hooking a paintball bottle to a keg

[weasle708]

Ok so i bought 4 5gal kegs off of ebay. i want to use them to force carbonate my beer and soda. I play paintball and i have a few 20oz CO2 bottles. Is it possable to hook one of those to my keg? Has anyone ever used one or have any pictures i could look at?
Thanks for your help.

 

[eriktlupus]

it can be done however

you still need these:
a regulator
an adapter for between the reg aqnd co2 bottle


check a local fire extinguisher service for larger tanks after i bought my setup i got a fill at mine and was amazed at how much lower the prices for tanks were

 

[Funkenjaeger]

Yes, it's been done, you just need to adapt it to connect to the input of a regulator. I think the regulator inlet is 1/4" NPT, and standard paintball gas ports/hoses are 1/8" NPT. If you've got a spare on/off valve and a piece of braided stainless hose, you should be able to connect it with just a 1/4" to 1/8" NPT adapter.

edit: word of warning, I believe that the inlet ports on some (most?) regulators are left-hand threaded, in which case you would likely have some trouble finding an adapter. You probably ought to make sure before buying a particular regulator, unless you know a machinist who could turn you out a custom adapter.

 

[2ndstorey]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=23793

Check it out. I cant find the really good how-to but will post it when I do.

 

[weasle708]

that is a cool thread. Could i use a regulator for a air compressor or does it have to be for co2? i will have to keep an eye out for one of thoes compressed air kits from lowes. that would work great for what i want.

 

[Bourdon]

Could i use a regulator for a air compressor or does it have to be for co2?

Yes you can, but the air is going to make your beer go sour if you don't drink it all within 48 hrs. CO2 and N2 will keep this from happening.

 

[GuateBrewer]

Quote:
Could i use a regulator for a air compressor or does it have to be for co2?

Yes you can, but the air is going to make your beer go sour if you don't drink it all within 48 hrs. CO2 and N2 will keep this from happening.


No NO NO...Air compressor regulators are good for 120psi, maybe an expensive one 250, CO2 is around 800 PSI - If you connected one of those to a CO2 tank you have a bomb on your hands.

Now you can force the beer out of the keg with compressed air if you have 10-15 buddies over and know you will kill in the keg in a the night, but then you still need the compressor. And without all other equipment its still flat beer.

Keep an eye on on ebay or craigslist for a decent regulator I know its a little more cash, but its not worth getting hurt!

 

[abracadabra]

here you go here's what you'll need to get started.

http://www.williamsbrewing.com/BREWER_S_EDGE_PAINTBALL_TANK__P1791.cfm


you'll still need hoses, a picnic tap and keg post connectors ( a gas and a beverage)

 

[malkore]

holy crap! $84...
you could buy a 5lb CO2 cylinder for like, $70 easily, and the $14 would pay for half a normal beverage regulator.
http://www.beveragefactory.com/draftbeer/regulator/single/541.shtml

you'll use up 20oz kind of quickly depending on how much you drink. and they're not really any more 'portable' than using a 5lb cylinder.

either way, have fun!

 

[MikeRLynch]

I have no idea how, but we ran out of co2 one night and still had a whole keg to dispense, and my friend sat down with a pair of wire clippers, a fork, and a paintball tank, and somehow made it work.

It had something to do with the paintball tank not having the right kind of pin, which is where one of the forks prongs comes into play. I don't know how it came about, I was suggesting we simply go to the local brewpub, but he persisted, and we had homebrew that night aplenty

There's nothing like a thirsty homebrewer to make things work

mike

 

[g_rath]

Its sorta like MacGyver meets the town drunk. But my hats off to him for making it work.

 

[shafferpilot]

That sounds like a TON of work to adapt a 20 oz tank. and like it was said already, 20 oz doesn't go very far. If you don't want to invest in full on kegging equipment yet, check these things out. If you buy the chargers by the case, I think you will be pretty happy with these little boogers so long as you don't mind carbing with priming sugar(I've been told carbing with chargers is cost prohibitive):

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.aspx?ProdID=4570

 

[z987k]

Quote:
Could i use a regulator for a air compressor or does it have to be for co2?

Yes you can, but the air is going to make your beer go sour if you don't drink it all within 48 hrs. CO2 and N2 will keep this from happening.


No NO NO...Air compressor regulators are good for 120psi, maybe an expensive one 250, CO2 is around 800 PSI - If you connected one of those to a CO2 tank you have a bomb on your hands.

