First post, first HB keg!

[nicktoney]

Hey guys, so i guess this is officially my first post, so i hope i dont disappoint! Questions at bottom if you dont wanna read alot! Ive recently got into homebrewing, although my friend has been doing it for 7 years, im just now getting drug into the obsession! Anywho, by just getting into homebrewing, i mean my first beer brewed (honey nut brown ale) was ready for kegging sunday. I got a pin lock 5 gal corny and was happy as can be. Cleaned it, sanitized it, and siphoned away! After i siphoned, i hooked the co2 up, and opened the valve to 12psi, then waited a few seconds and locked the lid in place. Purged about 5 or 6 times and have been waiting patiently ever since! My kegerator is a BevAir BM-23 if youre firmiliar with them, so i shoved that keg in and waited for it to chill...
The next day, i poured a bit. Obviously since im not force carbonating, it was a bit flat but tasted great! Gotta love the first sip of your first beer! ANYWAY. Ive been in nirvina here loving every minute of this. TTTTTTHEN the bomb dropped.

Came to work the next day (family buisness) and dad walks in with a big smile. Says "hey nick, you use soda kegs for your beer right?" yep, i sure do! "well here you go, i got these at a yard sale a long time ago and was gonna make pressurized sprayers. i dont want them" What did he give me? 4, TEN GALLON Ball lock kegs, and another 5gal pin lock!!! Thats why the bomb dropped. time to start upping batches and filling these suckers!!! Along with the kegs was disconnects and more co2 regulators. One of the regs was also a manifold, so now i can get some extra faucets on my kegerator and try to cram as many kegs i can! Now that im done bragging of my fortune, here are a few questions.... :rockin:

1) If i keg 10 gallons, can i rig up a keg to use as a fermenter? i have 4 of them so i wont miss one! Any good How To's?

2) After i keg the beer, is it safe to leave it sit (fully carbed) in a room that reaches 80*f? or should i keep it in the room i keep at 70 for the fermenters?

3) How rare are 10gallon ball locks? i feel like i won the lottery.

4) Where would the best place be to buy replacement poppets/orings for these big suckers? the kegs say firestone on the sides?

Thanks in advance!

 

[dweaver]

1) If i keg 10 gallons, can i rig up a keg to use as a fermenter? i have 4 of them so i wont miss one! Any good How To's?

2) After i keg the beer, is it safe to leave it sit (fully carbed) in a room that reaches 80*f? or should i keep it in the room i keep at 70 for the fermenters?

3) How rare are 10gallon ball locks? i feel like i won the lottery.

4) Where would the best place be to buy replacement poppets/orings for these big suckers? the kegs say firestone on the sides?

1. You can rig a keg for just about anything the problem with making it a fermenter would be in trying to seal it and putting a blowoff/airlock on it, i'm sure some of the guys may have done this, do a search and you may find what your looking for

2. although not ideal, once the beer is finished fermenting and and its kegged and carbed you should have no problems storing at any temps you wish, though if your storing to "age" your brew then 80f is WAY out of range(too each his own)

3. Used 10/15 gallon ball lock kegs aren't seen that often compared to the 5 gallon kegs but they are out there as well as new 10 -15 gallon ball lock kegs but they are expensive, certain sites sell both new and used ball lock kegs in 5,10,15 gallon sizes

4. as far as replacement parts for the kegs, I would think the same parts on the 5 gallon kegs would work on 10 gallon kegs because they use the same connections, the only thing that would have to be different is the length of the liquid diptube, (I could be wrong about this question)