kegging and never look back.
 
I was going to price it out the same way but kegconnection has the cornies packaged in as well so I'm really thinking about going that route.
 
I got the 2 keg setup through kegconnection.com, and I've been happy with it. You might save a little by picking up various parts from different stores, but probably not enough to make it worthwhile imho. Plus, the shipping costs will be more. I suggest that you look at kegconnection. They are on ebay too, and you can save a little more that way. Whatever way you go, you will love kegging and never look back.

well so far im looking at getting everything from micromatic...so the shipping costs will be equivalent to any other site... im more concerned about long term durability and quality than saving money. obviously i want to go as low on the dollar count as i can... but im willing to spend more if it means i get better gear. :rockin:
 
I was going to price it out the same way but kegconnection has the cornies packaged in as well so I'm really thinking about going that route.
yeah i also thought about that... but i just ordered a 4 pack of cornys from CHI company that should be here today :rockin: so im not so sure i care about getting anymore just yet.
 
The classic series would be fine, it just isn't as pretty, and you need a screwdriver to adjust the pressure.
 
The classic series would be fine, it just isn't as pretty, and you need a screwdriver to adjust the pressure.

do you think there is any real advantage between the two other than the screwdriver vs. knob?

the premium looks nicer since it is all metal exterior. i assume that it would be more durable in the long run because of that. but i have only used retail equipment in the past when i worked in a bar or restaurant. so im not sure how these compare to the commercial ones.
 
The 2 gauge regulator is a waste of money IMHO. All you need to know is the pressure in the corny keg. The pressure of your gas cylinder bears no relation whatsoever to how much gas you have in the tank, until one day when it suddenly goes from 500 PSI to 0 PSI, then you know it's empty. So you can save yourself $10 or so there. I would save the money and put it toward a spare tank instead.
 
You'll need some sort of splitter if you are going to hook up more than 1 keg for either of those. If you are, then I'd suggestion this http://www.micromatic.com/draft-keg-beer/regulators-pid-342-2.html
Adjusting the pressure with a driver/coin is not a big deal.

right now i plan on just one keg at a time for at least the next year. no keezer building or anything. one 5 gal corny will fit in my fridge if i take out the shelves on one side. If i decide to do more kegs ill prolly just buy a whole new set up and use the one im purchasing now to build something portable or sell it to a friend or something.
 
do you think there is any real advantage between the two other than the screwdriver vs. knob?

the premium looks nicer since it is all metal exterior. i assume that it would be more durable in the long run because of that. but i have only used retail equipment in the past when i worked in a bar or restaurant. so im not sure how these compare to the commercial ones.

The classic ones are all metal too, in fact they are almost exactly the same, minus the knob. The classic even has a stainless valve seat compared to the nickel plated brass in the "premium" version. Really it is all looks.
 
The classic ones are all metal too, in fact they are almost exactly the same, minus the knob. The classic even has a stainless valve seat compared to the nickel plated brass in the "premium" version. Really it is all looks.

hmmmm... in that case i think ill just save $10 and get the classic one. i like stainless stuff. its not like i need a knob to adjust pressure every 10 seconds anyway.
 
The 2 gauge regulator is a waste of money IMHO. All you need to know is the pressure in the corny keg. The pressure of your gas cylinder bears no relation whatsoever to how much gas you have in the tank, until one day when it suddenly goes from 500 PSI to 0 PSI, then you know it's empty. So you can save yourself $10 or so there. I would save the money and put it toward a spare tank instead.

I don't keg and I don't have a CO2 tank, but what you are saying is certainly not true of my C25 welding gas cylinder (75% Argon / 25% CO2). Pressure doesn't go from 500 PSI to 0 all of a sudden. Where did you get this idea?
 
I don't keg and I don't have a CO2 tank, but what you are saying is certainly not true of my C25 welding gas cylinder (75% Argon / 25% CO2). Pressure doesn't go from 500 PSI to 0 all of a sudden. Where did you get this idea?

It happens to me, too, all the time. I think it's because the co2 is a liquid and I keep it in the fridge so it reads lower anyway. One minute it's at 500 psi (for like four months) and then next, boom, empty.
 
I don't keg and I don't have a CO2 tank, but what you are saying is certainly not true of my C25 welding gas cylinder (75% Argon / 25% CO2). Pressure doesn't go from 500 PSI to 0 all of a sudden. Where did you get this idea?

You are admitting you don't keg, and you don't have a CO2 tank.

