Kegland Duotight Inline Regulator for Cold Crashing?

[TBA]

Hi All, Looking for a more elegant solution to use while cold crashing my SS BrewBucket. Something better than a mylar balloon! Looking at the Kegland Duotight Inline regulator. The SS BrewBucket can only handle 1 PSI, does anyone have experience using these regulators at that low of a pressure? My concern is that it exceeds that limit, the seal leaks and I loose a bottle of CO2. Would the digital gauge upgrade help? BTW, I have a ball lock fitting I would install on the lid. What have you used besides a balloon? Other ideas appreciated. Thx

 

[mac_1103]

Things I have used include this from BrewHardware and a DIY version of this from NorCal. Since I cold crash in a regular old refrigerator (i.e., not a dedicated fermentation chamber, kegerator or keezer), it's easier than hooking up a CO2 tank.

 

[t^3]

Thanks @mac_1103 the mylar balloon is the poor man's version of the cold crash guardian. I have plenty of extra duotight fittings and looking for a way to use them. lol

Does anyone have experience with any regulator at such a low pressure?

 

[micraftbeer]

I wouldn't trust any at 1 psi. Especially if it sticks just a little and then like you said you lose a whole co2 tank.

But if you have the right duotight bits, maybe you could fill an empty 2L pop bottle with pressurized co2 from your supply tank, then hook that up with your regulator at 1 psi. If it goes bad and drains, you've only lost a small amount of co2.

Bottle cap pressure cap like this.

 

[t^3]

@micraftbeer that is an awesome idea! Much less risk ($) if it fails.

 

[CascadesBrewer]

Something better than a mylar balloon!

What issues do you see with the mylar balloon solution? I know it can be fun to spend money on gadgets, and "Happy Birthday!" balloons might not look as good as stainless equipment for Instagram posts...but I have had excellent results with a mylar balloon.

I have one setup with a mylar balloon connected to a ball lock disconnect. It makes it easy to fill the balloon from my CO2 tank, and just pop the balloon onto my fermenter before cold crashing. I usually connect the balloon during fermentation with a setup similar to the Cold Crash Guardian.

 

[TBA]

I guess just trying to improve from balloons. I replaced all tubing in kegerator with evabarrier and now looking to do that with all other tubing.

 

[day_trippr]

fwiw, if one wants a highly reliable very low pressure CO2 source for back-filling during cold-crashing and similar needs, consider using a BBQ regulator down stream from a primary CO2 regulator.

I use a cheap propane BBQ regulator (shown) for one fermentation fridge (and a Marshall BBQ regulator for my other fridge) with brass fittings that allow fitting JohnGuest PTC connectors that in turn fit my EVABarrier tubing OD (8mm or 5/16"). When I set up to cold crash a pair of carboys I insert this regulator after the primary then dial the primary to ~20 psi.

The regulators are set for 11" WC or roughly .4 psi which is perfect for flooding my fermentors during a crash. Never have to worry about drift...

Cheers!

 

[micraftbeer]

Wait- is this the new Nitro carb!? I heard the bubbles are even smaller...

 

[t^3]

@day_trippr Wow, that is a neat idea. What type of thread do you suppose is on the regulator, 1/4 NPT or BSP? Is it the same on both ends? Looks like you have 2 adapters on the output side.

So my other need for a low pressure regulator is carbonating my nitro stouts. I carb with co2 then switch to nitro/co2 mix to serve. I do this to save on the beer gas since it costs me about twice what co2 does. I think I need around 1.5 psi, any ideas for this?

 

[t^3]

Amazon has this Marshal regulator it lists the Inlet/Outlet Connection as: 1/4 inch FNPT Inlet x 3/8 inch FNPT Outlet. Will this work for the input (is NPT the same as FNPT)? I don't see a 3/8" duotight, so I guess I would need a reducer.

 

[day_trippr]

Those thread sizes are correct for both my Marshall and the cheapo reg. I used a 1/4" npt to 1/4" mfl on one side, and a 3/8 to 1/4" reducer followed by another 1/4" npt to mfl, then added a 1/4" ffl to 8mm OD JG fitting to each end.

As for the Stouts, I carb mine to just 1.2 volumes at cellar-ish temperature (~60°F) so I can use a reasonable pressure setting of 4 psi...

Cheers!

 

[Broothru]

Thanks @mac_1103 the mylar balloon is the poor man's version of the cold crash guardian. I have plenty of extra duotight fittings and looking for a way to use them. lol

Does anyone have experience with any regulator at such a low pressure?

I haven’t seen a mini-reg that holds pressure accurately, any closer that probably +/- 5psig. I suspect that has more to do with the bore of the valve outlet.

By the time the mini registers a 2 psig increase in the keg, another 2~3 psi has been vented from the cartridge into the keg. Then when you draw off a beer, the keg takes 30~45 seconds to repressurize. These spikes result in foamy pours as beer in the under-pressurized releases CO2 out of solution. My $.02.

 

[Broothru]

I haven’t seen a mini-reg that holds pressure accurately, any closer that probably +/- 5psig. I suspect that has more to do with the bore of the valve outlet.

By the time the mini registers a 2 psig increase in the keg, another 2~3 psi has been vented from the cartridge into the keg. Then when you draw off a beer, the keg takes 30~45 seconds to repressurize. These spikes result in foamy pours as beer in the under-pressurized releases CO2 out of solution. My $.02.

Might be O.K. for a 5L ‘keg’ but not for a 2.5 or 5 gallon Corny set up, and certainly not for any size commercial keg from a sixtel on up.