Co2 Keg charger. How do I use it?

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I bought the Copperhead Brand from walmart, something like $9 for 15 cartridges. They seem to work fine for me, they are filled with CO2 and no oil or anything.
 
I have one of the chargers and it works great. I've only had it for a little while and I use the specific co2 carts. that come with it. If the Copperhead brand ones work and don't contain oil I would get these.
 
Read the directions. Seems silly, but read them.

DO NOT attach the injector to a gas connection UNLESS the gas connection is actually on the keg. Otherwise, if you bump the trigger, the gas connection will EXPLODE.

I got a black fingernail and a nasty bruise on my leg finding that out. And, it is in the instructions.

Attach it to the keg, and just bump the trigger. Otherwise, it will raise the head pressure too high.

I would suggest taking it off the keg (and unscrewing it from the connector) after each CO2 injection. That trigger is simply too tempting, somebody will play with it.

I still use mine as a backup to the paintball bottle.

:mug:
 
Cpt_Kirks said:
Read the directions. Seems silly, but read them.

DO NOT attach the injector to a gas connection UNLESS the gas connection is actually on the keg. Otherwise, if you bump the trigger, the gas connection will EXPLODE.

I got a black fingernail and a nasty bruise on my leg finding that out. And, it is in the instructions.

Attach it to the keg, and just bump the trigger. Otherwise, it will raise the head pressure too high.

I would suggest taking it off the keg (and unscrewing it from the connector) after each CO2 injection. That trigger is simply too tempting, somebody will play with it.

I still use mine as a backup to the paintball bottle.

:mug:
Click to expand...

How do you keep the keg under pressure without having the gas connector attatched to the charger? i've been ignoring the instructions to save a few pennies.
 
FromZwolle said:
How do you keep the keg under pressure without having the gas connector attatched to the charger? i've been ignoring the instructions to save a few pennies.
Click to expand...

Once you remove the ball lock gas connector from the keg, the poppet value keeps the pressure in the keg.

:off:

"From Zwolle"? I lived in Steenwijk for a few years back in the 80's.
 
Cpt_Kirks said:
Once you remove the ball lock gas connector from the keg, the poppet value keeps the pressure in the keg.

:off:

"From Zwolle"? I lived in Steenwijk for a few years back in the 80's.
Click to expand...

the directions as i understood them: attatch the gas in to the poppet valve, then hook the charger up to that. Did i misread it. the gas valve would just bleed out all the gas in the keg before you hook the charger up.

And the "from" isn't direct(ancestry). Thats just what my last name means.
 
FromZwolle said:
the directions as i understood them: attatch the gas in to the poppet valve, then hook the charger up to that. Did i misread it. the gas valve would just bleed out all the gas in the keg before you hook the charger up.

And the "from" isn't direct(ancestry). Thats just what my last name means.
Click to expand...

You read correctly, if there is any pressure left, it will bleed off. Then you use the charger to repressurize. You have to be quick removing it.
 
Cpt_Kirks said:
You read correctly, if there is any pressure left, it will bleed off. Then you use the charger to repressurize. You have to be quick removing it.
Click to expand...

Ok, let me get this straight,
1) Attach the gas QD to the gas in post
2) Screw the charger onto the 1/4" gas in post
3) Tap the trigger
4) release the entire QD with the charger still attached
5) Unscrew the charger from the QD
6) Rinse, lather, and repeat



Does that sound about right? If not, which steps do I have wrong?

Thanks a lot,
J
 
HalfPint said:
Ok, let me get this straight,
1) Attach the gas QD to the gas in post
2) Screw the charger onto the 1/4" gas in post
3) Tap the trigger
4) release the entire QD with the charger still attached
5) Unscrew the charger from the QD
6) Rinse, lather, and repeat



Does that sound about right? If not, which steps do I have wrong?

Thanks a lot,
J
Click to expand...

Sounds right to me.
 
Cpt_Kirks said:
Sounds right to me.
Click to expand...

Awesome.

