Keezer primary/secondary regulator setup

[eelgerg]

Hello,

I have just finished my keezer - 6 tap (3 for now). I have a 20lb outside CO2 tank with a single primary regulator. I was going to add a T after this, with one branch on another regulator for outside force carbing, and another that goes into the keezer to a second secondary regulator. This would then split 3x for my three different beers - yea all at the same pressure for now. Then in the future I would add another regulator or two inside the keezer for other beers at different pressures.

Questions:

- does the main primary have to be set at 30 psi, so that the other secondary regulators could be set at 10-25 PSI?
- if I have the one main regulator at 30 pSI could I just skip the outside secondary regulator that would be for force-carbing and maybe move that regulator inside the keezer for beers at other PSI?
- I know it's recommended - should I get shut-off valves for inside the keezer? I also do not have check-valves anywhere and am a bit worried about this, but if the outside primary ref is at 30 PSI then I think that is enough to prevent backflip from keezer cronies that are all at 10 PSI. One of my future upgrades would be a manifold with shutoff valves and check valves for the lines to the kegs.

Thanks for the help!!
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[eelgerg]

Bump?!? No suggestions?

 

[ba-brewer]

In general I believe you need to have about a 5psi higher pressure going into the secondary regulator than the output.

I have a primary regulator I set to 30PSI and a single secondary regulator set to 12PSI for all kegs.

I would get shutoffs with check valves otherwise one keg will be effected by the others. I dont have a check value between my primary and secondary regulator but I do have one on a line that taps off that connection I use for sealing kegs. I also have one on all of the lines that feed off of the secondary.

I dont quite understand your second question. If you have a primary regulator on the tank you dont need a second one inside the keezer set at the same pressure.

 

[eelgerg]

Thanks for the reply BA Brewer.

My second question is that I was initially going to put one of my secondary regs also outside the keg, after the primary, for force-carbing. But then it occurred to me that I don't need it - I could probably just install a T with a line dedicated for force carbing, since the primary ref would be set at around 25-30 psi

 

[ba-brewer]

OK, I get it now. I do like what you just stated, but I have a WYE connection on the primary output so I have a place for a check valve/shutoff.

 

[soccerguy83]

I would get shutoffs with check valves otherwise one keg will be effected by the others. I dont have a check value between my primary and secondary regulator but I do have one on a line that taps off that connection I use for sealing kegs. I also have one on all of the lines that feed off of the secondary.

I'm not sure I understand this. I have a bank of three secondaries that will each be running to their own keg. How will one keg have any effect on another?

I know my set up is going to be a bit different than the OP, but curious just the same.

 

[bondra76]

I think he's saying if you use a T Valve, you better have a check valve on that auxiliary line (the one you're basically adding for force carbing)

 

[ba-brewer]

In the OP's setup without check valves if the CO2 is disconnected and the kegs are not at the same carbonation level, pressure will equalize across the kegs causing some kegs to possible lose their carbonation.

It looks like some of his kegs may be ball locks which it is possible to cross gas in and bev out. If that happens without check valves beer could flow from one keg to the other if pressure is higher on the crossed keg. I'm not sure if that may allow beer to reach the regulator or not.