Need some advice on moving CO2 tank outside the keezer

[Justintoxicated]

So if I move my Co2 tank outside of my keezer I can fit a 5th tap. At first this seemed simple but now I realize I will need the following changes. The cost is adding up fast!

$90 My 4 tap drip tray will need to be upgraded to the 5 tap.
http://www.kegconnection.com/drip-tray-for-5-faucets-18-wide-with-drain/

Then I still need to figure out what to do for Co2.

What I have now is a dual taprite regulator (High Pressure HP Regulators) attached to the tank. Not very useful once I move the tank out unless I add a second bulkhead?

The way I see it I have 3 options.

1. 
   I was thinking it's time to drop some money on something like this:
   http://www.kegconnection.com/5-body-secondary-regulator-choose-taprite-or-chudnow/
   
   That would be a simple way to solve all problems and upgrade at the same time right? Pretty expensive though, but certainly an option.at $269
   
   Is it worth it?
   
2. 
   I guess option 2 is to keep my 3 way manifold (I added a 4th valve) and add 2 bulkheads? This would give me 2 different adjusts for the kegs inside the keezer, that should be good enough right? I like 2 so I can at least carb up a bit quicker.
   
3. 
   I guess a 3rd option would be to buy a 2 or 3 secondary regulator setup and split the difference and chain my manifold to one of them.

Would a 2 or 3 LP secondary tap be enough? It is nice to be able to set pressures but most beers seem to be ok at a reasonable setting, so not sure it's totally necessary to have adjustment for every keg? or maybe just the second bulkhead for running hte other HP regulars output inside would be a good enough way to go?

 

[billl]

If you want a cheaper option, they sell high pressure CO2 hose. You connect it to the tank outside and run it to the regulator inside.

https://www.kegoutlet.com/high-pres...Ht2XBCymEDSoLfhbKzq6RQXOFIBgVdB2rEaAoR18P8HAQ

 

[kh54s10]

Do you need 5 different pressures? You could get a single secondary regulator and lead it to distributor valves. Maybe 4 for one pressure and another for burst carbonating. Or 3 for one pressure, APAs, IPAs etc. and 2 for lower pressure for Stouts etc.

 

[Justintoxicated]

Do you need 5 different pressures? You could get a single secondary regulator and lead it to distributor valves. Maybe 4 for one pressure and another for burst carbonating. Or 3 for one pressure, APAs, IPAs etc. and 2 for lower pressure for Stouts etc.

I would like to have at least 2 different pressures, 3 would be nice, anyting above that is icing For example right now I have a stout, cider, mead and IPA on tap, they are all at the same pressure since I was force carbing the IPA, but now I want to actually switch the stout back to a higher pressure (I know lower carbs right) because this one is having some trouble staying carbed at all for some reason. Or maybe lower the pressure on the mead as well.

If you want a cheaper option, they sell high pressure CO2 hose. You connect it to the tank outside and run it to the regulator inside.

https://www.kegoutlet.com/high-pres...Ht2XBCymEDSoLfhbKzq6RQXOFIBgVdB2rEaAoR18P8HAQ

So I would buy 2 of those hoses (one to and one from the bulkead) and it would work with the same bulkhead as a low pressure line? I'm not sure how much I'm saving at that point but it would allow me to use the high pressure regulators instead of buying some low pressure secondaries. I might not be saving much though, I can get a 2 body low pressure secondary for $94, so I guess it would save me $4 ($94-$45x2) assuming it uses the same bulkheads. It would have he advantage (or disadvantage) of not having a regulator directly on the tank though.

Or am I not understanding how this woks correctly?

 

[jmcquesten]

So if I move my Co2 tank outside of my keezer I can fit a 5th tap. At first this seemed simple but now I realize I will need the following changes. The cost is adding up fast!

$90 My 4 tap drip tray will need to be upgraded to the 5 tap.
http://www.kegconnection.com/drip-tray-for-5-faucets-18-wide-with-drain/

Then I still need to figure out what to do for Co2.

What I have now is a dual taprite regulator (High Pressure HP Regulators) attached to the tank. Not very useful once I move the tank out unless I add a second bulkhead?

The way I see it I have 3 options.

1. 
   I was thinking it's time to drop some money on something like this:
   http://www.kegconnection.com/5-body-secondary-regulator-choose-taprite-or-chudnow/
   
   That would be a simple way to solve all problems and upgrade at the same time right? Pretty expensive though, but certainly an option.at $269
   
   Is it worth it?
   
