why do i need a co2 manifold?

just curious. my old kegerator i had three kegs in it, and all i did was use stainless steel "T" fittings, to split the one co2 line from the tank to the three kegs. i used that for quite awhile, and never had any issues. now my new set up will have five kegs, and i'm thinking of doing the same. i can't understand why i would shell out big bucks for a five way co2 manifold, when i can just use these stainless steel "T" fittings instead. i know that the mainifolds have a sort of check valve, but i also don't understand why i would ever need those. i can't think of any way that beer would ever get into my co2 lines, unless i accidentally hooked up the co2 fitting into the beer post, and even then, i can't understand how it could happen, since with the co2 always on, it's always pushing pressure into the keg, and not pulling.

It's not like you have to, but when you use a manifold, you generally are getting a separate shut-off/checkvalve for each line.

You had damn well better have at least one checkvalve just after your regulator, or you will be sorry.

Henry Hill said:

It's not like you have to, but when you use a manifold, you generally are getting a separate shut-off/checkvalve for each line.

You had damn well better have at least one checkvalve just after your regulator, or you will be sorry.

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thank you. not trying to be a smart@ss, i really don't understand what you mean though about i better have at least one check valve though. why would i be sorry? i don't understand they dynamics i guess enough to figure out what i'd be sorry for? i had a three keg set up with just T fittings, and no check valve, and ran tons of beers through that set up for a couple years, and never had anything to be sorry about.

chainsawbrewing - I have thought the same thing. I have four kegs and only one hook-up. Been using that and one party tap until I can pony up more cash for the last of my kegging supplies. I basically need 3 more sets of disconnects and either the tees or manifold.

Henry is right though... you absolutely need at least one ballvalve/check in place to protect the regulator and to have a shut-off. Beer in the regulator will fark it up royally.

I commonly use the shut-off to adjust the regulator, by that I mean, I close it then adjust it down and reopen. With it closed you can lower the pressure and watch the gauge drop. The other way, with it open, you lower it pressure-wise and it seems to only drop as you vent the keg or dispense the beer.

Thats one benefit other than protection of the regulator. Another might be preventing gas loss. The disconnects might leak if they are NOT attached to keg. Also, if you have one particular keg over pressurized you can kill the gas and vent it slightly without having to pop off the disconnect.

There might be other benefits. Tees and hose are cheap whereas the manifold is not. I'm guessing the biggest is convenience for killing the gas.

chainsawbrewing said:

thank you. not trying to be a smart@ss, i really don't understand what you mean though about i better have at least one check valve though. why would i be sorry? i don't understand they dynamics i guess enough to figure out what i'd be sorry for? i had a three keg set up with just T fittings, and no check valve, and ran tons of beers through that set up for a couple years, and never had anything to be sorry about.

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You are assuming that the gas is always higher pressure upstream and the gas is never going to run out.

With out a checkvalve before the reg, as tank pressure falls below the keg's pressure, then liquid can climb up the gas line and FILL your regulator with sticky beer. THEN you would understand.

Some regs will self vent as you manually lower pressure-mine does. This will not prevent it from filling with beer, however.

If someone were to put a keg into your system even 1/2 psi higher internal pressure, the beer would flow upstream to your reg, and or into your other kegs. The separate checkvalves prevent mixing from one keg to another through the gas line, and provide a way to isolate one line from the system in case of an issue or maintenance/repair to the effected line.

Why not just install an inline check valve into the t system though? I haven't loooked but I don't see them being more than just a couple bucks each.

dataz722 said:

Why not just install an inline check valve into the t system though? I haven't loooked but I don't see them being more than just a couple bucks each.

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A smart thing would to have a check on each disconnect. (Like a standard design feature) HH brings up a good point about maintenance and need to avoid mixing beers via the gas line.

Think about a beer that you have at a party that was forced carbed at 12psi. Let sit outside for 12 hours and if its not emptied it might be in the 20 psi range. Come home, messed up, attach the gas hose to the beer out, wa-la, beer in your gas line.

I have gotten cider in my gas line merely by tipping the keg when moving it about with the line attached and the gas was off. OOPS!!!

Henry Hill said:

You are assuming that the gas is always higher pressure upstream and the gas is never going to run out.

With out a checkvalve before the reg, as tank pressure falls below the keg's pressure, then liquid can climb up the gas line and FILL your regulator with sticky beer. THEN you would understand.

Some regs will self vent as you manually lower pressure-mine does. This will not prevent it from filling with beer, however.

If someone were to put a keg into your system even 1/2 psi higher internal pressure, the beer would flow upstream to your reg, and or into your other kegs. The separate checkvalves prevent mixing from one keg to another through the gas line, and provide a way to isolate one line from the system in case of an issue or maintenance/repair to the effected line.

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thanks. that does help me understand it a bit more. the thing i'm still stuck on though, is how can beer jump up into the air, and go into the inside of the post of the co2 side of the keg? are my kegs unlike other kegs, where that they don't have a dip tube like the beer side post? understand what i mean there? i just don't understand how it's even possible for liquid of any kind, from it's height of say for example, six inches below the tiny metal piece at the bottom of the co2 post, to jump up six inches into the air, and go inside of that post, and then into the co2 line. maybe others fill their kegs up so full that the top of the beer goes all the way up to the very top of the keg and the bottom of the co2 post is submerged in beer? please understand, i'm not trying to be argumentave, and i'll probably put one check valve between my first T and the co2 regulator, i'm just really having trouble understanding how it's possible for the beer to jump up in the air like that, regardless of the pressure.

chainsawbrewing said:

thanks. that does help me understand it a bit more. the thing i'm still stuck on though, is how can beer jump up into the air, and go into the inside of the post of the co2 side of the keg? are my kegs unlike other kegs, where that they don't have a dip tube like the beer side post? understand what i mean there? i just don't understand how it's even possible for liquid of any kind, from it's height of say for example, six inches below the tiny metal piece at the bottom of the co2 post, to jump up six inches into the air, and go inside of that post, and then into the co2 line. maybe others fill their kegs up so full that the top of the beer goes all the way up to the very top of the keg and the bottom of the co2 post is submerged in beer? please understand, i'm not trying to be argumentave, and i'll probably put one check valve between my first T and the co2 regulator, i'm just really having trouble understanding how it's possible for the beer to jump up in the air like that, regardless of the pressure.

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I tipped a keg inside my fridge with gas line attached and the gas off. Yes the keg was full. I was wiggling it around to get at another keg in the back. It happens either being a bit buzzed or in a hurry.