Bard S30 gas cylinder to regulator help please!

[HughBrew]

Hi all, I'm looking to connect an S30 gas cylinder to a regulator to go into a Corny keg.
Background: Someone kindly donated a Corny keg to me and I'd like to start using it and moving away from bottles. Locally S30 cylinders are easy to get hold of and cheaper compared to soda stream cylinders. After having read some old threads with now broken links on the forum, I'm wondering if anyone has achieved the connection between an S30 gas cylinder and inlet regulator. I'm pretty flexible with the types of kit as only have the start (S30) and the end (Corny keg) of the bits needed and nothing in-between. Any help and advice would be much appreciated, thank you.

HughBrew

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

Has come up a few times before on the forum, but the general consensus seems to be that it’s quite hard.

e.g. this Post in thread 'S30 CO2 Regulator'
S30 CO2 Regulator

I used to use S30 back in the very very early days when I used one to ‘burp’ gas into my plastic ‘Beer Sphere’, but I thought they stopped refilling the cylinders ages ago!

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

Using a ‘full sized’ CO2 cylinder is generally much cheaper than sodastream bottles by the way and not hard to get hold of (depending on where you are). Just make sure you don’t go to a supplier that wants to charge you a monthly rental on the cylinder.

 

[HughBrew]

Has come up a few times before on the forum, but the general consensus seems to be that it’s quite hard.

e.g. this Post in thread 'S30 CO2 Regulator'
S30 CO2 Regulator

I used to use S30 back in the very very early days when I used one to ‘burp’ gas into my plastic ‘Beer Sphere’, but I thought they stopped refilling the cylinders ages ago!

Thank you. Yes have done a trawl and looks quite tricky. I'm in a bit of a quandary with being able to get the S30 relatively cheap and local and seemingly limited other CO2 options locally to me without having to rent a canister which is rather expensive. Also if the local place stops refilling, I'm even more stuck and likely need to go down the Sods stream route.

HughBrew

 

[HughBrew]

Using a ‘full sized’ CO2 cylinder is generally much cheaper than sodastream bottles by the way and not hard to get hold of (depending on where you are). Just make sure you don’t go to a supplier that wants to charge you a monthly rental on the cylinder.

Totally, I'm so down for a bigger CO2 cylinder, that'll make my life much easier with parts that exist etc . I'm struggling to find somewhere that does them though. I'm near Yeovil which has massive industrial tradiding estates which I thought would do them... But can I find one???
The search continues. Thank you for your help

HughBrew

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

I know what you mean - however it'll probably pay back pretty fast to get a full size (or indeed half size) cylinder even if it involves travelling a bit to pick it up.
Mine give me at least a year's use (often more like two) and are pretty cheap to get refilled.
Maybe have a look for AirLiquide suppliers in your area: |https://portal.airliquide.co.uk/agent-map

 

[HughBrew]

I know what you mean - however it'll probably pay back pretty fast to get a full size (or indeed half size) cylinder even if it involves travelling a bit to pick it up.
Mine give me at least a year's use (often more like two) and are pretty cheap to get refilled.
Maybe have a look for AirLiquide suppliers in your area: |https://portal.airliquide.co.uk/agent-map

That's a really good point actually, if it lasts that long then a trip out to get one really isn't that big of a deal, and I do in fact sometimes leave the house despite what people say . Can I ask how much you got through in a year approximately? How many kegs for example to get a year's use out of how many Kg. Just an estimate so I can guage what I need to look for please.

Cheers
HughBrew

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

Maybe this guy? seems to be based in Yeovil
https://mikeontheroad.co.uk/news-products-offers/southwest-gas-supplies-rent-free-gas-bottles/

For a comparison on price, this is the lot that I use:

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

I should clarify the £30 is for a refill - there's £50 deposit on the cylinder too but obvs that's only the first time.
As to my usage level, I suppose I do about 10-20 brews a year and use the CO2 pretty freely for both purging and serving from cornies... my last 6kg bottle lasted me well over a year, probably more like two

 

[HughBrew]

I should clarify the £30 is for a refill - there's £50 deposit on the cylinder too but obvs that's only the first time.
As to my usage level, I suppose I do about 10-20 brews a year and use the CO2 pretty freely for both purging and serving from cornies... my last 6kg bottle lasted me well over a year, probably more like two

Wow, ok that puts in into perspective. The amount of time I've spent researching the S30 I could have just gone and picked up big a canister . Decision made. Thank you for your help. I don't think Mike does CO2, but I'll check with him.

