Jockey box question

[dukesbb37]

I know this isn't a kegerator.. but its the closest of all the categories.

Here's my thoughts. I am going to build a jockey box using a cold plate, and it has two inlets and two outlets. I have heard that cold plates aren't as great for cooling the beer, and the keg has to often be chilled for them to work well.

Here's my thoughts.... If i was to loop one of the outlets on the cold plate to the inlet on another, the beer would essentially run through the cold plate twice, and hopefully make it colder? So then i would have a dual purpose jockey box.

If i want to run two kegs, they have to stay chilled. If i want to run two kegs, i just have to keep them chilled.

Anyone see a flaw in this logic? Will running the beer through the cold plate twice make it considerably colder?

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

I know this isn't a kegerator.. but its the closest of all the categories.

Here's my thoughts. I am going to build a jockey box using a cold plate, and it has two inlets and two outlets. I have heard that cold plates aren't as great for cooling the beer, and the keg has to often be chilled for them to work well.

Here's my thoughts.... If i was to loop one of the outlets on the cold plate to the inlet on another, the beer would essentially run through the cold plate twice, and hopefully make it colder? So then i would have a dual purpose jockey box.

If i want to run two kegs, they have to stay chilled. If i want to run two kegs, i just have to keep them chilled.

Anyone see a flaw in this logic? Will running the beer through the cold plate twice make it considerably colder?

It will make it colder overall, but don't forget that you will have to increase the pressure, and you may end up with foaming because of that.

MC

 

[dukesbb37]

I know this is subjective... and I hate to be that guy but how bad are we talking? Miserably foamy or just need to pour with care?

I only ask because i have to pull the trigger fast on buying the cold plate if i want to do it.

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

There are plenty of used cold plates on eBay for reasonable prices. I just bought a 7-way used soda cold plate for $100.

MC

 

[dukesbb37]

Awesome.

I am a little confused on one thing tho. What would be the difference between buying a 6 pass cold plate, and triple passing it, vs. these people who are using 120' coils.

If there's 20ft per pass, that would be the same as having two 60ft coils right?

 

[sandyeggoxj]

I have a 4 tap jockey box and I use two 4-pass cold plates. It works amazingly well. I run 5/16 I'd tube into the plates and then 3/16id to the shank. All the beers go through both plates. The only issue I have had ia freezing the beer if the keg temp is below 60 degrees.

Also, I set the cold plates on block ice and then fill the rest of the cooler with cube ice. It works really well and keeps the plate out of the liquid.

 

[QuercusMax]

I've got a 5-pass coldplate, and had no problems chilling down room-temperature kegs to a nice serving temp of around 40 degrees, even with a single run through the plate. Bought it on eBay for less than $100.

 

[dukesbb37]

thanks for everyone's help. I went with a 6 pass cold plate, and i'm going to use jumpers to pass two faucets through the plate 3 times each. I've read that most cold paltes are abotu 20ft internally, so it should give me around 60 ft each. If anyone sees an issue i should be aware of please let me know.

Last question... what do you call the coupler thingys that you screw on both sides of the cooler and have the threaded bungs on either side. I cant think of what to search for...

 

[sandyeggoxj]

Bulkhead.

 

[ryan_george]

I originally ran my beer through the cold plate twice, but I found it was way too cold.... I switched it to just go through once.

There were no complaints at my wedding when we used this system with 4 taps, each running through the plate once. The taps were essentially constantly open and the beer always came out at a nice temperature.