Help me design my kegging system.

[Orangevango]

Hey guys, I recenty came across a good bit of money and am looking to get into kegging. Ive looked at pre-assembled kits, but they all seem expensive and inadiquate. There are a couple things I would like to ask you kegging guru's:

• Can anyone list EVERY part I will need to set up a kegerator with 3 taps, and another CO2 line to hold another keg at pressure, for carbing and such (and what those parts do).

• Do you carbonate and serve at the same PSI

• Do you need multiple regulators to have differing pressures in different kegs

• Where can one find CO2 tanks localy?

 

[TwoHeadsBrewing]

If you get a GOOD kit, it will be neither inadequate OR much more expensive than if you buy all the parts separately. I bought parts separately, and really only ended up saving $25. If I did it over again, I would have bought this kit:

2 Keg Basic Keg Kit, Dispenses two kegs at once! (Separate Check Valves!)

But, drop the CO2 tank and add the Dual Gauge regulator so you can have a serving line and carbonating line. It should run you less than $200 with 2 kegs and picnic taps. You can always select their other option for fridge-mounted faucets if you like.

As for CO2 tanks, I'd hit up the local welding or fire extinguisher shop. It makes more sense to "lease" a tank than buy a shiny new aluminum one. Either you'll have to wait to get your CO2 tank filled, possibly overnight, or they will just take your shiny tank and give you an ugly steel one. Just buy one from the shop and then swap it out when you run out of CO2. A 5# tank is adequate, but I recommend a 10 or 20# if you can afford it. The cost of the gas when you refill is almost the same for a 5# as a 20#...most of the cost at least for my welding shop is hazmat and certification fees. The actual gas is cheap and the difference is only a couple bucks: 5# = $18 while 20# = $25.

 

[Orangevango]

Im confused, I thought a dual gauge regulator measured the pressure in the keg with one gauge and the pressure in the co2 tank with the other. I didn't think they had the ability to set 2 diferent pressures...

 

[TwoHeadsBrewing]

Im confused, I thought a dual gauge regulator measured the pressure in the keg with one gauge and the pressure in the co2 tank with the other. I didn't think they had the ability to set 2 diferent pressures...

Sorry, I meant you need a dual pressure, dual gauge regulator. Set one to 30psi for carbing, the other to 10-12psi for serving.

 

[Orangevango]

Thanks, great link. I got the "deluxe" version of this with perlick faucets and a ten lbs co2 tank.

 

[TwoHeadsBrewing]

Nice! That's a great kit and a hell of a way to start kegging!