Now you can force the beer out of the keg with compressed air if you have 10-15 buddies over and know you will kill in the keg in a the night, but then you still need the compressor. And without all other equipment its still flat beer.

Keep an eye on on ebay or craigslist for a decent regulator I know its a little more cash, but its not worth getting hurt!

compressed air regulator, well it depends, my scuba regulator takes it from 3000+psi to almost nothing, so I'm sure they're out there. In fact what compressed air tank runs at 120psi? That'd be like nothing. Come to think about it paintball air tanks at 4500psi or so.

 

[shafferpilot]

all single stage air compressors run at around 120 but can be pushed to about 160 with the turn of a screw. Two stage (not all two cylinder compressors are actually two stage) air compressors can top 250, but they can't provide much air flow at that high a pressure. CO2 canisters are around 800. 4500 would make those things grenade instantly!!!

http://www.warpig.com/paintball/technical/regulators/howtheywork/index.shtml

 

[lustreking]

I cant find the really good how-to but will post it when I do.

http://brewing.lustreking.com/gear/paintballco2.html

 

[abracadabra]

holy crap! $84...
you could buy a 5lb CO2 cylinder for like, $70 easily, and the $14 would pay for half a normal beverage regulator.
http://www.beveragefactory.com/draftbeer/regulator/single/541.shtml

you'll use up 20oz kind of quickly depending on how much you drink. and they're not really any more 'portable' than using a 5lb cylinder.

either way, have fun!

No kidding! That's the reason I decided not to do it and just go with a regular 2.5 lb. tank for portability.

 

[mr x]

Do you really need the regulator for dispensing? I've never used a co2 needle valve, but is it possible to give a small pressure bleed into the keg to push the beer?

 

[shafferpilot]

Do you really need the regulator for dispensing? I've never used a co2 needle valve, but is it possible to give a small pressure bleed into the keg to push the beer?

No. Unless you have the tap open the entire time. Otherwise the pressure in the keg will slowly build up to equalization with the tank.... which would be about 800 PSI. Considering cornies are only rated for about 130psi, the resulting explosion could literally tear your house apart!

 

[mr x]

I'm not talking about leaving the c02 on all the time, that would just blow the relief if both tanks were fairly full. I mean just a quick blast, like the small 12 gram units do.

 

[shafferpilot]

didn't think about the relief valve, duh I don't see any reason why it wouldn't work.

 

[abracadabra]

Do you really need the regulator for dispensing? I've never used a co2 needle valve, but is it possible to give a small pressure bleed into the keg to push the beer?

Maybe.

But IMHO it would be a real hassle. You'd easily overcarb the beer and or cause to much foam to come out when your dispensing since you'd be simply guessing about the amount of pressure. You'd also probably waste a lot of gas by having to pop the pressure relief valve a lot when you put to much pressure in.

 

[weasle708]

So after i reading and checking the out the co2 apparatus form Lowe's http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=166441-61735-J-6901-100 I think that is the way to go for me. i will be able to force carbonate my beer while keeping SWMBO happy. plus i can use it around the house for projects and show her that it is just not for HB. this is a win win situation. in my favor

 

[mr x]

Maybe.

But IMHO it would be a real hassle. You'd easily overcarb the beer and or cause to much foam to come out when your dispensing since you'd be simply guessing about the amount of pressure. You'd also probably waste a lot of gas by having to pop the pressure relief valve a lot when you put to much pressure in.

Could be a problem, but I think I could figure it out real quick. The other option is one of these:

http://morebeer.com/view_product/7650/

I can put this on my main regulator, and when I want to travel, I can remove this regulator from the main tank an put it on a small paintball cylinder. If I understand things correctly. The old CGA-320 connector can go to a paintball fill valve for filling from the main tank.

 

[weasle708]

It has a adjustable valve on the side of the body to control pressure that is passed through the hose. do you think that i should install a reg past the first one so that i can control the pressure more precisely? Or would the single one be enough. as for the conector for the keg i as going to purchase one from my LHBS and put a male adapter on it to keep it as a quick disconect.

 

[Radarbrew]

So after i reading and checking the out the co2 apparatus form Lowe's http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=166441-61735-J-6901-100 I think that is the way to go for me. i will be able to force carbonate my beer while keeping SWMBO happy. plus i can use it around the house for projects and show her that it is just not for HB. this is a win win situation. in my favor

That's pretty cool. I wish I'd seen that before my setup. I have a regulator to a paintball on/off valve, to the ball lock connector. A bit of hose, and I hooked some PVC tube to the side of the keg to hold the tank and regulator, ultra portable, and looks like frankenstein. Works, though...

