Carbonating off of more than one CO2 tank

Has anyone ever spliced two CO2 tanks (with separate regulators) into one manifold or keg? This would effectively be accomplished by putting a tee before the keg or manifold and having both CO2 tanks flow into it at the same pressure.

The reason why I would want to do this is to make sure that there is a constant CO2 pressure if one tank runs out.

My understanding is that a CO2 tank is "empty" when its pressure equalizes with the pressure of the regulator (say, 12psi). If one CO2 tank becomes empty, then the second CO2 tank should theoretically maintain the required pressure in the line for carbonation/dispensing.

My only concern is the risk of damaging the regulator if one tank is pushing out a slightly higher pressure or once one tank empties, there could be slight pressure on the regulator from the other tank.

 

The problem here is having the T before the manifold. Technically, both tanks running into the same line are connected to each other and the high pressure of one will flow both into the keg and into the empty keg. Pressure wants to equalize so it'll fill each low pressure until all tanks are of equal pressure. Make sense?

 

Wouldn't check valves in the regulator prevent this?

 

No problem with this. The low tank would empty until there remained 12psi. Then, the empty tank would be 12psi and my kegs would be too.

 

Do regulators have check valves in them? Even if it did, if 2 bottles with different amounts of pressure are both hooked up to this setup, the fuller one will empty until pressures are the same, and you will end up with 2 empty bottles when one empties.

 

I sure hope so. Here's my regulator: link. Says it has them.

Here's another on the manufacturer's website that says it does: link.

 

"The reason why I would want to do this is to make sure that there is a constant CO2 pressure if one tank runs out."

Ok, so now you have two tanks tied together. Then what? Sure, you can go twice as long between refills, but when one goes empty, they're both empty. So there goes the whole "constant pressure" thing until you get both tanks refilled.

Maybe you need to tie three tanks together...

Cheers!

 

Why are you so worried about your tank running out while hooked up to a keg?

 

That was my thought, too.

You have two tanks and two regulators. Just use one until it runs out, then switch over to the other one.

If one of my tanks ran out while it was still carbonating a batch, I'd notice within a day and switch to my other tank. All that would happen was I missed a day of carbonating. It's not like the beer would go flat during that time - it just wouldn't be getting any MORE carbonated until I switched the tanks.

 

I actually got accepted to the next biodome mission and didn't want flat beer when I got out. Didn't want to brag.

 

Like day_trippr said, the tanks will both empty at the same rate and you'll be left with 2 empty tanks.

If you want this to work, you need a secondary regulator. Set the primaries at two different pressures (say 30 psi and 25 psi), then adjust down to your desired pressure using the secondary. The 30 psi tank will empty first, then the 25 psi tank. I do this all the time in the lab to prevent experiments from shutting down while I change a tank.

 

+1 on all of this. I used to have to do the same thing at work. No we have a tank switcher, which is AWESOME.

 

Have the catsitter check on the CO2 while you are gone

 

Paid or unpaid intern?

 

I knew that someone with a scientific backround would be able to answer this. Thanks!

 

In academic research, even "paid" is a relative term.

 

Get the hell out of academia! I'm never going back...

 

How many kegs are you carrbonating

 

As long as you do not have any leaks and the sitter doesn't drink your beer, I fail to understand how the kegs would lose pressure or beer?

 

I've been presuming this was all aimed at a carbonation system, so if the system ran out of gas the attached keg(s) would stop carbing up.

Why this seems to be a big enough problem to need a solution escapes me, however...

Cheers!