Kegging Questions

[Pittsburghbeerers]

I'm looking for some advise..
I’m ready to leap, but wanted to look before. I just got 3 ball lock kegs, which I checked well. They are used, but were pumped up with CO2 and when I released pressure they seemed to have quite a bit of gas in them. They are clean and appear to have been stored properly. Secondly, I plan on converting a refrigerator to a 3 or 4 tap “through the door” system. Does life get any better than this? In any event I have a few basic questions and would like to hear some ideas or suggestions before I let excitement take over and I screw something up..

1. Should I rebuild all the kegs, new o-rings, keg posts… etc.?

2. I plan on using the same pressure in each keg, do I need a dual regulator? I don’t want to skimp, as I plan on at least three kegs.

3. CO2, Buy a bottle or rent from local distributors? I really have no clue here.

4. I think the rest is a matter of disconnects, taps and tubing.

I have looked through, I think, the entire forum for ideas, but I’d still be willing to hear any ideas and/or tips so I can tap my first beer.
Thanks

 

[Hammy71]

1. The only thing I would consider swapping out would be the o-rings. Get some keg lube and apply it to every one of them. Take the posts off and soak in oxyclean as well as the keg. Make sure you do one post at a time though....they look alot alike and it's easy to get them mixed up.

2. Get at least a two pressure gauge. You'll want to serve at one pressure and probably force carbonate with another.

3. If your keeping the CO2 tank in the fridge....Buy one. You want an aluminum tank in there...steel will rust. Most of the time when you rent or swap (Don't swap your tank. Nothing the welding shop loves more than swapping you a 20 dollar beat up steel tank for a pretty, shiny, light weight, expensive tank.) Shop on the internet for welding shops or fire extinguisher shops. They usually fill while you wait.

4. Disconnects, taps etc. you can get from alot of the vendors that advertise/support this site. Rather you choose to go with one of the homebrew stores or kegging stores like...
http://stores.kegconnection.com/StoreFront.bok

 

[Pittsburghbeerers]

Thanks Hammy!.. i didn't even think about needing to force carbonate.

 

[Jaysus]

I am in the process of doing the same thing! But I started with the taps, and then got everything else but the kegs, tank, and regulator.

 

[maida7]

1 if the seals are good then there is no need to rebuild.
2 if you're gonna serve all you beer with the same carbonation levels then a single regulator will work fine. you will need a manifold to split the gas line for the various kegs. Some folks like a second regulator for faster carbonation but it's not really necessary.
3 I don't know. I have bought a bottle then swap with the gas distributer.
4 get the thick wall high quality tubing and the fancy forward sealing faucets.

consider drilling thru the side of the fridge instead of the door. with the taps on the side it's much easier to open the door with out upsetting all the taps and lines. But be careful when drilling that you don't hit a cooling element inside the wall :0

 

[Jaysus]

be careful when drilling that you don't hit a cooling element inside the wall :0

What's the best way to avoid that? Luck?

 

[maida7]

Thanks Hammy!.. i didn't even think about needing to force carbonate.

The second regulator is not totally necessary. You can force carb at the serving pressure. In fact many people believe this is the best way. It just takes more time.

 

[maida7]

What's the best way to avoid that? Luck?

depends is this a standard frost free fridge or a chest freezer or an upright freezer or what?

Standard frost free fridges blow cold are and don't have all the coils and metal cooling plates in the walls like a freezer does. But just to be sure drill a small exploratory hole thru the plastic on the inside. Be careful not to drill deep. Just enough to pierce the plastic wall. Then have a poke around in the insulation and see if anything is in the way.

Chest freezers are much more difficult and most people build a wooden collar for the faucets and raise the lid. The walls are pretty much a no go and having the faucets on a tower in the lid is a PITA when you open the lid.

 

[Hammy71]

The second regulator is not totally necessary. You can force carb at the serving pressure. In fact many people believe this is the best way. It just takes more time.

Well....if your force carbing a stout or a Hefe....your not going to use the same pressure you would to serve a pale ale. I always use the set-it and forget-it method (never was a fan of rushing things...) and in my opinion if your gonna have more than one beer on tap you need at least the ability to have two pressures. Maybe not a necessity, but something I feel you'll want sooner than later.

 

[maida7]

To quote the OP

2. I plan on using the same pressure in each keg, do I need a dual regulator?

If it's gonna be the same pressure in every keg then the second regulator is not needed.

I agree that if you had various styles that required different carbonation levels like a hefe and an english ale then the second regulator would be useful. But according to the OP that's not the case.

 

[qvantamon]

About the cylinder - depends on how it works where you live. Here I can swap mine for a filled one at the lhbs for 20 bucks (last time I actually swapped a new, never used aluminum one, but I got an almost-as-good aluminum one in return). The lhbs is extremely convenient, whereas the only place known to fill tanks would be extremely inconvenient.

However, that changes if where you live it's convenient to fill it up, or if the only swaps you can get are for banged-up steel ones.

 

[misanthrope]

2. I plan on using the same pressure in each keg, do I need a dual regulator? I don’t want to skimp, as I plan on at least three kegs.

I do not quick carb, but have a dual regulator. Having that second hose outside the 'rator is handy for pushing sanitizer, testing rebuilt kegs, or sealing kegs when the 'rator is full.

 

[maida7]

I do not quick carb, but have a dual regulator. Having that second hose outside the 'rator is handy for pushing sanitizer, testing rebuilt kegs, or sealing kegs when the 'rator is full.

can't you just put a tee in the line or use a manifold to do that? You'd only need the second regulator if you want things at a different pressure.

 

[misanthrope]

can't you just put a tee in the line or use a manifold to do that? You'd only need the second regulator if you want things at a different pressure.

Yeah. I guess I could have done that.

 

[waldoar15]

On tanks in general.

I just swap my steel tanks. Don't have to worry about getting them tested. But I've got an expensive aluminum 20lb power tank that I use off roading that I get re-filled.

If you want to keep your tank, you'll have to call around to find a place that will fill while you wait. Not all of them will. I usually use a fire protection company.

 

[IffyG]

1 if the seals are good then there is no need to rebuild.

I can't speak for everyone, but the single keg I've purchased so far had a soda smell that wouldn't go away after 2 rounds of PBW and sanitizing without replacing the gaskets (the gaskets were fine). My opinion is that it's cheap and easy to do, so why not swap them out now.

 

[maida7]

I can't speak for everyone, but the single keg I've purchased so far had a soda smell that wouldn't go away after 2 rounds of PBW and sanitizing without replacing the gaskets (the gaskets were fine). My opinion is that it's cheap and easy to do, so why not swap them out now.

Fair enough but don't go crazy and replace the posts, pop its, lid, etc... That stuff gets pricey.

 

[IffyG]

Fair enough but don't go crazy and replace the posts, pop its, lid, etc... That stuff gets pricey.

Agreed. I wouldn't touch them unless they are broken.