Owly055
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- Feb 28, 2014
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I have my two bottle Tap-a-Draft system on a paintball tank that sits right in the fridge. The modification was a kit I bought in Ebay which was simple and elegant. It used sharkbite type fittings, which push together and quick release. Simple plastic fittings for 1/4" tubing that are used on RO systems. 3/4 to 1/4 NPT pipe reducers screwed into the threads where the cups that hold the CO2 cartridges are supposed to go, and these little sharkbite type fittings thread right into the 1/4 NPT thread. The lines went to a Tee, and a longer line with an adapter, also of the same style that increased the tubing size enough to go on a suitable hose barb from the regulator.
The whole thing worked great for a couple of months, and then started draining my bottle if I left the CO2 regulator on. The problem was that the rubber garden hose washers they used for a seal really didn't do the job due to internal features in the Tap-a-Draft that would let the gas escape. So I poured epoxy in and filled those features. Unfortunately the threads, while they match in terms of threads per inch, do not match exactly in diameter because pipe thread is tapered. The result is that you cannot tighten them enough to compress the washer adequately.
The other day, I got mad and poured the area where the CO2 cartridge is supposed to go entirely full of epoxy, and removed the plug on the side of the tap where the pressure relief is located. I then drilled and tapped it for 1/4" NPT (pipe thread), and screwed the fittings in on the side.
It now works great...... There is no leakage at all. I can crank up 10 psi, and turn the regulator off, and it will stay at 10 psi for days. I will install small valves in each line to eliminate the possiblity of beer combing back through the lines, which is something I expected due to the lack of a check valve, but has not yet happened. Inexpensive check valves exist in the same push on style, and I will use them.
Here are links to the connectors and valves used:
http://www.h2odistributors.com/pi010823s.asp?adtype=pla&kwd=&id=18283950120&gclid=Cj0KEQjwu-CuBRCQ2byQtMep7e0BEiQABQKlkR3MnSqJU6SH4G9xjo6oT_p7EE3hxuaWNKkrFa8ZHtgaAjFy8P8HAQ
https://www.freshwatersystems.com/p...Hry_LQHJ6yqYs3cR9k9VPHpE498n41sSIoaAqgm8P8HAQ
Tap-A-Draft works perfectly for my application. I can lay two bottles plus a CO2 bottle with regulator down on the second shelf of my fridge. I can force carbonate in minutes from my big CO2 bottle at 20-30 psi, then leave them in the fridge for a period of time and open them up and install the taps.
When someone markets a lay down corny keg of similar diameter, I will abandon the Tap-a-Draft........ Not before!
Howard
The whole thing worked great for a couple of months, and then started draining my bottle if I left the CO2 regulator on. The problem was that the rubber garden hose washers they used for a seal really didn't do the job due to internal features in the Tap-a-Draft that would let the gas escape. So I poured epoxy in and filled those features. Unfortunately the threads, while they match in terms of threads per inch, do not match exactly in diameter because pipe thread is tapered. The result is that you cannot tighten them enough to compress the washer adequately.
The other day, I got mad and poured the area where the CO2 cartridge is supposed to go entirely full of epoxy, and removed the plug on the side of the tap where the pressure relief is located. I then drilled and tapped it for 1/4" NPT (pipe thread), and screwed the fittings in on the side.
It now works great...... There is no leakage at all. I can crank up 10 psi, and turn the regulator off, and it will stay at 10 psi for days. I will install small valves in each line to eliminate the possiblity of beer combing back through the lines, which is something I expected due to the lack of a check valve, but has not yet happened. Inexpensive check valves exist in the same push on style, and I will use them.
Here are links to the connectors and valves used:
http://www.h2odistributors.com/pi010823s.asp?adtype=pla&kwd=&id=18283950120&gclid=Cj0KEQjwu-CuBRCQ2byQtMep7e0BEiQABQKlkR3MnSqJU6SH4G9xjo6oT_p7EE3hxuaWNKkrFa8ZHtgaAjFy8P8HAQ
https://www.freshwatersystems.com/p...Hry_LQHJ6yqYs3cR9k9VPHpE498n41sSIoaAqgm8P8HAQ
Tap-A-Draft works perfectly for my application. I can lay two bottles plus a CO2 bottle with regulator down on the second shelf of my fridge. I can force carbonate in minutes from my big CO2 bottle at 20-30 psi, then leave them in the fridge for a period of time and open them up and install the taps.
When someone markets a lay down corny keg of similar diameter, I will abandon the Tap-a-Draft........ Not before!
Howard
