Kegerator with tank outside and double regulator

[ErikInTucson]

I've benefited from the wise folks on this site many times, but this is my first post (forgive me if this question has been answered many times--I had no luck with my searching).

I'm setting up my first kegerator in a Kenmore 106. I'm planning to carefully drill through the side (cut inside, probe, finish thru outside) to fit two kegs inside and my 20 lb tank outside. I have a double regulator so here is my question: does it make more sense to drill two holes through the wall to fit two lines, or should I drill a single hole and find some way to run a gas line from the tank to the regulator INSIDE the tank (just dangling there in some manner)? The two line option seems better to me, but I can see advantages to both. Also, what's the best option for sealing off the second opening when I have only one keg inside? Thanks for the help!

 

[Tiber_Brew]

Drill one hole, run the gas line from your external tank w/ reg, and hook that up to a splitter with check valves inside the fridge. The check valves prevent differential gas pressures from moving CO2 between kegs.

Example:


I have a similar 4-way splitter on one of my kegerators, and it's been working great for over 6 years now.

 

[day_trippr]

^That's how most would go, but most probably don't have a dual-pressure regulator that they want to exploit to full potential.

I routinely run gas lines into fridges and freezers, using the 1/4" MFL bulkheads shown here. If you can find a safe spot to run one you can run two, which would let you use both regulator bodies...

Cheers!

 

[Tiber_Brew]

^That's how most would go, but most probably don't have a dual-pressure regulator that they want to exploit to full potential.

I routinely run gas lines into fridges and freezers, using the 1/4" MFL bulkheads shown here. If you can find a safe spot to run one you can run two, which would let you use both regulator bodies...

Cheers!

I interpreted "double regualtor" as a "dual gauge regulator." If that's the case, I would stick to my recommendation. If it is in fact two regulators hard plumbed, you could make use of both independent pressures via two separate lines into the fridge. However, I would personally use the second line for carbonating kegs on deck while conditioning (that's what I do with one of mine). Rarely do you see the need to serve two CO2 beers at different pressures, and being able to carbonate a beer in keg at a different pressure than serving pressure is very handy.

 

[day_trippr]

So, "Stout vs Hefe" isn't motivating?

We'll have to hold our collective breath while we wait to see what "double regulator" actually meant to the OP.

I'm gonna go make some popcorn!

No. Wait. I'm not...

Cheers!

 

[Tiber_Brew]

So, "Stout vs Hefe" isn't motivating?

We'll have to hold our collective breath while we wait to see what "double regulator" actually meant to the OP.

I'm gonna go make some popcorn!

No. Wait. I'm not...

Cheers!

That's up to each individual. Personally, I'd rather serve all my CO2 beers at the same pressure and be able to carbonate a keg that's on deck so that it's ready to pour the day after tapping instead of holding up one tap (out of only two taps in this case) to carbonate the next beer for ~2 weeks. I don't think the carbonation volumes per style are more important than streamlining a tap setup, especially when you only have two taps.

That's just me, though.

 

[ErikInTucson]

Thanks for the advice, folks. I did indeed mean "two regulators hard plumbed" when I wrote "double regulator." During my net searches, I realized there seems to be no clear and universally understood term for that style of regulator (unless I'm missing something!)--seems a bit strange considering they can't be all that uncommon. Anyways, I ended up running two gas lines into the fridge (one for each "regulator" of the double), but also incorporated a wye splitter with a shutoff at one of the regulator outs with a length of line and an extra disconnect to facilitate easy pressurizing for sanitizing, force carbonating, etc. without the need to open the fridge and pull out a line. I'm not sure if I'll often run different pressures to the kegs inside the fridge, but it seems that with this setup I'll have a fair amount of flexibility. Second keg will be filled today! Cheers!

 

[squash1978]

Thanks for the advice, folks. I did indeed mean "two regulators hard plumbed" when I wrote "double regulator." During my net searches, I realized there seems to be no clear and universally understood term for that style of regulator (unless I'm missing something!)--seems a bit strange considering they can't be all that uncommon. Anyways, I ended up running two gas lines into the fridge (one for each "regulator" of the double), but also incorporated a wye splitter with a shutoff at one of the regulator outs with a length of line and an extra disconnect to facilitate easy pressurizing for sanitizing, force carbonating, etc. without the need to open the fridge and pull out a line. I'm not sure if I'll often run different pressures to the kegs inside the fridge, but it seems that with this setup I'll have a fair amount of flexibility. Second keg will be filled today! Cheers!

