co2 Regulator Question

[BroomVikin]

I'm starting to put together a kegging setup and found a used regulator on CL for $10. I thought at that price I couldn't pass it up even though it has a single gauge. Upon further inspection I've got a few questions. The only gauge is a high pressure gauge. Seems odd but I figured I can just add a low pressure one and I'll be all set. Right? The problem is when I turn the thing over it has 2 HI and 2 LO. The input coupler from the tank is in one of the HI slots, the current high pressure gauge is screwed into one of the LO slots, there is a cap/ plug in the second HI spot, and the second LO spot is empty. Obviously I need to move things around. Am I correct in assuming that the two HI spots should be for the input and the high pressure gauge and the two LO spots should be for the soon-to-be-ordered low pressure gauge and the output hose to the manifold?

 

[jddevinn]

High ports are for high side pressure and low ports are after the regulator.

You want the pressure gauge for setting downstream pressure on a low port. If you want a tank gauge it goes on the high port (they don't work too well). Other low port is the outlet.

Guage you have now is useless for the pressure ranges that you will use the regulator in.

 

[BroomVikin]

High ports are for high side pressure and low ports are after the regulator.

You want the pressure gauge for setting downstream pressure on a low port. If you want a tank gauge it goes on the high port (they don't work too well). Other low port is the outlet.

Guage you have now is useless for the pressure ranges that you will use the regulator in.

So should I just cap of that second HI port and not bother with it?

 

[Xernex]

Personally I like having a high pressure gauge for the tank - it basically wont move until you start getting low, but it's nice to have a few days notice rather than "ohh crap I'm out"

 

[jerbrew]

I'd put a proper high pressure gauge on the there. they do work even if it's a warning and not a significant indicator of the tanks fill level. I'd also get a 0-30 PSIG gauge for the low side and a check valve shutoff for the line to the keg. Great find. saved yourself a few bucks.

 

[jddevinn]

If you store your tank in the fridge, forget about it it's useless. If you keep it out it won't move, won't move, won't move, then plummet at the end of the tank.

 

[IslandLizard]

That's NOT the high pressure gauge, those go to 2000 or 3000 psi, not 300.

As you can see on the back picture, the gauge is connected to the LO side, and its 300psi range can be an indicator of the regulator's highest pressure setting, 300psi. That's pretty high for beer carbonation and serving, which is around 6-30 psi. You MAY be able to adjust the regulator down to beer serving range, but a touch more or less on the screw will increase or decrease the pressure dramatically.

 

[Xernex]

That's NOT the high pressure gauge, those go to 2000 or 3000 psi, not 300.

As you can see on the back picture, the gauge is connected to the LO side, and it's 300psi range can be an indicator of the regulator's highest pressure setting, 300psi. That's pretty high for beer carbonation and serving, which is around 6-30 psi. You MAY be able to adjust the regulator down to beer serving range, but a touch more or less on the screw will increase or decrease the pressure dramatically.

Well that'll depend more on the actual reg than that gauge.. could just be a Gauge someone tossed on randomly. Really depends on what diapgram/spring combo is in the actual body. If it's a beer setup change out the gauge and you're golden, soda reg would be harder to fine tune but you can do it. If it's a combo meant to actually go to 300 psi I'd say good luck, or buy a beer reg rebuild kit so you can fine tune it much better.

 

[jddevinn]

Bad news.... looking at the manufacture data sheet http://www.chudnowmfg.com/PDF/NewCatalog/3H 47 REGULATORS.pdf combined with the gauge makes me thing that this is a 0-300psia model, you will have a hard time dialing in low pressures as Island says