Regulator setup for 3 kegs

[underwaterdan]

Okay, I have a 5lb c02 tank and a single regulator hooked up to it now(has tank pressure and output pressure). I want to expand that to all 3 of my kegs now. What is the most realistic and cost effective way to do it. I am not even sure why to buy the regulators from.
Thanks
Dan

 

[McKBrew]

Do you have a need or desire to have all beers at different carbonation levels. Some people have a dedicated regulator for each keg.

My personal view is that most of my beers are at the same pressure and that I might only want to run one or two kegs at a higher pressure for serving Belgian style beers or soda.

In that case a standar regulator with one more addtional secondary regulator should suffice. Run the higher pressure keg off the output of the main regulator, and then the second regulator feeds to a distribution manifold (available at any online Homebrewsupply).

 

[jonp9576]

if you only want to use one pressure they make splitters to go 5 or more ways out of one reg. they are fairly cheap.

 

[ScottyT]

I will be running 4 kegs off of one regulator for a couple of months while I save up for some other bits and pieces.

If you are ok with all 3 kegs at one pressure, get a cross splitter to split your one line into 3. The stainless steel splitters can be had for cheap.

 

[ThatGuyRyan]

I use one regulator for all 4 kegs and its just fine. They are all the same pressure but that doesn't bother me. What I did was I used a splitter from the regulator that turned it from one line to two. Then I used a stainless steel T in the middle of both of those lines giving me two more for a total of 4. Cost was probably $15 for the splitter and T's. I will upgrade to a dual regulator some day but for now this works just fine.

 

[underwaterdan]

I think I might want different pressures for different kegs. That might make it expensive huh?

 

[jonp9576]

not really. you can find secondary regs pretty cheap. i am not sure where, but i think someone posted on here a while ago that had them for $15 each. does that ring a bell anyone?


you can split the primary two ways, one to go to the secondaries and the other for force carbing and sealing kegs

 

[underwaterdan]

okay i think i am going to be adding this to my setup. just not sure what this disclaimer means:
"Note: If using this for CO2, you will need to drop your initial tank pressure down with a primary regulator and then feed the output into this regulator set."

 

[yermej]

okay i think i am going to be adding this to my setup. just not sure what this disclaimer means:
"Note: If using this for CO2, you will need to drop your initial tank pressure down with a primary regulator and then feed the output into this regulator set."

That'll do what you want. The note just means that you still have to have a primary regulator which is what you already have. Run hose from your primary into the first secondary, set the primary at or slightly above the highest pressure you'll want on a keg, and set the secondaries to the pressure you want on each keg.

There may be a cheaper source for those, but that's essentially what you're looking for.

 

[underwaterdan]

I guess I cant just mount it directly on the primary huh? Dont really wanna mount it inside my fridge.

 

[Brooklyn-Brewtality]

I guess I cant just mount it directly on the primary huh? Dont really wanna mount it inside my fridge.

more often than not, it is easier to mount a secondary regulator inside the fridge, then you still only need one CO2 line going into the fridge. if mounted outside, you need multiple lines going into the kegerator, which can be a pain

 

[jonp9576]

+1, only have one line going into the fridge.
much less of a pain that way.

 

[underwaterdan]

I should have clarified, I have my c02 tank in the fridge, I just don.t want the wasted space of the extra line...