Secondary (I think??) Regulator Question

[d_ozz68]

I received this secondary regulator in a box of stuff I picked up recently and I can't seem to figure out how I'm going to connect it to my primary. I'm very inexperienced when it comes to these regulators but it looks to me that someone has converted it to a primary by adding the part (I don't know the technical name of the piece) that connects to the Co2 tank. Do I need to remove that and replace it with a plug or high pressure gauge or can it be used another, perhaps easier, way?

Thanks in advance for any light that can be shed on this for me.

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[woodstone]

Remove the cylinder connection from your existing regulator.

Remove the backflow and flare from this one.

Connect the two open ports with a short threaded "nipple", like this..

http://www.williamsbrewing.com/REGULATOR_JOINER_P696C117.cfm

Done.

Use about three wraps of teflon tape and muscle the fittings pretty good but not too tight as to strip the brass threads.

It should all look like this...

http://www.brewmasterswarehouse.com/product/0101750/double-co2-regulator

Good luck!

 

[d_ozz68]

Now is when I really start to show my ignorance

When you say to "Remove the cylinder connection from your existing regulator." do you mean that I will be connecting this "secondary" regulator to the tank and using my current dual gauge regulator as the "secondary"? If so does it matter that the sticker on this regulator says "secondary"? I know that I will never get close to the 200 psi maximum pressure, but is that the only difference between a primary and a secondary?

Also, if I remove the flare from the regulator in the picture, could I just use the current fitting that is under the flare to connect the two or is their some sort of check valve in there?

Sorry for all the questions, I'm just trying to upgrade from a single keg using a dual gauge regulator to being able to have four kegs at serving pressure while force carbing and serving soda at 30 psi all inside my new Keezer. :rockin:

Thanks!!

 

[woodstone]

It should be most easy to do as I describe but yes, you can use your existing regulator as the "primary" and use this one as the "secondary", sure.

It is likely everything is the same size with the same tread patterns...thus, you just need to take one or both apart and rebuild as shown here...

http://www.brewmasterswarehouse.com/product/0101750/double-co2-regulator

It does look like the fitting with the flare includes a nipple so sure, might work.

I've dissassembled and cleaned my regulators many times...it is not that diffucult with a couple of wrenches and some teflon tape, even for a novice.

I'm heading to get some zzzzzz's but if you post a pick of your existing regulator (or pull everything apart, lay it out, then post me a pick of all the parts), I can cut/paste/photoshop everything tomorrow and then post a pick of what you should do and how to do it (err, put it all back together).

Edit: Just looked at this regulator again...by the way, the guage itself is 0 to 100 range, not 0 to 30 range like most for the effluent side...it should do the trick, but you'll not be able to dial in a super accurate psi for carbing/dispensing...you'll get close but not like a detailed 0 to 30 range (not to worry, you'll get your psi close).

Cheers!

 

[d_ozz68]

Well.............I'm giving up on the idea of using this regulator. I've been working for hours trying to get the cylinder connector off and it will not budge. I'm not sure if I would even be able to connect the two based on the description on the regulator joiner page in your link......"Joins two left hand thread high pressure port regulator bodies together. Create a two body regulator with this left hand threaded brass nipple and two regulators with left hand thread high pressure ports."

The regulator in the picture above is all right hand threads. Oh well I thought I had a good idea. Thanks for the help woodstone!

 

[woodstone]

No prob, anytime...