4 tap keezer-CO2 regulator questions

So I'm building a 4 tap keezer. Have the perlicks, freezer, building materials, etc. I'm turning my attention to CO2. I have 5lb CO2 tank and a double gauge regulator (cant remember the brand. has a blue body and came from a Danby kegerator I believe). I know I definitely don't want just a 4-way manifold. I think that the ability to have three different pressures would be best, but I could be convinced to go for 2 or 4. So, taking into account what I already have, how should I do it? Buy two more primary regulators and link together? Buy three secondary regulators? 1000 pts to whoever plans this out for me in such a way that is reasonably cost effective, but not of cheap quality.

Thanks!

What about this guy?

http://www.chicompany.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=375_20_313_327&products_id=2641

I went with a 4 way in the fridge and then a splitter off the tank outside the fridge. This way I can purge/carb outside. I suggest the Micromatic. I went a slightly cheaper route but wished I didn't.

http://www.beveragefactory.com/draftbeer/regulator/secondary/premium_4_product_secondary_co2_beer_regulator.shtml

I'm also a newb, planning my first keezer. Help me out here, why would I need different serving pressures for each keg? Aren't most kegs going to be fine if served at 12-15psi? Does the small amount of control offered by multiple regs justify the additional $200+?

here is a good price on one

4 way secondary..

once we get an upright freezer for foodstuffs i plan on "retiring" my chest freezer just for this

hoffsta said:

I'm also a newb, planning my first keezer. Help me out here, why would I need different serving pressures for each keg? Aren't most kegs going to be fine if served at 12-15psi? Does the small amount of control offered by multiple regs justify the additional $200+?

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Yes, most are fine at 10-14 PSI, (or 12-15 PSI, depending on fridge temp). F

Multiple reg justification depends on what you drink. If you like Milds, (at 1.5 volumes), APAs and IPAs (at 2.4 volumes) and Belgians (at close to 3.5 volumes), and soda (at over 4 volumes), then you want multiple regs to have the correct carbonation in all.

If you mostly drink pale ales of one type or another, (like me), and don't mind if the occasional stout you have on tap is slightly overcarbed for style, (like me), then you don't need a crap ton of regs.

OP, I don't see why you need FOUR secondary regs. Unless I'm mistaken, a "secondary" reg is just a primary reg without a high pressure valve. You can easily gang four primary regs together with a couple of 2" x 1/4" pipe nipples from the hardware store. Buy this, pull off the barbed fitting, attach your pipe nipples, and you are good to go.

hoffsta said:

I'm also a newb, planning my first keezer. Help me out here, why would I need different serving pressures for each keg? Aren't most kegs going to be fine if served at 12-15psi? Does the small amount of control offered by multiple regs justify the additional $200+?

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Other than serving pressure differences, it's also handy to be able to jack up one pressure to carb (yes I know this isn't the best practice) while leaving the others unaffected. Another good thing is that if you at least have a manifold with check valves, you won't pull beer back into your gas lines.

You don't NEED multiple regulators or even lines. You can just move one gas line around when you need it. But then again, you don't NEED to keg either. For me a 4- way regulator was worth the investment.

I have a single reg with a 4 way manifold. It works great for me as I'm just starting out and on a budget. I plan to get a secondary reg body from kegconnection for under $40 so that I can serve Belgians or stouts at the proper co2 volume. A four way is most likely overkill unless you have a mild, IPA, Belgian and soda going at the same time. Might as well get a 2 body reg with 2 way splitters for each. Serve 4 brews at 2 different pressures.

This thread is very helpful as I contemplate my own Keezer build...(...But it looks dormant since 2011!!!)
Does anyone have any photos they can share specifically of the work/set-up they have for the manifolds...and how they have their gas systems plumbed?
The 4 way manifold with gauges is certainly expensive...(..esp. after getting stainless Intertaps) but I also like the idea of being able to gas one beer up a little more than others if it is looking a little under-carbed...

Gauges on manifolds? Who does that? Or are you mixing ganged regulators with manifolds?

If you have a single body regulator and four kegs, the typical (but least flexible) way to go is a 1:4 manifold.

Now, bear with me on this pic, it was taken to illustrate the benefit of leak-testing as much of a gas system as possible to avoid headache and gas expense in the future. The point of providing it is it shows a full-blown four port manifold with gas drops to keg connectors (ball locks, in this case) and an input line that would connect to your regulator.



The manifold shut-off valves (with integrated ball-and-spring checks) provide a bit of assurance when a gas drop isn't plugged on a keg, but a more daring sort could fabricate a similar gas beam sans valves and rely on the keg connectors to seal themselves. Bad juju, imo.

Anyway, you can see the parts needed (save for the regulator) to hook four kegs to a single pressure source...

Cheers!

[ps: there were four different types of leaks on that assembly]

Thanks, Day! I appreciate you taking the time to post it...
And a good reminder to check ALL connections...
But what if you want to gas up a new keg before tapping?
I've seen these... But I'm trying not to break the bank all in a day of collecting components...


Am I mixing my terminology here? Sorry...this is my first foray... Just realized that is very possible...
If so...which do you recommend to not have a back flow of beer into lines...and also consider gassing up a new keg...or different style...at a different pressure?

Thanks for any input!

That's a secondary regulator they are very nice to have, they cost more and take up more space but allow you to control each keg's pressure individually were the manifold will allow 1 pressure setting

if you are just doing an extra to gas up a keg, you can a dual regulator off of the tank, then do you manifold off of one side (like post #10) and then do a single hose off of the other side for carbing. That would be the cheapest way to be able to carb/serve at the same time

I have the one @Maidenhead posted. I wasnt aware of the size of this thing. It barely fits in my kegerator. It is nice to be able to force carb a keg and have another keg at serving pressure. I have to figure a way to hang it because it's too heavy on the plastic inside of the kegerator.

Anybody using these?
https://govreg.us/shop?olsPage=products/xn-gov-reghomebrew-starter-kit-z0a3770w

I ordered the kit and am waiting for it to arrive. It seems like a less cumbersome way than multiple secondary regulators for my 4-tap keezer build.

There is a short thread on that regulator somewhere on HBT but I'm not having any luck finding it.
The up side is the compactness, the down side is having to buy the adjusting tool to set the pressure - and not having a convenient way to monitor the pressure(s).

Multiple regulators would help amortize the cost of the tool; I don't see a cost win below at least three regulators. But, otoh, if space is uber critical the extra cost could be rationalized...

Cheers!

I finally went with the bigger secondary regulator. It IS a beast. I screwed it down to the inside of my wood collar. Tried to get a pic...