Is this a good way to get started?

[SevenFields]

My minifridge kegerator(with two tap tower) is going to be set up soon, I just need to get my kegging supplies together.
I want to start off right and not have to spend more money upgrading down the road. Is this kit a good start?
With this regulator I can carb two beers at two different levels correct?
Should I make any upgrades to this kit?

http://stores.kegconnection.com/Detail.bok?no=324

 

[shortyjacobs]

I got that exact kit. It's pretty darn great. If I had to buy again, I would buy this same kit. That being said, a few small issues:

1 - the beer line is only 5'. This was way too short for me, (12 psi at 38 degrees). I had to ditch their beer line and buy more, for 13 bucks, to give me 10' per tap. You might want to ask them to increase the beer line length, (they are very open to custom orders if you call them up).

2 - The regulator will allow you to carb two beers are two different levels, yes. The only problem with mine was the third gauge, the one that shows tank pressure, never worked from the get-go. It's read "0" ever since I hooked it up. I honestly don't care, because that third gauge apparently goes from "800" to "0" over the course of a pint or two due to the liquid nature of CO2, but this was the only thing "wrong" with the kit. Also, from hearing about Kegconnection's great customer service, I'm sure they'd fix it if I asked them to.

 

[Hurls]

I'm thinking about buying this system as well.

What is the advantage of have 10' vs. 5' beer lines. Does that have something to do with maintaining the overall pressure of the system or do you have a special set up that requires longer lines?

 

[shortyjacobs]

You want to "balance" your system. Basically, you have a certain pressure in the keg, (say 12 PSI). You want the beer coming out of the tap to be nearly at 0 PSI, (which is the pressure of the air around you...we're talking PSIG here). Otherwise, if you have 12 PSI beer hitting 0 PSI air, you'll get crap tons of foam!

Pushing liquid through a hose causes the liquid to drop in pressure. So, you want enough hose to drop the pressure by close to 12 PSI, (or whatever your keg is pressurized at). 3/16" beer line drops the pressure by 1.5-2 PSI per foot. At 2 PSI per foot, 5-6' should be enough. I still got TONS of foam with the 5' lines though, so I went to 10' lines. No more foam, great pours.

 

[SevenFields]

I was looking at their site some more and they have another kit, listed as "Premium", but it looks exactly the same as the one above, only you have to upgrade the regulator and the price comes out more: Strange!

http://stores.kegconnection.com/Detail.bok?no=22

$238.95 Dual Body Regulator Upgrade-two bodies-2 pressures

 

[shortyjacobs]

I was looking at their site some more and they have another kit, listed as "Premium", but it looks exactly the same as the one above, only you have to upgrade the regulator and the price comes out more: Strange!

http://stores.kegconnection.com/Detail.bok?no=22

$238.95 Dual Body Regulator Upgrade-two bodies-2 pressures

The Premium kit has the Taprite regulator, whereas the "basic" kit has a more "Basic" regulator. Both regs are dual body, both regs allow carbing of two different kegs at two different pressures.

AFIAK, the Taprite is different in two ways:

1) you can turn the pressure adjustment by hand....on the cheapo one you need to use a flat blade screwdriver, (it's a big bolt, and I often just turn it by hand too, but screwdriver is needed sometimes).

2) on the cheapo reg, when you turn DOWN the pressure, it doesn't automatically vent. So, if you turn it up to 30 PSI, then back off on the reg, the system will stay at 30 PSI until you tap the relief valve on the reg or draw a bunch of pints. For me, my method to turn down pressure is: Back off on reg screw a bunch, tap the relief valve, (it will burp CO2 and the pressure will drop a bunch, usually far LOWER than what I want), screw the reg screw back in slowly until I hit the pressure I want.

On the Taprite reg, when you back off on the reg, it automatically vents extra pressure.

Honestly, the Taprite reg isn't worth it to me, but it might be to you.