CO2 Tank to Regulator Extension?

[YeastFarmer]

I recently bought a second hand dual tap kegerator. I have a 5lb tank (with regulator attached) which easily fits inside the kegerator with the two 5 gallon corny kegs. I just found a fantastic deal on a 20lb CO2 tank. Obviously this tank won't fit in the kegerator. Now, there is a hole in the back where you could feed a hose through. However, this hole isn't big enough for both gas hoses (1 for each keg).

How does this setup usually work? Is there a way to attach a hose to the tank, feed it inside the kegerator, and then attach to the regulator inside the kegerator? I'm sure there is, but I don't know what I need. I'm very new to brewing and I'm learning as I go. Also, this would be my first kegging. Any help or even better, product links would be greatly appreciated.

 

[camonick]

It would have to be a special hose rated for high pressure. You could install the bottle with regulator attached on the outside and run a single hose through the hole to a manifold inside.

 

[camonick]

Like this—

 

[sibelman]

More expensive than @camonick 's excellent manifold idea: primary regulator outside, two-body secondary regulator mounted inside the kegerator, allowing different pressures for the two kegs. My four body secondary is mounted inside my kegerator door.

 

[YeastFarmer]

My regulator does have a splitter on it for two kegs, but its all at the same pressure.

 

[YeastFarmer]

After more extensive Google searches, looks like this may also be a solution. A single hose ($35). I'm always curious for the cheaper solution when possible.

 

[day_trippr]

Note that the high pressure hose still only gets you one pressure - unless that regulator gets replaced by a dual body type, and then you have to find a way to secure same without benefit of a bottle.

Most styles of homebrew will be happy to be carbonated to roughly 2.5 "volumes of CO2" - the metric we use when describing carbonation levels. Unless you're already planning on brewing styles that either want to be carbonated to a higher level (lets say some types of wheat beers, saisons, and the like, that enjoy being carb'ed up to 3 to 3.5 volumes) or styles that want to be closer to still (cask ale?) at least at the beginning you could likely get away feeding a single line from regulator to a 1:2 gas beam inside as suggested by member @camonick...

Cheers!

 

[camonick]

After more extensive Google searches, looks like this may also be a solution. A single hose ($35). I'm always curious for the cheaper solution when possible.

View attachment 816802

That will work IF either end fits through the hole in your kegerator’s wall.

 

[YeastFarmer]

That will work IF either end fits through the hole in your kegerator’s wall.

Excellent point, I didn’t even consider that.

 

[camonick]

It’s hard to tell from the photo, but it appears that could be a threaded joint at the tank nut.

 

[day_trippr]

You're on the mark. This is the high pressure transfer hose I use from my CO2 siphon tank to my three 5 pounders.

The CGA320 connectors at both ends are screwed into the basic braided hose via threaded terminations sporting 9/16 hex sections. Measured across point-to-point it would slip through a 5/8" diameter hole. So you unscrew the end without the valve, pass that end through the kegerator port, then screw the connector back on. I expect a similar thing can be done with the valveless versions...

Cheers!

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

Much simpler and safer to run secondary regulators inside the fridge. I have a 6-gang bank of secondaries in my serving fridge. The external regulator is set "on the high side" (30 PSI in my case), the secondaries are set at whichever pressure I want to serve the beer at.

 

[YeastFarmer]

Something else I didn't think about is the fitting size. I have a 5lb tank with regulator already. Are the fittings on CO2 tanks standard? Will the regulator on my 5lb tank fit the 20lb tank as well?

I've also looked at 20lb tanks online new. I've seen several that say they have a "siphon tube" and that it will dispense liquid CO2. Again, being this is my first introduction to kegging, I'm not 100% sure, but that doesn't sound like what I want.

 

[day_trippr]

Are the fittings on CO2 tanks standard? Will the regulator on my 5lb tank fit the 20lb tank as well?

Generally CO2 is dispensed through CGA320 tank valves so regulators in turn sport CGA320 stems.
I have a 20 pound siphon tank which is great for filling smaller cylinders but would not fit your needs as it dispenses liquid CO2...

Cheers!

 

[Bobby_M]

Just put the regulator on the 20lb tank outside, run a single hose into the kegerator and split it inside. There's no advantage to putting the regulator inside.

 

[YeastFarmer]

Yeah, that may be what I do. I was just trying to minimize the amount of parts I had to buy. But looks moot at this point as the 20lb tank this guy was going to sell me has gone missing. At least I know how I’ll handle it next time another deal comes by. Thanks everyone for all the ideas.