[Not a] Bike Pump Keg [Evolution]

[PhlyanPan]

Here's a pic of the regulator, anyone think this will/won't work for regulating psi of co2 as long as I get the valves hooked up properly?

Do you know what the maximum rated inlet pressure of that regulator is? Are you using it as a primary or secondary?

 

[pizzaman]

The psi regulator is rated from 0 to 160 psi. I will be using it as the primary regulator.

 

[Schlenkerla]

Here's a pic of the regulator, anyone think this will/won't work for regulating psi of co2 as long as I get the valves hooked up properly?

I saw one of these at Lowes and similar one at Menards. The menards one didn't have a gauge.

Few points to consider;

• I doubt this is a regulator. Made in China. I bet its miss-labeled. I believe this to be a flow control. Lowes has them in stock for paint guns.
• Menards has the same thing, made of brass, no gauge, to me... it means flow control.
• Pressure rating ??? 0-160psi No good for high gas pressures. WARNING - Might be a REAL safety risk!!!!

FYI - I bought a regulator from menards for $18.00 Its for compressed air (0-160psi). It won't work for CO2 thats more likely to have the possibility of seeing pressures above a couple hundred PSI.

I have yet to take it back but plan to then next time I need to go there.

 

[PhlyanPan]

Just because the gauge reads from 0-160 doesn't mean that's the maximum inlet pressure that the regulator is rated for. It could be higher, or could be lower. A gauge is just a gauge. I could screw a gauge that reads 0-1000 psi into some crappy little regulator, that doesn't mean it's going to work.

And you're going to use this to regulate high pressure CO2 from a refillable paintball canister?

Maybe I'm missing something here, but high pressure CO2 is in the neighborhood of 700-800 psi if I remember correctly.

 

[Schlenkerla]

Just because the gauge reads from 0-160 doesn't mean that's the maximum inlet pressure that the regulator is rated for. It could be higher, or could be lower. A gauge is just a gauge. I could screw a gauge that reads 0-1000 psi into some crappy little regulator, that doesn't mean it's going to work.

And you're going to use this to regulate high pressure CO2 from a refillable paintball canister?

Maybe I'm missing something here, but high pressure CO2 is in the neighborhood of 700-800 psi if I remember correctly.

EDIT: OOPS - PhlyanPan - You were addressing the OP.

I agree, the package for the regulator I saw said;

"Range: 0-160PSI "

​

(MEANING TO ME: Prolly no good for CO2)

I could care less about the gauge. In fact I would want one 0-30psi.

I don't know how high of pressure paint ball gas tanks are when filled but I do know many are stamped with "1800 PSI MAX"

 

[Coffeeaddictnova]

I have just confirmed as many before me have, that a 5 gallon water bottle will not hold suitable pressure for use as a keg. The lid had no seal at all, after wrapping the threads in threading tape it was able to hold a seal, however the bottom of the bottle began to bulge out as the psi reached a mere 5. Not sure how denny was able to do it, maybe he had a different water bottle. Either way, I have ditched that idea, and am rethinking the design.

Hi Pizzaman, have you considered the plastic sprayer containers suggested by Revvy in the first page of this thread? See: FANTASTIC PLASTIC KEGS

 

[pizzaman]

I have looked at the plastic spray bottles, walmart has 1 gallon bottles for about $20.

 

[Bobby_M]

Oh my god man, you are still at this? You're going to end up with a $300 pile of useless parts by the time you realize you should be spending this time on Ebay and Craigshelper to find a used tank, reg, and four pack of cornies.

 

[pizzaman]

I'm almost there bobby, I just got an email back from the seller of the regulator, it's made for use with an air compressor....which only get up to a couple hundred psi. I definitely won't be using this for co2. So far the only money I've spent is $10 for a co2 tank and $8 for a universal valve to connect the tank to a regulator(both of which I would need anyway). The $10 I spent on the regulator will be refunded, as the seller has a 30 day no-questions-asked return policy. The $5 I spent on the 5 gallon water bottle gave me another carboy to use for brewing. I will admit I went into this not knowing nearly enough about what I was trying to do, but I still think I'll be able to get a working system going eventually. I appreciate everyone's help so far.

 

[PhlyanPan]

Look man, you obviously are trying to do things you don't fully think through with equipment you don't understand the operation of. I understand trying to do things differently and I really applaud your enthusiasm. But you're going to hurt yourself.

If I hadn't decided to check back up on this thread you'd have blown up that regulator and possibly caused serious harm to yourself or others. Take a step back, what is it that you don't like about the corny keg system? What are you trying to do better?

 

[Schlenkerla]

If I hadn't decided to check back up on this thread you'd have blown up that regulator and possibly caused serious harm to yourself or others. Take a step back, what is it that you don't like about the corny keg system? What are you trying to do better?

