Frustrated trying to convert Sanke kegerator

[czeknere]

I've been doing a ton of research and I feel like every time I do I end up just getting more confused. I know there are other threads regarding this topic, but each one I've read hasn't answered my specific question.

I have this set up in my kegerator. It dispenses commercial kegs great. Now I am trying to convert it to dispense both Sanke and Corny kegs. However, I will NOT cut any lines, and the head space above my commercial kegs is incredibly tight. I have seen the threads about all of the ways to do this, but each one would add height to the top of the Sanke tap, which I can't afford to have.

There has got to be a way to adapt the ends of the Ball lock on the beer side to take the wing-nut coming from the beer line. The gas side is simple, I'm just going to find the proper barb adapter and do it that way, but I can't seem to figure out what I can do to make the beer side work. Like I said, each time I try to do research on it I just end up frustrated and confused. Can anyone help me? There has to be an easy solution.

Thanks in advance

 

[Guntr]

I'd suggest a low profile Sanke coupler like this:

http://stores.kegconnection.com/Detail.bok?no=237

...and a Commercial to Homebrew setup like this:

http://stores.kegconnection.com/Detail.bok?no=150

You can even get them in a complete kit togeter:

http://stores.kegconnection.com/Detail.bok?no=244

I'm probably going to get the regular version of this soon so I can serve a commercial keg just in case my pipelined runs short.

 

[czeknere]

I feel like there should be some type of adapter to screw on to the liquid out side that I can just connect the wing nut onto. I feel like someone has got to have some type of thing like that.

 

[kmack747]

put one of these on the tubing coming from a corny keg coupler and mate to your existing wing nuts in place of your sankey coupler. use one for gas and one for liquid. I have done this for taking kegs over to a friends house.

 

[czeknere]

I have a feeling that's what I'm looking for...but I can't open the link...the page is blank.

 

[kmack747]

try this one
http://www.mcmaster.com/#5670k82/=5ir424

 

[czeknere]

That link worked...but I'm still not getting it...I apologize, but this is making no sense to me. You say to attach one of them to the corny keg coupler, do you mean the ball lock? I don't have any tubing attached to that.

I'm sorry I'm making this difficult, but I don't understand at all.

 

[half_full]

I just added the commercial to homebrew parts from kegconnections. No regrets. Order a few extra nylon washers for backup parts.

http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewing/flared-nylon-washer.html

 

[czeknere]

Won't the parts from keg connections require me to cut my lines? That is what I'm trying to avoid. I don't have enough room in my kegerator to attach something to the top of my sankey coupler. I just need some type of adapter to go from the ball lock liquid out to the wing nut.

 

[C2H5OH]

"I think you're going to need a bigger 'Kegerator'."

 

[lebshiff21]

Drill another hole in your tower and add a faucet for your corny! Sorry, can't really help with your problem...

 

[czeknere]

Drill another hole in your tower and add a faucet for your corny! Sorry, can't really help with your problem...

That would be ideal! However I can't fit another keg in the fridge. Maybe I'll just upgrade!

 

[czeknere]

I'm out of ideas. It looks like cutting the line is the only way to go. Which means drilling into the top of the fridge to, *hopefully* make enough room for the lines when I have a commercial keg hooked up.

I just figured there would be an easier way.

 

[jhobson]

Are you trying to dispense both at the same time, or be able to switch between one and the other?

I have my Kenmore kegerator set up to switch back and forth. I use a quick disconnect after the pressure regulator (C02) and have one line set up for a sankey keg, and one line set up for a ball lock keg. On the beer side I have a short hose connected to the a ball lock coupler with a check valve and a threaded male end. The threaded male end connects to the wing nut at the end of my beer line which normally connects to the sankey coupler. Hope this helps.

 

[czeknere]

I have my Kenmore kegerator set up to switch back and forth. I use a quick disconnect after the pressure regulator (C02) and have one line set up for a sankey keg, and one line set up for a ball lock keg. On the beer side I have a short hose connected to the a ball lock coupler with a check valve and a threaded male end. The threaded male end connects to the wing nut at the end of my beer line which normally connects to the sankey coupler. Hope this helps.

That's exactly what I'm looking for! I'm just trying to be able to switch in between the two, without cutting off the wing nut. Any advice on where to find it? I assume some home improvement shop.

 

[SweetSounds]

I know you said you don't want to cut the wing nut off of your tower line. Ths that because you can't afford to make it shorter?
What if you just cut the beer line a few inches after the wing nut, and add a quick disconnect? This way you can add another disconnect to your corny line, and interchange the two...
http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?products_id=11783

 

[SweetSounds]

I know you said you don't want to cut the beer line, but is that because you can't afford to make it any shorter? What if you cut the beer line a few inches after the wing nut and inserted a quick disconnect? No wrenches, no fuss? The only drawback I can see is changing the diameter if the beer line for an inch inside the coupler could cause the co2 to gas out.
http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?products_id=11783
Otherwise, I would agree that flare fittings might be the best way to go...

 

[jhobson]

I got the setup at my local home brew store. Not sure where else you can find the adapter.

 

[czeknere]

I know you said you don't want to cut the beer line, but is that because you can't afford to make it any shorter? What if you cut the beer line a few inches after the wing nut and inserted a quick disconnect? No wrenches, no fuss? The only drawback I can see is changing the diameter if the beer line for an inch inside the coupler could cause the co2 to gas out.
http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?products_id=11783
Otherwise, I would agree that flare fittings might be the best way to go...

My problem is the head room in the kegerator. If I cut the wing nut and install something on top of the Sankey tap I won't have enough room when a commercial keg is on tap. I just got back from my HBS and they mentioned (along with what other people have told me) to go to a low profile Sankey coupler - they are just a bit pricey (I'm cheap) and I figure I can do this without going that way.

Jhobson - that is exactly what I was looking for. The HBS near me said there's no way to do it without cutting the line - so I'm guessing they don't carry that kind of set up. Does your HBS have an online shop? Or could you possibly see if they have a parts list for something like that, because it is the exact thing I need. Thanks for the help everyone, hopefully I can get this solved!

 

[wildwest450]

If you can fit a sanke tap in there why not ball lock kegs? They stick up no higher than a sanke tap just get this conversion kit.

http://stores.kegconnection.com/Detail.bok?no=152

 

[czeknere]

Both kegs fit in there fine, but if I got a kit like that my issue would be when I went back to serve commercial kegs. Attaching the MFL to the top of the sankey coupler would add just a little too much to the top of the coupler - I'm already cutting it really close. There's a slight chance that it will still fit, but I'm worried about kinking the line. I guess my whole thing is that I would prefer not to cut the line in the chance that a commercial keg won't fit. If it comes down to it I'm just going to have to do it and find a way to make it work, maybe cutting a little slot in the top of the fridge. I am basically just looking for a way to convert the ball lock to attach to the existing wing nut - which jhobson has...I just need to find one.

 

[jhobson]

I picked everything up from FH Steinbart http://www.fhsteinbart.com/. I have no idea if they will do a phone order or not. I haven't seen anything else like it available on an online store. I just went in and described what I was looking to do (convert kegerator to use ball lock kegs) and this is what they recommended.

 

[czeknere]

Thanks a ton jhobson. I just spoke with Mike over at the shop and he is going to be shipping me one next week. Whole thing will probably cost less than if I went out and did it myself. I really appreciate the help!