Shut-Off Valves and Integral Check Valves

For the guys that are choosing their equipment suppliers:

I received all the equipment I needed for a twin faucet kegerator and a single gas outlet keg system for the shop, and have set-up everything-just waiting on Corny's. Ordered the Classic reg. from Micromatic-two guage, 'Y', and shut-offs. After assembling everything, I'm looking over all the stuff, and I get a funny feeling, so I look back on Micromatics CO2 page and find that they offer 2 different shut-offs one with a check valve and one without-and this happens to be the one they supply with the Classic series regulators (mine). They don't MENTION that the shut-offs do not have check valves on the regulator page, nor did they make sure I knew at order time.

http://www.micromatic.com/draft-keg-beer/regulators-cid-614.html

Here is the accessories page where the info about the classic series regulators have only shut-offs, no check valves.

http://www.micromatic.com/draft-keg-beer/regulators-cid-47.html

Calling them confirmed my suspicion about the lack of check valves, and they just happen to NOT stock an inline check valve- you are supposed to buy the OTHER shut-off for 8.95 ea.-extra. The Customer Service guy gave me a lecture about Sankes having check-valves and only home kegging systems need check valves inline. The guy I ordered from knew it was a home system, but neglected to enlighten me of the regs. lack of check valves. I need 3, having one reg. with a 'Y' and one reg. with a single outlet (even though I plan on only using it for Sanke kegs, I'm adding an inline check valve to it now!). I now am looking for a place that has a brass (or at least metal) 1/4"male NPT upstream, and a female 1/4"NPT downstream, or I guess I will hafta use a coupling to attach the shut-offs, if all I can find are ones with 1/4"male NPT at both ends.

Anybody happen to have seen where to get a standalone check valve with this thread configuration?

It sounds like that's one of the ways they get the price of the classic down but it doesn't make sense. The premium version of the same config is only THREE DOLLARS MORE. Question. Why did you get the classic?

My reg from Micro Matic is one of their "premium" ones with the Y splitter. It only had plain ball valves with barbs, but I knew this when I bought it. I picked up two ball valves w/ inline check valves and flare fittings instead of barbs at Northern Brewer to replace the stock valves. I wanted flare fittings, so I knew I'd have to replace them regardless.

Go down to shutoff valves on this page:
http://www.northernbrewer.com/gas-handling.html

Buford,
Ordered valves with checks from brewersdiscount.com, since I hadn't seen my Corny's, I had to check with them anyway. Numerous dings on my account to square up on kegging equipment and basic other bills left the order for the Corny's hanging. $7.75 ea. for valves with checks, 2 basic black handles to get me going until I step up to green granite ones later (which were mistakenly left off the initial order), the 4 Corny's I thought were coming, and I should see it all by Sat.-they ship priority mail in a whatever-you-can-fit-in-the-box, for a set price.

Bobby- I figured I didn't need to bling my CO2 regs. I went mid-grade...Seeing that the upscale version doesn't come with checks either, I would just go thru somebody else, if/when I do it again. Funny how hindsight is 20/20....thanks for your help.

I have a spare chest freezer; huge style, that may yet see itself converted to a garage based Corny-tizer. I may be able to use the check-less valves there...

Fortunately though, aside from your issues, I hear micromatic is the Cadillac of regs.

UPDATE:

Got the (3) integral check-valve shutoff valves for my Cornelius regulators from brewersdiscount, as Micromatic had told me that the reg I bought from them did not contain checks. The new shut-offs came with a 1/4" barb rather than the 3/8" that I expected, similar to the original ones.

NOTE: the different size barb fittings have a dedicated sized seal that bears on the ball, with a specific size for each size of barb. I.E. the barb fitting and seal are an integral part of the ball valve body, and not just a screw in addition.

Seeing that the bodies appeared to be the same brand (from Taiwan), I decided to just unscrew the barb fitting from the check/shutoff body and just swap the barb fittings, as the gas hose was already mounted and clamped to the larger barbs. I pulled each barb fitting apart to find that the original shut-offs WERE integral check valved. WTF? Oh well, that's what I wanted in the first place, but I'm still confused and so, APPARENTLY is Micromatic. These were the Cornelius type regulators, the middle grade.

I simply put the original shut-off back together and will use the new 1/4" barbed shut-offs (with check valves) on a manifold or something else in the future.

Might look at http://soda-dispensers.com/ for beer parts & soda fountain dispensing parts.