 

[TexLaw]

No. Unless you have the tap open the entire time. Otherwise the pressure in the keg will slowly build up to equalization with the tank.... which would be about 800 PSI. Considering cornies are only rated for about 130psi, the resulting explosion could literally tear your house apart!

I thought it was more like 30 PSI, rather than 130. Still, your warning is quite valid!


TL

 

[Orfy]

I thought it was more like 30 PSI, rather than 130. Still, your warning is quite valid!


TL

Cornies should be rated at>100psi.

 

[shafferpilot]

I have some that say 130 and one that says 150 right on the cap

 

[weasle708]

That's pretty cool. I wish I'd seen that before my setup. I have a regulator to a paintball on/off valve, to the ball lock connector. A bit of hose, and I hooked some PVC tube to the side of the keg to hold the tank and regulator, ultra portable, and looks like frankenstein. Works, though...

i would like to see this creation you call frankenstein.:rockin:

 

[wild]

Could be a problem, but I think I could figure it out real quick. The other option is one of these:

http://morebeer.com/view_product/7650/

I can put this on my main regulator, and when I want to travel, I can remove this regulator from the main tank an put it on a small paintball cylinder. If I understand things correctly. The old CGA-320 connector can go to a paintball fill valve for filling from the main tank.

Williams Brewing has it for less here:
http://www.williamsbrewing.com/BREWER_S_EDGE_PAINTBALL_REGUL_P1954C117.cfm

 

[mr x]

They do so.

 

[weasle708]

I bought the portable Co2 systom from lowes the other day. I also stopped at my LHBS and picked up the quick disconnects and a party tap. I also got my kegs from Ebay on saturday. today i picked up a male fitting for my quick disconnect, an adapter to attach the tubing to the male fitting and some tubing. now all i have to do is plumb and check for leaks. Here is a pic of the stuff to make it work.

 

[GuateBrewer]

That looks sweet and safe - thinking I need to hunt one of those rigs down for going to parties and such, far easier than dragging a full tank along.

 

[weasle708]

i can't wait to try it. i just made a batch of October fest and once it is done i will have my system up and running.
here is a pic of the pieces fitted together.

 

[BeerCanuck]

I have been looking for a portability/backup option for myself C02 charger in Canada
After checking weasle708 link for the Kobalt Portable Compressed CO2 Regulator I noticed that there a Lowes located in Hamilton. I called the store and the sales agent confirmed they had in stock for $128 Canadian.

I just might go this route..its a bit pricey though
Interested in knowing how this works out for you weasle708

Cheers
BeerCanuck

 

[BarleyPop]

Williams Brewing has it for less here:
http://www.williamsbrewing.com/BREWER_S_EDGE_PAINTBALL_REGUL_P1954C117.cfm

The problem with the shank from williams is that its not dual purpose. You can only use a paintball tank or a full sz cylinder. The one from Morebeer you can go right from your full sz cylinder to a paintball without changing the shank in your regulator. My brother owns the patent for the Morebeer regulator shank.

:rockin:

 

[mr x]

Good to know.

 

[kilroy]

I bought the portable Co2 systom from lowes the other day. I also stopped at my LHBS and picked up the quick disconnects and a party tap. I also got my kegs from Ebay on saturday. today i picked up a male fitting for my quick disconnect, an adapter to attach the tubing to the male fitting and some tubing. now all i have to do is plumb and check for leaks. Here is a pic of the stuff to make it work.

Question on this setup - can you regulate the pressure coming out of the paintball cylinder?
cause this would be a nice setup for when I drag a keg to a party - the idea of tossing a 50 pound tank into the car is not too appealing. Taking a 3 gallon keg camping with a setup like this - makes sense.

Thanks
Kilroy

 

[Bobby_M]

The 9oz tanks are like $24 and I don't think you can get them refilled. They're not the same connections as paintball tanks right? If they're not refillable, you might as well go with the little 12 gram charger because $24 to dispense a single corny is totally nuts.

By the way, in any case, get some 3/16" tubing for the beerline. That 3/8" hose is going to foam a LOT.

 

[Chello]

as far as i can tell this should be a refillable co2 tank with the same connection as a paintball tank.

The description on the lowes website says its "environmentally friendly" as the cannisters are reusable.