Add scondary regulators?

I have a question that may be as simple as I think it might be, but not wanting to have an explosion, I am going to ask it.

I am in the process of upgrading my kegerator from two taps to four. The first step in this is expanding the CO2 regulator. I currently have a three gauge set up and I want to add two more secondaries. Is this as easy as getting a 2" copper nipple from HD/L's and teflon taping the threads? Or is there some special high-priced and high-pressure alloy nipple that I need to use that is only available from McMaster-Carr?

I am almost embarrassed to be asking this, but for all I know, this could result in catastrophic failure and the death of a kegerator.

the one from hd/l's is right thread only... look at your regulators, and I bet some of them at least are left thread. I had to get a special but not expensive left to right thread nipple from
Co2 & Nitrogen Regulators & Parts

part number 55496-4

you have to call during the week to order, and shipping was about $7, so getting two or three would make it more bearable. The person that takes the order could help you if you had any questions such as needing a left to left thread. Other than that, teflon tape and you are good to go. I might recomend some kind of co2 leak check on everything when you are done

Ah, yes! The old left-hand thread trick! Thanks for the link.
As far as testing goes, soapy water or StarSan?

High_Noonan said:

I am in the process of upgrading my kegerator from two taps to four. The first step in this is expanding the CO2 regulator. I currently have a three gauge set up and I want to add two more secondaries.

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Until you provide some more information, I would ignore all responses, since they will have made many assumptions that may not be true.

There are primary and secondary regulators. A primary regulator is made to take tank pressure (~1500psi). A secondary regulator is made to take a reduced pressure (~200psi, or less) from the low pressure side of a primary regulator. The fact that one reg comes downstream of another does not make it a secondary. It is common to daisy chain primary regulators together through the tank pressure pass through port. These ports would be connected by a left hand thread nipple (both ends). These are, or used to be, available at HD.

Normally, left hand thread is for primary/high pressure, and right hand is for secondary/low pressure. However, depending on the reg, it could have right hand and be a primary. Secondaries will (virtually) never have left hand thread.

Unless you really understand what the reg input specs are, you should never use a right to left adapter. You would more than likely be feeding 1500psi to a reg not designed to handle that input pressure.

If you haven't ordered your new regs yet, getting true secondaries might be worth looking into. A big advantage to secondary regs is less pressure on the input side which allows the use of common hose to go to a remotely placed primary reg and tank. There are many other advantages as well.

Info needed:
How many actual regulators do you currently have? (3 gauge set up means nothing)
What type of regulators do you have- primary or secondary? (the max input pressure should be on the reg somewhere)

Have this:


Want this:

just curious, but are you really going to be running 4 different pressures? Most 4 tap situations can be handled with 2 pressures. Most of the time when people are running more than 2 its to have higher pressure available for soda or force carbing. The most cost friendly way of upping to four taps is simple y's on your current system to split off more hoses.

Yup. Understood.
I can get into all kinds of shenanigans this way.
I'd rather have the increased flexibility even with the increased cost.

If you haven't ordered your new regs yet, getting true secondaries might be worth looking into. A big advantage to secondary regs is less pressure on the input side which allows the use of common hose to go to a remotely placed primary reg and tank. There are many other advantages as well.

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one advantage being that if you do have a leak, it will be a LOT smaller and waste much less gas if a 50psi line is leaking, vs a 1200psi line.

i agree with CWI that its better to run one primary (high pressure) regulator, and then if you need more controls, just branch off the low-pressure side of that one and put it into another regulator. it does the exact same thing but you avoid exposing yourself to additional high pressure connections.

i have one primary regulator set at 40psi coming off my tank. it Tees off from there and goes to one ball lock for when i need high pressure, and also to a string of secondary regulators which reduce it furthur to various working pressures. the great thing about regulators is that they will supply any output pressure, up to the pressure that is supplying it. so a regulator designed for tank pressure (1200psi) will work just the same when fed only 40psi (so long as you dont need more than that).

