Nostalgia KRS-2100 Conversion for Stout

[INTENSEcretAgent]

I am looking for an inexpensive kegerator for stout only. Guinness to be specific.

I am leaning towards the Nostalgia KRS2100 KRS 2100

I have been doing a couple days of reading and think optimally I should be using:
1. Beer Gas (Nitrogen blend of about 25% Co2 & 75% Nitrogen)
2. Stout Faucet with restrictor plate

My question is this. If I buy the Nostalgia KRS2100 can I just " convert it ":
1. Fill the tank with Beer Gas
> a. Not have to change any hoses or regulators etc.
2. Purchase a Stout Faucet and replace the stock faucet.
> a. Are they compatible / threaded the same? a direct replacement.

Is this correct, and has anyone done this successfully to make sure parts are interchangeable and match up? Thanks.

 

[Schumed]

I think that would do it

 

[INTENSEcretAgent]

Thanks for the response. Do you have any information on my questions of if it will work and on the specs? Ie threading of the faucet , pressure of the nitrogen and compatible with the included gauges etc? Do you have one of these?

 

[newbe]

The tank/valve for co2 and the nitro/co2 blend is different.

As far as the faucet, they will swap out without any trouble.

 

[INTENSEcretAgent]

The tank/valve for co2 and the nitro/co2 blend is different.

I cannot just have the Co2 tank supplied with the unit filled with nitro/co2 (beer gas)?

 

[ak_hop]

If you get a nitrogen tank adapter you can use a co2 regulator that it comes with unit. The fittings to the tank are different. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000CC27MK/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[INTENSEcretAgent]

I think that would do it

Well I appreciate the responces but I am finally got around to it and I have found some more info and ran into a problem.

1st > Add a new coupler to the list. Guinness uses a different U standard coupler so you have to buy one of those too.

2nd > I bought a stout faucet and:
1 > It wont thread? (I am pretty mechanicly inclined, so dont go there) It looks like the faucet is not deep enough and not even reaching the threads to attach. Anyone experience this or have any suggestions?

2 > The original had a spring within that looked to aid the valve returning to the off position. The stout had no such valve right there at the threads. (and looking at the pictures of every other one for sale on the web, none of them do either. So I just removed this. Is this common? (and no the faucet did not fit with or without the spring.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

 

[beaksnbeer]

Pics of shank and stout faucet will help. Some European faucets use a metric thread and are not compatible not saying that this is the problem just that it might.

 

[INTENSEcretAgent]

Pics of shank and stout faucet will help. Some European faucets use a metric thread and are not compatible not saying that this is the problem just that it might.

Threads "look" the same. Just looks not deep enough. Yes pics would definitly help, let me see if I can get some uploaded.

 

[beaksnbeer]

This is one of mine

 

[INTENSEcretAgent]

Yep my stout looks almost just like that too. (my o ring is flat not round) Now look at the standard faucets depth. (in particular look at the engagement teeth setback about 1/8 inch.) But those work because when I put it on it wont rotate, but I still cannot get the engagement collar to thread. I even tried to remove the rubber o ring in the stout to see if it will seat further.

Should be pretty straight forward...

 

[INTENSEcretAgent]

Hmm, no one has any ideas why this is not working?

Well I have an update for others possibly watching:

By luck I picked up another tap handle locally and they couldnt figure how to get it off the tap faucet. (not sure why, its not rocket science, and I did in like 10 seconds after getting home.) Reguardless, they threw it in since they couldnt do it. It just happened to be the same stout faucet, and it didnt fit either, so its not the faucet. > Must be Nostalgias shank?

Step 2, I took both faucets to a local "pub store" and both fit theirs fine as well. I did notice that the shank collar did extend slighly to allow better engagement which is exactly what I needed based on my depth observation.

I sort of reiterate, shouldnt these all be the same? Is Nostalgias incompatible or just faulty. Any thoughts? Anyone have experience with Nostalgia and will they be agreable to replace it under warranty?

 

[INTENSEcretAgent]

Ok, finnaly got around to working on this again, and it is confirmed. Nostalgia shank is the issue. Purchased a 3rd party one and works fine now. (I am going to follow up with another call to Nostaliga, but they were not real helpful the first call. Ill give them the benefit of the doubt the first time because there was a lot of confusion because i emailed the problem in detail, and was replied to call a number. That number was general support, and had no clue of what i submitted, and i did not have it all nor the manual in front of me.)

HINT: To switch this out you will need a PEX 3/8 clamp and crimper. The guy at the pub store said you didnt need a clamp, but it was clamped, so it must need a clamp for some reason and i didnt buy it. I tried a standard stainless hose clamp, and it was too big for the shank nut to fit around. (And not enough clearance in the tower to put in on after.) So you need the PEX or something small.

Anyone have an experience with no clamp?

On to my next question: (and ill do some searching here in a sec) my beer gas tank started at 1800lbs? Shouldnt this be around 3000? Did i get an almost empty tank by mistake? At what poundage should it be changed?

My next step is to look for setup tips, but ill do some searching here first and maybe copy them over here for some one stop shopping on this conversion.