co2 regulator + secondary/manifold advice?

[barleydude]

Hey, looking for some advice on a co2 regulator and manifold setup. My current regulator hit the dust. I'm also in the process of building a keezer, so I figured now would be a good time to get the right pieces for that project.

I'm going for a 4 keg setup. Thinking it would be nice to control the pressure on each individually, although I'm not sure how often I'd need to do that. I'd also like a standalone line for force carbonating.

My money-saving side says to go for a co2 regulator with two valves and get a 4 body manifold which would serve all kegs at same temperature. But my feature-wanting side says to ditch the manifold and go for a 4 body secondary regulator to control each keg's pressure.

Here are some of the items I have my eye on:

CO2 Regulator:
CO2 Beer Regulator, Double Gauge, WYE'd with Two Check Valves, 5/16 Barbed, Chudnow Economy Brand - $54.95 (http://stores.kegconnection.com/Detail.bok?no=90)
Two Product CO2 Regulator - Polycarbonate Bonnet - $75.50 (http://www.kegworks.com/two-product-co2-regulator-polycarbonate-bonnet-427-p173963)

Secondary Regulator:
4 Body, Chudnow Secondary Regulator, High Pressure - $148.95 (http://stores.kegconnection.com/Detail.bok?no=478)
4-Way Secondary Air Regulator - $164.50 (http://www.kegworks.com/4-way-secondary-air-regulator-427-p16653)

Manifold:
4-Way CO2 Distribution Bar with Safety - $58.75 (http://www.kegworks.com/4-way-co2-distribution-bar-with-safety-427-p16449?source=nextopia)

Hoping to get some advice as to which setup people usually prefer and if anyone has experience with the above items?

Thanks

 

[1971hemicuda]

I'm actually considering this exact thing right now!

I'm building out a 6 tap keezer. I originally had a 2-tap kegerator, so I bought a dual-body regulator. It had the ability to push 2 different CO2 settings for 2 kegs. It didn't just have 2 output, and a single pressure setting

Here is what I'm thinking

Keep the dual-body regulator. 1 output of the primary will be for force carbonating kegs, the other will be set around 20 PSI, and it will push out to a 3-way regulator which will control the PSI to each of my taps.

My thoughts are this. I will really only need pressure at around 2.2 volumes for stouts and porters, 2.5 volumes for pale ales, ambers, etc and 2.9 volumes for my belgians and wheats. So, my primary will be conditioning and then pushing PSI to the secondary, which will actually do the controlling of the keg pressure.

I can then use the manifolds if i want to split the secondary outputs to more than 1 keg.

In your case, since you're starting new, think about just getting

http://www.kegworks.com/premium-double-gauge-co2-regulator-polycarbonate-bonnet-801-p174121

and going with either single, or triple secondary regulators

http://www.kegworks.com/1-way-secondary-air-regulator-polycarbonate-bonnet-801-p175256

http://www.kegworks.com/3-way-secondary-air-regulator-427-p16652?source=nextopia

Then string them together to make a nice, modular system. Might be slightly more $$ but will be real clean. Then, from your secondary's just go into those manifolds if you want multiple kegs at the same pressure.

This, however, is all in theory, because i'm still building mine as well, but its my current plan!

 

[BrentJ]

Don't skim on the secondary regulators. I like to have a Hefe on tap most of the time so this ends up being quite different than an ale pressure. I have a 4 gang and am very happy with the flexibility it offers. I previously had a simple 4 gang splitter and it didn't really meet my needs. If you look at the pressures I'm running today almost all are off by a couple of pounds to get optimal pour. Spend the extra money you won't regret it IMO.

 

[barleydude]

Thanks for the replies. With what you two have said, I think this will be the direction I'll take. It will prob be a bit more expensive in the end, but would give me more room for control and future additions.

Dual body regulator
http://www.kegworks.com/separate-pr...o2-regulator-polycarbonate-bonnet-801-p173936
- One line for force carbonation.
- One line to supply keezer.

4-way distribution bar
http://www.kegworks.com/4-way-co2-distribution-bar-with-safety-427-p16449
- to supply each keg

1-way secondary regulator
http://www.kegworks.com/1-way-secondary-air-regulator-polycarbonate-bonnet-801-p175256
- add these as needed to each line coming from the distribution bar

 

[1971hemicuda]

Just keep in mind, if you're using a distribution bar, you wont be able to run different PSI's to carb at different carb levels

Having multiple secondary regulators and a single primary will give you the ability to run a Hefe at 3.0 volumes, a porter at 2.1 volumes and a delicious pale ale at 2.5 volumes.

Or, you build your own primary...

A few of these
http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/kegging/gas-hardware/regulators/regulator-parts/cornelius-regulator-body.html

A few of these
http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/shutoff-valve-w-check-1-4-mpt-x-1-4-mfl.html

These to connect the regulator bodies
http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/regulator-coupler-1-4-npt-hex-left-hand-thread.html

The cylinder valve
http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/cylinder-valve-stem-rht.html

The valve nut
http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/cylinder-valve-nut.html

The valve washer
http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/co2-nylon-washer.html

Cylinder pressure gauge (Right Hand twist, LHT also available)
http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/0-2000-psi-regulator-gauge-right-hand-threads.html

A few of these gauges
http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/0-60-psi-regulator-gauge-right-hand-threads.html

and you can always use one of these to split the individual regulators to multiple kegs if you wanted, or just use one of the splitters you suggested

http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/wye-1-4-mpt-x-1-4-fpt.html

This is actually the way i'm going. I'm going to buy one of these, a gauge and expand the current regulator I have.

But, which ever way you go, let us know! Would love to see what you come up with

Cheers!

 

[cricky101]

I picked one of these four-way secondary regulators a while back and have been happy with it.

I was going to just go with a manifold off of the primary regulator, but am glad I spent the extra money to have the ability to adjust the pressures. A three-way with a splitter would have probably worked OK for me, too, since I usually have two of my four kegs at about the same pressure anyway, but the option is nice to have.

 

[barleydude]

Thanks for all the input, good ideas here!

I was planning on putting a single body regulator off each line coming from the distribution bar, that would work right?