Plus looks super cool

More regs is better. Keep your minimalist views to yourself. Overkill all the way.

More than likely the nipples between those regs are LH 1/4" NPT. They should have them at HD, or at a local plumbing supply.

Just unscrew the HP gauge, or the tank fitting (Righty loosey), and add the other regs with the nipple(s). A quick look at the exposed threads will confirm what handedness they are.

If you haven't bought them yet, you could start down the true secondary path. They are usually the same price. You would have to "burn" one as a primary, or set one to whatever you force carb and seat corny lids with (~30psi), and use that as the input to the secondaries.

audger said:

i have one primary regulator set at 40psi coming off my tank. it Tees off from there and goes to one ball lock for when i need high pressure, and also to a string of secondary regulators which reduce it furthur to various working pressures. the great thing about regulators is that they will supply any output pressure, up to the pressure that is supplying it. so a regulator designed for tank pressure (1200psi) will work just the same when fed only 40psi (so long as you dont need more than that).

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You can get away with using a "primary" reg as a "secondary", but it is best to get a true secondary. The secondaries have a different input orifice/valve designed for LP. Most just have a larger orifice for passing more gas since the input pressure is so much lower. If you use a primary as a secondary, you may not get enough gas flow to keep up with the demand.

RE: secondary input pressure, the general rule is to supply twice the pressure you want to output. The regs are more accurate when they have some differential, and it also helps with maintaining adequate flows. The most common primary is a high pressure "soda" reg that goes to ~125psi. That lets you force a soda at 60psi, if you want. 60psi is also as high as you want to put into most homebrew equipment.

cwi said:

More regs is better. Keep your minimalist views to yourself. Overkill all the way.

More than likely the nipples between those regs are LH 1/4" NPT. They should have them at HD, or at a local plumbing supply.

Just unscrew the HP gauge, or the tank fitting (Righty loosey), and add the other regs with the nipple(s). A quick look at the exposed threads will confirm what handedness they are.

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This.

I fully understand that this could be a hot topic. I am just looking to keep it as simple as possible. Should the nipple be copper or brass? Plumbing is not my favorite field of study.

High_Noonan said:

This.

I fully understand that this could be a hot topic. I am just looking to keep it as simple as possible. Should the nipple be copper or brass? Plumbing is not my favorite field of study.

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It is all trade-offs. The simplicity with the secondaries comes with only having to seal ~100psi vs. 1500psi, and being able to run a cheap hose to the reg bank. Do you plan to have the 4 reg bank hanging directly off the tank? If you are, make sure you have the tank solidly mounted or strapped.

All nipples at HD will be brass. The only other option would be to order from a beverage supply and get either stainless or chromed brass. A plumbing supply will have brass as well, and possibly chromed brass.

Going off memory for the 1/4" NPT. You should probably take the reg, or the gauge or tank adapter, with you. You will want to use teflon tape or pipe dope on the threads.

I built a frame of sorts out of 1x3 and dadoed the joints to keep the space used to a minimum. I can fit four Cornys and the CO2 in the kegerator without much room to spare. I'll be mounting the regs to this frame on the back wall of the fridge.

I appreciate the help on this. Amazing how quickly simple stuff can get complex on you if you don't keep an eye on the details!

High_Noonan said:

I built a frame of sorts out of 1x3 and dadoed the joints to keep the space used to a minimum. I can fit four Cornys and the CO2 in the kegerator without much room to spare. I'll be mounting the regs to this frame on the back wall of the fridge.

I appreciate the help on this. Amazing how quickly simple stuff can get complex on you if you don't keep an eye on the details!

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That will work as long as you have your same bottle filled, and don't to the quick swap/exchange. Every bottle has a slightly different valve height. Any stress/leverage between the reg bank and bottle can create a leak, especially at the tank. I sometimes have issues getting the tank to seal even with one reg and a new washer.

If space is that tight, there is no reason the tank and regs have to be on the inside, but most people seem to like it that way.