Need some help with my keg set up....

[fasttimes]

I recently purchased a 3 keg tower set up for my kegerator build from kegconnection over the holidays. Last night I started to finally play around with the regulator and kegs to learn how to use. The only instructions that came with the kit are the instructions for the regulator, and they don't exactly tell me everything I need to know. Yes, it tells how to attach a tank, but I'm primarily concerned with things like preventing a blow-back of beer into the regulator and what the correct steps and order for removing kegs, venting pressure, etc.

The regulator is dual guage, from there you have a line into a 3-way distributor and exited with 3 individual shutoff valves. There is no shutoff valve upstream under the regulator. With regards to blow-back from the kegs, if I'm say swapping out the tank, and the pressure is greater in the keg than what is coming from the regulator do I need to always close the shutoff valves too all the kegs? Should I add another shutoff valve under the regulator to prevent blow-back issues? I'm just a little concerned with the proper procedures. Thanks.

 

[superjunior]

I was exactly where you are now last night and had the same questions. check out these vids. there's 4 vids that walk you through the basics and I found them really helpfull.

 

[malkore]

I do suggest closing the shut-offs when changing CO2 cylinders.
a Check Valve will prevent liquid blow back into the regulator.

Having said all this, beer has to be pretty close to the gas dip tube to flow back. the keg doesn't shrink or swell when we use it (unlike a soda bottle) so if you have, say only 4.5gal in the keg and a typical 1" long gas dip tube, and the keg is vertical, there's no way beer can flow back.

a full or over full keg, not level/vertical, or one with a longer dip tube definitely could blow back. its the full kegs you gotta keep an eye on if the CO2 runs out