PhlyanPan - You can't take all the credit. I was warning him too.

Pizzaman. I bought 3 kegs for $15 each and a regulator for about $50 and the hoses, gas & beer for about $30. If you shop around you can get the stuff for a corny set-up for not too much dough.

Gas bottles can be found pretty cheap at a local gas places like Praxair or whatever is common in your neighborhood.

 

[PhlyanPan]

PhlyanPan - You can't take all the credit. I was warning him too.

You're right Schlenk! It was a team effort The point remains, things are being played with that aren't fully understood.

Pizzaman. I bought 3 kegs for $15 each and a regulator for about $50 and the hoses, gas & beer for about $30. If you shop around you can get the stuff for a corny set-up for not too much dough.

Gas bottles can be found pretty cheap at a local gas places like Praxair or whatever is common in your neighborhood.

+1...if you're patient this setup doesn't have to cost that much.

I got my tank, regulator, a faucet, and a shank for a case of Labatt Blue. A guy I worked with had one that was 20 years old and he never used anymore plus the tank needed to be re certified.

I've gotten 2 pin lock kegs for free and paid $85 for 3 more ball lock kegs with hoses, disconnects and a secondary regulator that I won on ebay. Seriously dude, you can find these things fairly cheaply.

 

[pizzaman]

I've been looking on craigslist and ebay constantly for over a month now and haven't found anything in my price range yet. I wish I knew someone that is currently or used to be into brewing to get these things. I got most of my current brew setup from my father in law who used to brew occasionally, but unfortunately he never got into kegging. As of right now I have a co2 tank and adapter, I'm gonna keep looking for a used co2 regulator that is meant for kegging, maybe I'll just get lucky.

 

[pizzaman]

Does anyone see any fundamental problems with this design(other than the fact that I'm back to trying epoxy putty to make a seal)? The tap-line is split off before entering each bottle, and could presumably be split a number of times to add multiple bottles to the setup, so long as each bottle contains the same beer in it. The CO2 line "daisy chains" from one bottle to the next, the lines wouldn't have to tee off as it is just gas moving from one container to the next until the set psi is reached.

I'm no physics expert, but I can't see any flaws with this design; but as we have seen with my previous design ideas, this doesn't mean there aren't any flaws. Please comment away on this idea. Thanks.

 

[pizzaman]

Just found an article at BYO talking about using pump spray bottles as revvy suggested. Here's the link if anyone's interested:

Brew Your Own: The How-To Homebrew Beer Magazine - Projects and Equipment - Building Plastic Mini-Kegs: Projects

 

[PhlyanPan]

No one is.

Do yourself a favor and find a friend or someone you know who's got some sort of design/build background to help you. I don't care if they're an engineer or a machinist or a car builder or anything in between. It's the only thing that's going to keep you from blowing yourself up.
I'm not even going to look at this thread again. It's quite obvious you're determined to do something different just for the sake of doing it differently, and normally that's ok, but you obviously don't know enough about what you're playing with to do it safely. And for some reason you seem to think it's going to be less expensive. Doing things differently from everyone else almost never is.

 

[pizzaman]

sorry if I offended you with my crazy ideas phlyanpan, thanks for your input so far.

I have said numerous times the main reason for this build is just for the sake of building something. I may never get a working model, though I hope I will, and I hope I get lots of use out of it, and I hope I can make a DIY thread with instructions on how to build it and others build it and use it also; but I understand none of this may happen. I also understand it is dangerous to "play" with a gas that is so tightly compressed that it is in liquid form.

On that note, I've seen "static psi regulators" for numerous other uses such as in vehicles, sprinkler/plumbing equipment; I also know that the heinekin mini-keg uses what is basically a static psi regulator built into the keg to keep a pressure level of 2 atmospheres. Has anyone ever seen or heard of a static co2 regulator set to around 15 psi for use in kegging? I know it can be done, and it would be much cheaper to manufacture than an adjustable regulator, and it could be simply slipped inline between the co2 tank and the keg, but I don't know that anyone would sell it as most keggers claim to need multiple levels of psi for different beers/sodas...even though it would be so cheap that you could have a number of these static regulators for the same price as a typical dynamic regulator.

 

[JesseRC]

I've been looking on craigslist and ebay constantly for over a month now and haven't found anything in my price range yet. I wish I knew someone that is currently or used to be into brewing to get these things. I got most of my current brew setup from my father in law who used to brew occasionally, but unfortunately he never got into kegging. As of right now I have a co2 tank and adapter, I'm gonna keep looking for a used co2 regulator that is meant for kegging, maybe I'll just get lucky.

