Another Paintball Beer Dispenser/Carbing Setup

I was inspired by this thread here:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/another-paintball-co2-tank-adapter-question-220064/

So I made an instructable here: http://www.instructables.com/id/Paintball-Regulator-Beer-Dispenser-1/

And decided to share it with you all here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/another-paintball-beer-dispenser-carbing-setup-238862/


I play for the scenario paintball team Pub Crawling (http://www.pubcrawling.org ). I've been playing paintball for 19 years and during that time I even owned a paintball store and indoor field. As such I have a lot of extra air fittings, parts and pieces laying around. Perfect to build a regulator system for another favorite pass time of mine, beer.

Parts:
Planet Eclipse Inline High Pressure Reg (free part)
Planet Eclipse OOPS (free part)
ASA adapter (free part)
Generic Air Compressor regulator ($14.99)
1/8" NPT Close nipple ($0.75)
1/8" NPT x 1" Nipple ($1.10)
2x 1/4"x1/8" NPT Bushings ($2.02ea)
1/8" NPT to hose barb (free because I used a male quick disconnect)
Worm Hose clamp ($0.15
Co2 distribution hose ($0.11/foot I also use this for beer dispensing)
Paintball Co2 Tank (free part)

Total Cost: $21.03 not including co2 distribution hose

Here is the completed setup:



Here are all of the parts and tools used:



Here is the primary regulator setup:



Here is the secondary regulator setup:



Here are the regulators hooked together:



The only added thing this really could use is a check valve and perhaps an on/off. But that could just as easily be added at the co2 distribution block. An on/off to fully isolate the co2 gas line from the reg would also be a nice possible addition.

Almost all of the paintball specific parts were from Planet Eclipse (http://www.planeteclipse.com). These were all spare parts that I had, to source them out individually would cost much more than a dedicated beer regulator and one of those CGA to ASA adapters for paintball tanks.

Nice set up!

I have a question... was the paintball tank you used new or used?

I dug out my old paintball equip and was going to do something similar but read that there may have been oil put into the CO2 tank or it could have leaked in somehow.

Since you also seem to be pretty knowledgable about paintball ...is there anyway to tell if oil was leaked into the CO2 canister? Or do some paintball places add oil to the CO2?

If you did use a used tank were there any off flavors/head rentention problems?

How long does your (i think) 20oz CO2 last?

Thanks!

I think you might need to build a "cage" to protect that, or some drunk will snap it off.

That is a 20oz tank and is old, probably 5-6 years or so. Paintball Co2 tanks don't have or get oil put in them from either the manufacturer or via the bulk filling. They get filled off from the same bulk fill tanks that Airgas or any other air distributor uses for home brewed beer. My local airgas distributor showed me where and how they fill the tanks and there is absolutely no difference. I used to own a paintball store and would go through about three 75lb co2 tanks a month with him.

Years ago oil was used in the small 12gram co2 cartridges used in air rifles and stock class paintball guns. This oil was primarily for oiling the internal actions of air rifles and had no real effect on paintball equipment. I do not know if this is still currently the trend.

One of those 20oz tanks carbed 4 kegs without issue. I was not able to serve all four kegs without needing to refill the co2. I have two 20oz tanks and one 2lb tank. The nice thing about paintball tanks is that they have no hydro requirement for any tank under 2" in diameter and I can get them filled at any Dick's Sporting Goods or local paintball store of my choice for about $3. Or I bring the tanks with me when I go to paintball events and get them filled for free.

Cpt Kirk (interesting note I met the real Captain Kirk at a paintball event), people who are falling down drunk don't get to have more alcohol. Thus they don't get to be near the kegs. I'd run longer distribution hose before I would build a cage. Though I did build a holder so the whole setup could run side saddle on a keg.

Thanks for the info Jeepninja!

Can you safely use a new CO2 tank, usually used for paintball guns, to dispense
beer from a mini home kegger? I have room for a 9oz CO2 tank, but I wasn't sure, the CO2 gas for a paintball gun was the same CO2 used for Beer Kegs.

Jeepninja said:

Generic Air Compressor regulator ($14.99)

Click to expand...

I don't think that regulator is rated for the PSI of a CO2 tank.

AnOldUR said:

I don't think that regulator is rated for the PSI of a CO2 tank.

Click to expand...

I agree however this thread is mega old.


Sbernson you can use a paintball co2 tank. They make an adapter you can use to hook it up to a standard c02 regulator. http://www.homebrewing.org/The-Adapter-CO2-regulator-to-Paintball-Tank-Adapter_p_1122.html

AnOldUR said:

I don't think that regulator is rated for the PSI of a CO2 tank.

Click to expand...

Correct, it isnt. Which is why you use a high pressure regulator in conjunction with the air compressor regulator. Like the pictures and instructions show.

Sbernson said:

Can you safely use a new CO2 tank, usually used for paintball guns, to dispense
beer from a mini home kegger? I have room for a 9oz CO2 tank, but I wasn't sure, the CO2 gas for a paintball gun was the same CO2 used for Beer Kegs.

Click to expand...

Paintball Co2 and beer Co2 come from the same tanks/source. So its as safe as any metal container holding 1000+psi of compressed gas can be.

Toga said:

I agree however this thread is mega old.

Click to expand...

Still one of my favorites though!