2. 
   I guess option 2 is to keep my 3 way manifold (I added a 4th valve) and add 2 bulkheads? This would give me 2 different adjusts for the kegs inside the keezer, that should be good enough right? I like 2 so I can at least carb up a bit quicker.
   
3. 
   I guess a 3rd option would be to buy a 2 or 3 secondary regulator setup and split the difference and chain my manifold to one of them.

Would a 2 or 3 LP secondary tap be enough? It is nice to be able to set pressures but most beers seem to be ok at a reasonable setting, so not sure it's totally necessary to have adjustment for every keg? or maybe just the second bulkhead for running hte other HP regulars output inside would be a good enough way to go?

Get a Multi regulator manifold like this and be done with it.

View attachment 1473010259217.jpg

 

[billl]

"So I would buy 2 of those hoses (one to and one from the bulkead) and it would work with the same bulkhead as a low pressure line?"

Not sure how your current setup is, but you don't really need a proper bulkhead. A hole with a rubber grommet works with the hose going all the way through. Basically, tank > hose > current regulator

 

[Justintoxicated]

"So I would buy 2 of those hoses (one to and one from the bulkead) and it would work with the same bulkhead as a low pressure line?"

Not sure how your current setup is, but you don't really need a proper bulkhead. A hole with a rubber grommet works with the hose going all the way through. Basically, tank > hose > current regulator

I should have specified I have a 2x8 collar on the chest freezer. Not sure what kind of gromit would work? I'm thinking I want some kinda bulkhead which is where I get lost running high pressure regulators inside the collar... What do I get for a bulkhead and what kind of MFL connectors would I need?

I was thinking though, I could get something like this: http://www.kegconnection.com/2-body-secondary-regulator-choose-taprite-or-chudnow/ and then screw the 2 HP regulators I have now into the end of it, essentially it would do the same thing. Is there any advantage to running LP regulators instead of HP regulators? I guess the hose would be cheaper, but that seems to balance out with the need to buy 2 more regulators...

 

[Justintoxicated]

Ok oO I decided to just go with some secondary regulators. I have a splitter and manifold so I could go with a 3 or a 4 or a 5 and probably be ok. But it's real tempting to just get the 5 way.

I can see having a soda, a heff, a stuot, and IPA, and want to carb something up all at the same time, not sure what I need the 5th for.... But hey why get a 4 and be so close to having it all lol...

What kind of Barbs nuts, gaskets do I need to get some 5/16 barbs to attach to this thing? http://www.homebrewing.org/Bulkhead-adapt-14-mfl-2-78L_p_3576.html And where can I get them?

 

[Justintoxicated]

Had to get the order placed, thought the low pressure regulators would get in the way so I just got a new manifold instead. Going to have 2 bulkheads going into the collar so i can do 2 different pressures.... I guess one could be used for a separate sour gas line, or nitro in the future, should I end up finding a way to make low pressure regulators fit better or decide to deal with them sticking out making it hard to drop kegs in and pull them out without shuffling everything around.

 

[77bawls]

Hop on TS sometime. You only need one bulkhead if you want to use that. Personally I would just run the hose through the collar and seal it.

Is the regulator on the tank your only regulator right now? Or do you have a manifold with a regulator on it too?

 

[SBC]

http://www.chicompany.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=376_17_46_425&products_id=2262
This is what I have running thru my collar

 

[Justintoxicated]

Hop on TS sometime. You only need one bulkhead if you want to use that. Personally I would just run the hose through the collar and seal it.

Is the regulator on the tank your only regulator right now? Or do you have a manifold with a regulator on it too?

I have a tank with dual regulators, got my bulkheads, went with 3" they are a bit too small to go through the 2x8 even though the description said they would fit. I think I'll be ok if I remove the rubber washer from one end though.

This will allow me to run 2 pressures on CO2, or 1 pressure and beer gas, or use a seperate regulator and tank for a sour (although I can see disinfecting the bulkhead might become a problem?).

 

[77bawls]

You could countersink it a little with a forstner bit, they cut flat. That would give you room for the washer.

 

[jmcquesten]

Edit

 

[Justintoxicated]

You could countersink it a little with a forstner bit, they cut flat. That would give you room for the washer.

That's an idea, I figure it probably only needs a washer on the inside anyways though? Planing to install it tomorrow.