Dual Body Regulator?

I assume that a dual body three gauge regulator it is possible to have one keg at 30 psi and the other at 17 psi? Does it matter which one is set to the higher pressure? For example, does the upstream gauge have to be set to 30 psi and the downstream set to 17 psi?

One other general question. I was speaking with the owner of my lhbs yesterday and he was trying to talk me out of getting a dual body regulator. He said that the way he force carbonates is chill the keg to serving temperature, pressurize to serving pressure, bleed off O2, gently rock the keg back and forth until no more pressure goes into the keg, disconnect from the CO2, and allow to carbonate for 2 weeks. I always thought the keg was left connected to the CO2 so that any CO2 absorbed into solution would be replaced in the head space.

You don't NEED a dual body regulator. Only if you want to serve two beers at different pressures. I only have a single body regulator for my two kegs.

cincybrewer said:

You don't NEED a dual body regulator. Only if you want to serve two beers at different pressures. I only have a single body regulator for my two kegs.

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Using a single body regulator how do you force carb two kegs at the same time. I assume a manifold would work but only if they are carbonated at the same volumes. Right?

rack04 said:

Using a single body regulator how do you force carb two kegs at the same time. I assume a manifold would work but only if they are carbonated at the same volumes. Right?

Click to expand...

yes, a manifold will work. I have something similar to this, though not the same brand, it's a homemade version:

http://stores.kegconnection.com/Detail.bok?no=201

If you have the patience/time, the best way to force carb it to just set it at your serving pressure and give it a week. So if you are currently serving a beer at 12 psi and you want to force carb a newly kegged beer, just connect it to the regulator and let it sit for a week or so at 12 psi and it will be ready.

If you don't have the patience/time and you want to burst carb a keg while one is currently at serving pressure, just shut off the valve for the keg being served, crank up the PSI on the newly kegged beer to 20-30 PSI, remove the gas disconnect, and reset the regulator back to the serving PSI.

Hopefully that makes sense. It really isn't as hard as it sounds. I typically set to serving pressure and just wait a week, however, I follow my second method I noted to test the keg for leaks.

cincybrewer said:

yes, a manifold will work. I have something similar to this, though not the same brand, it's a homemade version:

http://stores.kegconnection.com/Detail.bok?no=201

If you have the patience/time, the best way to force carb it to just set it at your serving pressure and give it a week. So if you are currently serving a beer at 12 psi and you want to force carb a newly kegged beer, just connect it to the regulator and let it sit for a week or so at 12 psi and it will be ready.

If you don't have the patience/time and you want to burst carb a keg while one is currently at serving pressure, just shut off the valve for the keg being served, crank up the PSI on the newly kegged beer to 20-30 PSI, remove the gas disconnect, and reset the regulator back to the serving PSI.

Hopefully that makes sense. It really isn't as hard as it sounds. I typically set to serving pressure and just wait a week, however, I follow my second method I noted to test the keg for leaks.

Click to expand...

I do have patience/time and will probably be using the "set and forget" method. It sounds like I would need a dual body regulator using this force cabonation method if more than 1 keg is in the kegerator at a time.

rack04 said:

Using a single body regulator how do you force carb two kegs at the same time. I assume a manifold would work but only if they are carbonated at the same volumes. Right?

Click to expand...

rack04 said:

I do have patience/time and will probably be using the "set and forget" method. It sounds like I would need a dual body regulator using this force cabonation method if more than 1 keg is in the kegerator at a time.

Click to expand...

No, you don't need a dual body regulator to carb more than 1 keg. Only if you're setting them at different pressures, say 17 psi for a wheat beer, and 8 psi for a stout. I keep almost all of my beers at 12 psi for my system, but if you want to do soda you need one regulator set at 30 psi.

Right now, I have four kegs on my one regulator at 12 psi. I have a WYE and a four-way distributor, so I can have 5 kegs at the same psi. When I put a new keg in, I just give it a blast to seat the lid, and then put it in the kegerator with the others. In a week or so, it's carbed nicely.

I do like two regulators, though, for the reason I mentioned. Soda, or a more highly carbed beer, or if you want to hurry a keg through carbing up. You can set one regulator at 12 psi and the other at 30 psi if you want. It's not necessary but it's nice!

As far as carbing up, you can put the gas on and shake it up but that seems to be hit or miss and can be an issue. It's easier to just stick it in the kegerator for a week at the correct pressure.

rack04 said:

I do have patience/time and will probably be using the "set and forget" method. It sounds like I would need a dual body regulator using this force cabonation method if more than 1 keg is in the kegerator at a time.

Click to expand...

As Yooper stated, no, you don't need a dual body for what it sounds like you want to do, which is just serve two beers from a kegerator. The key word is need. A dual body is nice and allows you to serve at two different pressures, but it isn't required. I have a single body for a two keg kegerator and it works perfectly fine for me. It's just up to you on how much you want to spend and what you'd like to use it for.

It doesn't matter which order they are set in, (the upstream one can be either 30 PSI or 17 PSI, no big deal). The way these regs work is the horizontal connections are at tank pressure, (that's why the high pressure gauge on the side reads tank pressure), and the vertical connections are at regulated pressure. So Reg #1 will pass full tank pressure on to reg #2, regardless of what Reg #1 is set at.

And your LHBS guy is doing it wrong. Putting it at serving PSI and rocking is no big deal...you can't overcarb the beer if you always have your regs set at your desired carbonation PSI....but disconnecting it after rocking it will mean it won't carbonate up...not enough headspace in the keg. You need it connected the entire time.

I have a daul body, mostly because i wanted to be able to carb a beer or two while serving another, also because of soda being a higher pressure. looking back i didn't absolutly need it, it was a nice upgrade.