So you already have a co2 tank, then you're halfway there. What is a adapter? Even if you had to go cheap you could go to Harbor Freight on Fredericksburg road (SA,TX) and buy their $34 regulator (it wont be the best). Now you just need a corny keg. KegConnection has some great deals on kegs with broken handles. Or just keep checking on Craigslist. You could also buy a carbonator cap and picnic faucet. Carb in a 2 liter bottle for a few days. Then attach picnic tap, release pressure slightly , then turn 2 liter bottle upside down and pour beer with picnic tap. You'd have to use a gas Quick Disonnect on the end of the picnic tap hose, but it should work for portability.

 

[pizzaman]

The adapter is a "universal fill adapter" which allows you to connect a regulator to a standard paintball co2 tank. It's basically just a screw on adapter with an on/off valve. Here's a page that shows using the paintball co2 tank with the adapter(the adapter is the black tube with the silver thumb screw on top): http://brewing.lustreking.com/gear/paintballco2.html

I have seen and made my own carbonator caps with a schrader valve, this idea works fine for carrying one or two bottles and dispensing upside down, but ideally I would like to be able to have multiple 2 liter bottles, all hooked up to one system that can be left right-side up in a cooler, and easily be used without my supervision.

 

[Bobby_M]

I'm thoroughly convinced that you either A. Have a horrible case of stainless steel phobia/allergy or B. Want to come up with a DIY solution no matter what, even if it's inferior or more costly than a corny.

You're talking about having multiple small containers that you have to sanitize vs. one large one.

 

[pizzaman]

You're talking about having multiple small containers that you have to sanitize vs. one large one.

...I guess I missed the memo about the price of sanitizer going up...could you explain to me how having multiple small containers would use more sanitizing solution than one large container when both have equal surface area and volume?

 

[pizzaman]

I'm thoroughly convinced that you either A. Have a horrible case of stainless steel phobia/allergy or B. Want to come up with a DIY solution no matter what, even if it's inferior or more costly than a corny.

...oh, and I never claimed I was trying to build something superior to cornelius kegs, as you claim. I have already mentioned that I have no problem with cornies, they are a great tool, and work great for their purpose. They simply don't fit my purpose. Sorry if I confused you, please let me know if anything else I have said is boggling your mind.

 

[JesseRC]

I dont think it the price, but the chore of having to sanitize all that stuff. I guess you're kinda throwing us off because we're not really sure what you're trying to do , other than reinvent something. You gotta remember that most brewers come here to find not only good ideas that have been proven to work, or make existing inventions better. You're just going off on tangents and not really telling us what you're trying to build here. Are you looking for something compact but not stainless?

 

[pizzaman]

I dont think it the price, but the chore of having to sanitize all that stuff.

Yes, having to sanitize six 3 Liter bottles would certainly be a chore for your average homebrewer....However, when compared to having to sanitize 45 : 12oz bottles, I'll take the six bottles anyday.

 

[pizzaman]

A few basic guidelines: lightweight, compact, easily and cheaply reproducible once the attachments have been built, ability to use one or multiple small containers based on your needs at the time, self sustained co2 fed system that fits easily into an average sized picnic cooler, moderately easy to disassemble and reassemble, ...

 

[JesseRC]

well then look into the Tap a Draft system, there is much more support for DIY stuff for that thing , especially since you can use PET bottle or mini kegs. I've also seen a DIY TAP a Draft system for the minikegs, actually various versions.
The Northern Brewer Homebrew Forum • View topic - New design for DIY 5L mini keg taps (Lots of Pics)

 

[pizzaman]

Good link. I have heard of many people having problems with the 5L mini-kegs; they either bulge and are rendered useless from slight over-pressurization or go bad after only a few months use, even with proper cleaning.

 

[JesseRC]

Good link. I have heard of many people having problems with the 5L mini-kegs; they either bulge and are rendered useless from slight over-pressurization or go bad after only a few months use, even with proper cleaning.

okay you're criticizing these kegs, but you actually wanted to use a plastic bag in your own invention. Oh well good luck hope to see you on one of those "As seen on TV" ads someday.

 

[pizzaman]

Haha, very true.

 

[Schlenkerla]

Pizzaman - I thought along the same lines as you are going. I wanted to have a draft system that was self contained, portable and fitting into a cooler.

I looked at the 5-liter mini-kegs and the TAD bottles. Both can be made into a draft system with mini-keg bung. Drill a hole in the TAD cap for the bung and jam the 1/2 NPT barb-setup into the bung and there you go. (Like the picture above)

I looked at the party-pig, replacing the spigot for a round disk with a gas-in/beer out ports. (Threaded)

I wound up abandoning the idea for cheap $15 cornies and a jockey box that I got for $60. It didn't come with taps but they are cheap as well.

If you designed something where you can use carbonator caps on mini-kegs or TAD bottles. Then I think it would be worthy DIY thing.

Find a way to put two of these on a safe pressured vessel then you'd have something. This way you could keep partially empted vessels fresh.

The emphasis is on a, "SAFE PRESSURED RATED VESSEL."

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