Well I bought one the other night from AHS. I decided to buy from there rather than Amazon b/c if you're going to pay for some shipping, why not get some grain with it. :rockin:

Thanks for the help Captain,
Jacob
 
I'm a little nervous in using this the first time. You guys recommend removing the QD and charger after each use, then unscrewing the charger from the gas QD. Won't that waste and expel the rest of the c02 in that cartridge?
 
idigg said:
I'm a little nervous in using this the first time. You guys recommend removing the QD and charger after each use, then unscrewing the charger from the gas QD. Won't that waste and expel the rest of the c02 in that cartridge?
Click to expand...

Not unless you remove the cartridge from the charger, or hold the trigger down.
 
I see, I was under the impression I was to hook-up the gas QD to keg (with trigger already on QD) then screw charger into QD/trigger. That is wrong right?

I should just hook-up the gas QD to the keg, then I can screw the charger into the trigger assembly? Then screw the gold 1/4" connector (charger/trigger) into the QD?

Is it safe to hit the trigger with just the charger/trigger hooked up with no QD? Basically expel c02 into the air as a test. The issue comes when you have the QD hooked up when its not on a keg and the QD explodes right? Thanks, just worried I will blow my face off LOL
 
idigg said:
I see, I was under the impression I was to hook-up the gas QD to keg (with trigger already on QD) then screw charger into QD/trigger. That is wrong right?

No, that is correct.

I should just hook-up the gas QD to the keg, then I can screw the charger into the trigger assembly? Then screw the gold 1/4" connector (charger/trigger) into the QD?

The cartridge can be put in the charger anytime. Just do not attach the charger to the gas QD UNLESS the QD is attached to the keg.

Is it safe to hit the trigger with just the charger/trigger hooked up with no QD? Basically expel c02 into the air as a test. The issue comes when you have the QD hooked up when its not on a keg and the QD explodes right? Thanks, just worried I will blow my face off LOL
Click to expand...

Yep. The QD will blow apart if you hit the trigger with the QD off the keg. There is no place for the CO2 to go. You can fire the charger off when it is not on the QD, but don't point it toward your face. The CO2 comes out under high pressure.
 
I just serve until it starts pouring too slow from the faucet, and then give it another quick shot. I've easily had 1 cartridge serve an entire 2.5 gallon. Some times a single cartridge can stretch to a full 5 gallon keg, sometimes you need a second one.
 
^

It's just that I can't grasp how much to pump in there, I have no way of knowing? Should I just pull the trigger twice? Would that be enough C02? Or should I squeeze it for 5 seconds, then stop?? I've just never used this stuff before. I've only bottled..
 
Pull the trigger once for one to two seconds and see how it affects your beer flow. You want enough in there that it flows good without blasting out of the faucet. Once you try it like that for a few times, you'll see it's easy to get a handle on. Towards the beginning of the keg it will be easier to over pressurize, but towards the end, it won't be as big of a deal.
 
Update. I got this thing working, a couple squirts and I was flowing fine, now as I'm a few pints down, I've still shot a little more gas in, but the beer is coming out with no decent head ? Should I pump several more shots in until I see head, or am I doing something wrong ?..........
 
The beer should have been carbed to a level to produce a decent head beforehand. The charger is only for serving. There's a difference between foaming from too much pressure and good head and lacing.
 
^

Yes, I let it carb 2 weeks, and the first 2 pints had a good head, but my most recent 2 pints had no head at all ??..........
 
Ok, this may or may not work, as I understand it, when I tapped the keg I may have already pumped the sugar/yeast residue from the bottom of the keg, Anyway I took it out the fridge in hopes it will warm back up in case it wasn't fully carbed..Any chance I still have some yeasties+sugar left to carb this thing ?
 
You only mention the head, how is the carbonation level? You also cant really expect this thing to retain carbonation unless you have a gage to know the pressure in the keg, its pretty much meant to replace a hand pump.
 
^

The first few pints were fine, now it's starting to taste a little flat, and I have at least 2 gallons left in there..... :(
 
The keg charger isnt meant to keep beer carbonated unfortunately unless you use a whole bunch of cartridges and have a pressure gage to see whats actually going on. Its meant for times when you are using the whole keg in one sitting or you will be connecting the beer back to a regular carbonation system.

If you want to keep it carbed I'd buy a 5lb or maybe a paintball tank if space is an issue and regulator, then you wont have to mess with priming sugar either.
 

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