Kegging with CO2 dual output

[Johnman1971]

I bought a dual gauge regulator with dual outputs so that I can link 2 5 Gal kegs to my 5 Lb. CO2 tank. I have looked everywhere on the net to find out how to use the second output without it interrupting the first output. Here's where I'm at. I have one keg hooked up that I carbonated for 5 days. With the valve still open I reduced the output of CO2 from 12 to 9 (it's an imperial stout) for dispensing. Now I am ready to add my second keg, which will be a higher carbonated ale, to the second output. How do I add the CO2 to the second keg without it affecting the first keg? I don't want to add 15 Lbs. of CO2 to the first keg while carbonating the second. I realize there is a shut off valve but won't that affect the dispensing of the first beer? Maybe I just need to add the CO2 to the second keg for 5 days and not dispense the first. Any help is appreciated! :smack:

 

[helibrewer]

Each regulator receives high pressure but dispenses low pressure independent of the other. There should be a pressure adjustment and low pressure gauge on each regulator...just set each to your desired pressure. The only thing common to both regulators is high pressure.

 

[zeekage]

Did you buy a regulator that looks like this?

If so, then both of your kegs will need to be at the same pressure all the time. You can just hook up the 2nd keg at 9psi and it will carbonate over the next week or so to the same level as your stout. You can also unhook the stout if you want to carbonate the other keg higher, but like you said you'll slowly lose carbonation and the pressure will drop inside the keg if you keep pouring pints from it while it's not hooked up to co2.


If you really want to carbonate 2 kegs to different pressures you need a dual body regulator that would look like this:

 

[NickTheGreat]

^^^ What he said.

 

[Johnman1971]

This most definitely answers my problem. As a newbie to the brewing world I am not surprised I made this mistake. All is good, though. I will just try to even out the carbonation levels to meet half way for both kegs. Thanks!

 

[Johnman1971]

Did you buy a regulator that looks like this?

If so, then both of your kegs will need to be at the same pressure all the time. You can just hook up the 2nd keg at 9psi and it will carbonate over the next week or so to the same level as your stout. You can also unhook the stout if you want to carbonate the other keg higher, but like you said you'll slowly lose carbonation and the pressure will drop inside the keg if you keep pouring pints from it while it's not hooked up to co2.


If you really want to carbonate 2 kegs to different pressures you need a dual body regulator that would look like this:

Indeed Mine looks like the top photo

 

[Yesfan]

Bump.


I had to get a new co2 tank, so I thought about going ahead and hooking up my dual regulator. Mine's just like the one in the bottom photo of the above post, one HP to two LP gauges.


One gauge will be used to carb up a new keg, while the other goes to my distributor and is at serving pressure. Which output gauge do I send to my distributor? The one closest to the high pressure gauge, or the one closest to the tank?

EDIT: Do you still need the nylon washer with that regulator? The dual guage looks like it has a built in washer. I couldn't get the new regulator to thread up with the nylon washer on, but I don't see/hear any leaking without it.

 

[theck]

Bump.


I had to get a new co2 tank, so I thought about going ahead and hooking up my dual regulator. Mine's just like the one in the bottom photo of the above post, one HP to two LP gauges.


One gauge will be used to carb up a new keg, while the other goes to my distributor and is at serving pressure. Which output gauge do I send to my distributor? The one closest to the high pressure gauge, or the one closest to the tank?

Either is fine, I think... the pressure gauge is there to tell you how much co2 you have left in the tank, nothing to do with the psi your sending to what.

 

[FuzzeWuzze]

Indeed Mine looks like the top photo

It should be noted that the 2nd one is about twice the price of the first, so unless you really have a need for two regulators one can keep the cost down.

 

[Yesfan]

Thanks. I knew about the HP side of the regulator, but I just wanted to make sure one of the low pressure gauges is the correct one to send to my distributor. My regulator is this one.

 

[theck]

It should be noted that the 2nd one is about twice the price of the first, so unless you really have a need for two regulators one can keep the cost down.

I have yet to see a need, had one and sold it... even the nitro I just put that on the regular manifold I have with the rest but pull it at 5-6 days then put it on the nitro, the others I just set and leave for a week or more to carb up at the same psi. Only one so far has gone wonky and even that was easily fixed by turning off the co2 for a bit, and on when it trickles.

 

[zombieflo]

The output closest to the tank should be the higher pressure setting. The high pressure flows from the tank through the first reg and is stepped down and then further stepped down by the second reg. My understanding is the second reg cannot step pressure up higher than what it enters at. I could be wrong but don't know as I only use my system as described above with zero issues. I don't recall where I ended up reading that is how it is supposed to be set up but google should be able to help you get a definitive answer.

 

[theck]

The output closest to the tank should be the higher pressure setting. The high pressure flows from the tank through the first reg and is stepped down and then further stepped down by the second reg. My understanding is the second reg cannot step pressure up higher than what it enters at. I could be wrong but don't know as I only use my system as described above with zero issues. I don't recall where I ended up reading that is how it is supposed to be set up but google should be able to help you get a definitive answer.

Seems odd, I mean if you set the first body at 11psi and the other at 18psi shouldn't it be working at those psi? I assumed that the first body doesn't control the second it simply passes though? I never hooked mine up just didn't need it so sold it.

 

[zombieflo]

Yes - u need a nylon washer for the reg to tank connection and be aware they are typically designed for single use. Further, anywhere there is a metal to metal connection a washer, pipe dope, teflon tape, etc depending on specific connection. Just because you don't hear gas - it doesn't mean it is not leaking - only that there is not a large leak. Consider checking all new connections with some starsan, mr bubble, or whatever to be sure or you risk losing your gas. My buddy just went through 2 tanks for being careless about this and I lost one a couple months ago for not checking a new connection and it is frustrating to say the least.