But you seem to be saying I don't know what I'm talking about because of your experience with something vastly different! :confused:

You could have phrased your question a little more diplomatically.

First hand experience, which was also confirmed by many others with the exact same experience is where I got the idea ! :)
 
just for clarification... im getting a 2 gauge because thats what im used to using at places i have worked. i don't really care if it isn't completely accurate near empty or not. I can at least have a general idea from it so i know if i will need to fill it up before heavy usage or not.
 
You are admitting you don't keg, and you don't have a CO2 tank.

But you seem to be saying I don't know what I'm talking about because of your experience with something vastly different! :confused:

You could have phrased your question a little more diplomatically.

First hand experience, which was also confirmed by many others with the exact same experience is where I got the idea ! :)

I apologize for my lack of diplomacy.
 
Remember that despite getting a nice new shiny CO2 bottle looks nice when you fill it you may get an exchange unless you want them to specifically fill yours every time which could be a hassle. I have a steel cylinder that doesn't look the greatest but I don't care when I do an exchange.
 
Remember that despite getting a nice new shiny CO2 bottle looks nice when you fill it you may get an exchange unless you want them to specifically fill yours every time which could be a hassle. I have a steel cylinder that doesn't look the greatest but I don't care when I do an exchange.

i was thinking about this as well. im going to try a beer gas supplier or 2 in the area that i found... to see if i can just pay a tank deposit and then just exchange each time i need to... and then when i really want to buy my own ill just get my deposit back. :ban:
 
As a general rule the deposit = the purchase price. It's not like beer kegs where the deposit is considerably less than the actual cost.

Way back you could rent tanks for less than the purchase price but that doesn't seem to be the case any longer. Although I'm sure there are exceptions to every rule.

FYI: I don't care what your purchasing decision is. I'm just trying to help you and others that might read this thread with similar questions make informed buying decisions, with the info that I wish I had know before I bought my dual gauge reg. Whether or not you use the info to save yourself a few $ is completely up to you.
 
No apology necessary. I put the smiley face at the end to let you know I was laughing about it.

Thanks!

I came across another source that agrees with you on this. It is explained in this excerpt from An Introduction to the Cornelius Keg System:

The second gauge on the two-gauge regulator is the tank pressure gauge. This gauge is mistakenly thought to read the amount of pressure that remains in the tank. However, CO2 maintains the same tank pressure whether it contains 20 pounds of CO2 or 1 pound. It will, however, forewarn you of the impending loss of CO2 by a rapid drop in pressure as the last of the liquid CO2 is exhausted. The remain CO2 gas in the tank can be sufficient to dispense a large portion of a 5 gallon batch if a leak is not the culprit.

I've been studying kegging. I've decided to go ahead and do it and get away from bottling 10 gallons at a time.
 
No apology necessary. I put the smiley face at the end to let you know I was laughing about it.

Just to add another observation about the dual gage regulator:

I'm new to kegging and have just emptied my first tank recently. I did not notice this sudden drop in pressure. It dropped slow enough to give me plenty of warning. I keep it out of the fridge so it was at 700-800 psi originally so maybe it was more noticeable than it being in the fridge at ~500 psi?
 
Just to add another observation about the dual gage regulator:

I'm new to kegging and have just emptied my first tank recently. I did not notice this sudden drop in pressure. It dropped slow enough to give me plenty of warning. I keep it out of the fridge so it was at 700-800 psi originally so maybe it was more noticeable than it being in the fridge at ~500 psi?

yeah i never had this random pressure drop that people speak of either. i have prolly gone through like 11ty CO2 tanks with all the beer i have poured over the years. plus i have never seen a bar or restaurant not have a 2 gauge...so why should i be any different in my house.
 
I went cheap on my regs(A.S.S. $5.75ea perlichs) then soldered an old penny into the screwdriver slot. Now I have knobs that only added .03 to my reg bank.
thats my 3 cents.
LuLz... i was thinking about making a wooden slotted knob or something that i could glue penny into to fit in the pressure screw head. :ban:
 
Woot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! my liquid out ball lock/ picnic tap set up arrived today...along with some tap handle threaded inserts so i can made some hand made tap handles.

co2 tank and regulator with connects and hoses should arrive tomorrow :rockin:
 
got my tank and regulator etc today... now i gotta get my tank filled and get a few hose clamps from the hardware store and im in kegging business!!!! :rockin:
 
Just picked up 4 kegs here locally and ordered my tank and other items from micromatic as well. I was very happy with their customer service prior to my order and I'm looking forward to doing business with them in the future.
 
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