Do You Have a Stand Alone CO2 Utility Station?

I am considering having a separate, utilitarian CO2 station for pressurizing, purging and various other duties so as to leave my serving cylinders only using gas to serve.

What does yours consist of? Obviously, multiple end tools are required, or do you use a manifold to branch off from?

Kinda-sorta. My CO2 is outside of the kegerator, so I've got the line split before the line enters the fridge and a disconnect set up for those duties (as well as to dispense Star-San from a spare keg).

Bird, you are using QD's on each tool's gas line to swap to different tasks?

I was wanting to steer away from male flare fittings that need to be wrenched; I hadn't thought about QD's...

I am REALLY leaning towards this idea for myself, but I have too many projects lined up right now as is

I want to get another bottle and regulator for this as well. My only tank is buried inside my kegerator and it's a pain to remove the kegs just to purge a new one for conditioning. The only thing stopping me is it's a fair bit of money (relatively speaking) and I've decided to go down the lagering road instead for now.

Henry Hill said:

I am considering having a separate, utilitarian CO2 station for pressurizing, purging and various other duties so as to leave my serving cylinders only using gas to serve.

What does yours consist of?

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I just have a spare tank & regulator, with a single gas fitting. Like you say, it's very handy for purging kegs, sealing keg lids and pressuring soda bottles with carb-caps when I want to bring a few liters of beer somewhere.

It's great not having to tamper with the regulator settings on my serving or carbing tanks.

Sortof....i've got a couple extra tanks, and several extra regulators. I just grab the one that has what i need.

I've also got some quick disconnects with an attachment to hook up to my air compressor for basic cleaning

I've got the same set-up as the_bird, but since my kegerator is in the living room and the rest of my brewing operation takes place in the basement, I've still been wishing I had a portable CO2 setup for purging, transfering, and carbing duties. But, like bradsul said, I don't want to spend the money on an additional tank and regulator.

My long-term plan is to incorporate a readily removable and transportable CO2 system on a fermentation cabinet, whenever it is I get to building one of those (so many projects!).

I have a 20# cylinder with this regulator. It's easy to adjust the pressure with the big knob.



Then at the end of the hose I have a 1/4" barbed FFL fitting like this.



It allows me to unscrew the gray Ball Lock Gas connector and connect it anything. Works pretty well for me.

I've got a 5# tank with a single line regulator that I keep in my storage/fermentation closet. I use it mostly to push Star San from keg to keg and to make sure anything conditioning is sealed well.

I also have a splitter on my 20# tank that is outside the kegerator that I use for sealing kegs and purging before racking. It also has a split with line qd that I can hoop my counter-pressue filler up to.

I have a fermentation area bottle that I use for purging cornies and such. I put a female air compressor tool style QD on the end of my hose and plug various things on like a ball lock connector, an air gun, or a schrader filler.

Henry Hill said:

Bird, you are using QD's on each tool's gas line to swap to different tasks?

I was wanting to steer away from male flare fittings that need to be wrenched; I hadn't thought about QD's...

Click to expand...

I do the same thing as the_bird. I have use pneumatic tool disconnects on mine.
edit: I didn't read Bobby_M's post. Looks like we do exactly the same thing!

I've been meaning to take some better pictures:



http://brewing.lustreking.com/gear/co2utility.html

My CO2 is outside the fridge and I have a plastic disconnect from McMaster on the outside. Part # 5923k44 for the female part with shut off ($6.47 or $1.65 if you go with the no shut off version) the corresponding male part is ~$1.50

I use the travel tank & regulator. Haven't had much need for anything but a gas connector.

One 20# rig sits upstairs and pushes beer out of my Sanyo.

The other is outside the keezer downstairs and has on extra long hose (the red one) coming off of the manifold for utility work.

If a new tank is too much for the moment, you could use one of those CO2 charger cartridges.

ClutchDude said:

If a new tank is too much for the moment, you could use one of those CO2 charger cartridges.

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Those are great for travel dispensing (I have one and love it) but you can't use it for things like keg purging and pushing sanitizer etc. WAY too expensive for that.