 

[theck]

Yes - u need a nylon washer for the reg to tank connection and be aware they are typically designed for single use. Further, anywhere there is a metal to metal connection a washer, pipe dope, teflon tape, etc depending on specific connection. Just because you don't hear gas - it doesn't mean it is not leaking - only that there is not a large leak. Consider checking all new connections with some starsan, mr bubble, or whatever to be sure or you risk losing your gas. My buddy just went through 2 tanks for being careless about this and I lost one a couple months ago for not checking a new connection and it is frustrating to say the least.

I turn mine on (no keg attached), then off, checking in a day or so to see if the pressure remains. If not dunk lines and fittings in a bucket and spray with starsan. Lost a 20# tank in 2 days after being careless and not checking a keg lid when adding a new brew to the system, $35 lesson learned.

 

[Yesfan]

So I guess, the closer gauge to the HP gauge gets the higher pressure. Looks like I have it backwards in my pic, so I'll just change them out once I get the new freezer set up.

The new regulator looked like it had a black washer built into it. The old one had nothing. I couldn't get the new regulator to thread up to the tank with the nylon washer in it.


Either way, I'll double check the connections with some star-san. I'd rather be safe than sorry. Thanks for all the help everyone.

 

[chickypad]

Seems odd, I mean if you set the first body at 11psi and the other at 18psi shouldn't it be working at those psi? I assumed that the first body doesn't control the second it simply passes though? I never hooked mine up just didn't need it so sold it.

I think that is the case with those dual body regulators, i.e. that they both receive high pressure, as opposed to the secondary regulators that you buy for downstream. At any rate, you can test it and see.

Yesfan, sounds like you have a regulator with a built in o-ring, I have one too. You don't need a nylon washer with those.

 

[gr8shandini]

The output closest to the tank should be the higher pressure setting. The high pressure flows from the tank through the first reg and is stepped down and then further stepped down by the second reg. My understanding is the second reg cannot step pressure up higher than what it enters at. I could be wrong but don't know as I only use my system as described above with zero issues. I don't recall where I ended up reading that is how it is supposed to be set up but google should be able to help you get a definitive answer.

That's not how it works with his setup. Otherwise, that high pressure gauge on the end would never register anything. Both regulators are receiving the high pressure gas straight from the bottle and reducing the pressure independently. Whatever it says on the gauge is what it's delivering.

What you're thinking of is when you have a secondary regulator bank like this:

(thanks to whoever's picture I stole via a google search)

In that case, you can still set any of the secondaries to whatever you'd like, but they can never supply a pressure higher than what's being delivered by the primary on the tank.

 

[LLBeanJ]

Seems odd, I mean if you set the first body at 11psi and the other at 18psi shouldn't it be working at those psi? I assumed that the first body doesn't control the second it simply passes though? I never hooked mine up just didn't need it so sold it.

This is correct, at least for the Taprites, and I would assume for other brands as well. Either body can distribute at whatever it is set for and there is no need to make sure that the first body is set to distribute higher than the second, or vice versa.

Also, the Taprites have a built in rubber seal, so no nylon washer is needed. My guess is if you somehow used a nylon washer between the tank and regulator, it would probably leak.

 

[theck]

I believe you can also unscrew the first body so nothing flows and still have the second set. If anyone has a dual I'm curious now and like a confirm.

 

[LLBeanJ]

I believe you can also unscrew the first body so nothing flows and still have the second set. If anyone has a dual I'm curious now and like a confirm.

Yes, you can definitely do that.

The pressure setting of first body has no effect on the pressure supplying the second body. To prove this, just look at how a single body regulator with dual gauges works. No matter what the regulated pressure is set to, the high pressure gauge is going to read the tank pressure (~500 psi). A dual body regulator is just two single body regulators connected to each other with the inlet for the second body attached to the high-pressure outlet of the first body. Regardless of what the first body is set to, there will still be ~500 psi leaving it and going into the second body.

 

[gr8shandini]

I believe you can also unscrew the first body so nothing flows and still have the second set. If anyone has a dual I'm curious now and like a confirm.

You can definitely separate them (just be careful you unscrew them correctly, they're LH thread). However, if you don't replace the high pressure gauge (or plug the hole), you're going to have an open vent at tank pressure (~1500 psi). That would be bad news if you opened the valve on the tank. Personally, I wouldn't mess with it.

Edit: Or are you talking about just setting one of the regulators to 0 psi? That you can do easily enough. Just make sure you shut off the valve as well or gas can slowly bleed through the check valve and depressurize your keg.

 

[LLBeanJ]

Edit: Or are you talking about just setting one of the regulators to 0 psi? That you can do easily enough. Just make sure you shut off the valve as well or gas can slowly bleed through the check valve and depressurize your keg.

This is what I assumed he was referring to.

 

[theck]

This is what I assumed he was referring to.

Ya out all the way so zero psi.

 

[Yesfan]

I think that is the case with those dual body regulators, i.e. that they both receive high pressure, as opposed to the secondary regulators that you buy for downstream. At any rate, you can test it and see.

Yesfan, sounds like you have a regulator with a built in o-ring, I have one too. You don't need a nylon washer with those.

Jason at AiH also confirmed this.


Wow, love this sight! You ask for help and you get it in spades! Thanks gang for the info. I appreciate it!