I'd be really interested in seeing how you set up the disconnect on the outside. Would you mind posting some pics of your setup? At some point I'm probably going to move my CO2 tank to the outside and have thought about adding a disconnect to one of the lines going into the fridge for the exact purpose you described.

 

[Tiber_Brew]

Anyways, I ended up running two gas lines into the fridge (one for each "regulator" of the double), but also incorporated a wye splitter with a shutoff at one of the regulator outs with a length of line and an extra disconnect to facilitate easy pressurizing for sanitizing, force carbonating, etc. without the need to open the fridge and pull out a line. I'm not sure if I'll often run different pressures to the kegs inside the fridge, but it seems that with this setup I'll have a fair amount of flexibility.

The bolded part is the issue I was trying to advise you on earlier. You won't be able to fully carbonate a beer with that third line. Since that is split from a wye of a serving regulator, you won't get enough pressure to carbonate the keg outside the fridge at room temp.

As per the slow carb chart, let's say you have a keg of beer at 68F with a pressure of 11 psi, you'll only carbonate to about 1.3-1.4 volumes CO2.


Image is clickable

I carbonate my kegs at 22-25 psi, depending on the temperature of my basement at the time. Which is way too high for serving pressure.

You mentioned that you don't plan on serving two beers at different pressures. If that's the case, use one of the lines from the other regulator for the kegs outside the fridge for carbonating, etc. I have a similar setup with one of my tanks; I use one of the regulators to carbonate a couple beers at once, the other to force CO2 transfer beer from carboys, pressurize for sanitizing, etc. This way, you can serve two beers with a 2-way manifold inside the fridge from one regulator, and use the other regulator for any other pressure you want for kegs outside the fridge. That way you can have fully carbonated and ready kegs to put on tap.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,
TB

 

[jimmarshall]

The bolded part is the issue I was trying to advise you on earlier. You won't be able to fully carbonate a beer with that third line. Since that is split from a wye of a serving regulator, you won't get enough pressure to carbonate the keg outside the fridge at room temp.

As per the slow carb chart, let's say you have a keg of beer at 68F with a pressure of 11 psi, you'll only carbonate to about 1.3-1.4 volumes CO2.


Image is clickable

I carbonate my kegs at 22-25 psi, depending on the temperature of my basement at the time. Which is way too high for serving pressure.

You mentioned that you don't plan on serving two beers at different pressures. If that's the case, use one of the lines from the other regulator for the kegs outside the fridge for carbonating, etc. I have a similar setup with one of my tanks; I use one of the regulators to carbonate a couple beers at once, the other to force CO2 transfer beer from carboys, pressurize for sanitizing, etc. This way, you can serve two beers with a 2-way manifold inside the fridge from one regulator, and use the other regulator for any other pressure you want for kegs outside the fridge. That way you can have fully carbonated and ready kegs to put on tap.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,
TB

Why not wye off between your main regulator and the manifold with the dual regulators? Adjust the output pressure on your main regulator for force carbing, etc and you can still have 2 separate serving pressures

 

[Tiber_Brew]

Why not wye off between your main regulator and the manifold with the dual regulators? Adjust the output pressure on your main regulator for force carbing, etc and you can still have 2 separate serving pressures

Can you elaborate? I'm failing to comprehend how you get three different pressures with two regulators. You can have a number of different lines going to whatever you please from two regulators, but you will still only have two separate pressure options.

 

[jimmarshall]

Can you elaborate? I'm failing to comprehend how you get three different pressures with two regulators. You can have a number of different lines going to whatever you please from two regulators, but you will still only have two separate pressure options.

I am under the assumption that the op has a primary regulator upstream of 2 secondary regulators. Could you not set the primary to force carbing pressure and install a y between there and the secondaries?


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[Tiber_Brew]

I am under the assumption that the op has a primary regulator upstream of 2 secondary regulators. Could you not set the primary to force carbing pressure and install a y between there and the secondaries?

I believe OP has one dual regulator. In other words, two primary regulators hard plumbed together such as this:

 

[jimmarshall]

I believe OP has one dual regulator. In other words, two primary regulators hard plumbed together such as this:

Well if that's the case, as it very well may be, then my answer is moot, and I apologize for my misunderstanding.


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[Tiber_Brew]

Well if that's the case, as it very well may be, then my answer is moot, and I apologize for my misunderstanding.


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No worries!