Here's to a nice chilled carbonated pint from a tap!

Cheers!
HughBrew

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

Ah yes, I see what you mean about Mike... even so, perhaps he might be able to get one for you from his supplier (especially if suitably incentivised with the offer of a beer )
Otherwise how about Adams Gas at Chard:

 

[HughBrew]

Ah yes, I see what you mean about Mike... even so, perhaps he might be able to get one for you from his supplier (especially if suitably incentivised with the offer of a beer )
Otherwise how about Adams Gas at Chard:

Ah yes, I see what you mean about Mike... even so, perhaps he might be able to get one for you from his supplier (especially if suitably incentivised with the offer of a beer )
Otherwise how about Adams Gas at Chard:

View attachment 85473

Haha, good point. No harm in asking. Yeah if not Chard is a good shout. I'm often down in Exeter too and I'm sure there'll be somewhere there.

Thanks for all your help.
Have a great weekend


HughBrew

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

Did you manage to get yourself sorted out with a cylinder @HughBrew ?

 

[HughBrew]

Hey, no not yet, life has rudely gotten in the way. Most importantly have managed to squeeze in a brew, which I'll just have to bottle for now.
I have done some research into the bits I need (taps, lines etc), so will get them all ordered up. I'm presuming CO2 cylinders mostly all have the same connections, so can confidently just proceed with buying the bits I need? Was going to get them from the malt miller unless you have any recommendations?

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

Oh my goodness that reminds me so much of the nail-biting I went through buying my first regulator and cylinder... I was really worried that I was going to end up with two expensive items that I couldn't connect together!
In practice yes, thank goodness, CO2 threads are standardised in UK and Europe.

from the AirLiquide site: "the thread conforms to British Standard BS 341 Part 1 No. 8 (0.860 in x 14 TPI) or the direct European equivalent (DIN 477 No. 6).
These threads are in effect interchangeable."

In practice you'll quite often see people just referring to the size: 0.860 inches and 14 threads per inch.

I got my regulator from Malt Miller too - this one: Premium CO2 Regulator - The Malt Miller and I've been very happy with it. Perhaps not the cheapest, but very solid and easy to use. Would be nice if it had a hand-knob instead of a knurled screwhead, but that's a very minor point.

For what it's worth I also got a check valve (non-return valve) which avoids the risk of accidentally connecting to a beer line and getting a regulator full of beer! You'd think it couldn't happen but you'd bet surprised how often people manage to do it. Not the end of the world as you can take them apart and clean them but very definitely best avoided.

I got this one (below) because I already had a gas-in corny disconnect with a threaded output, but if you've got barbed ones they also have the ones integrated into the disconnect.

https://www.themaltmiller.co.uk/product/disconnect-check-valve

I also got an adapter to connect a SodaStream cylinder to the regulator. I didn't use it for ages and thought it was a bit of a white elephant - but a few weeks ago I took a keg to a friend's party and took a SodaStream bottle instead of the full sized cylinder and it was a LOT more convenient!

https://www.themaltmiller.co.uk/product/sodastream-adapter-for-co2-regulator

I take it you're OK for things like a party tap with some 3/16" line to dispense the amber nectar at the other end of things? If not, I can recommend this: Premium Party Tap and Line - The Malt Miller

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

Oh - one more 'top tip' by the way.
Most people route their CO2 around in 3/8" tubing "because that's how the pubs do it". But in reality for home brewer 1/4" tubing is absolutely fine and is a heck of a lot more convenient (it's much more flexible for a start).
Also the 1/4" fittings (tee-pieces, taps etc) are a lot cheaper - I just buy the cheap 'selection packs' from Amazon that are intended for people to fit water filters.
Just get a few 3/8 to 1/4" stem reducers, so you can plug the 1/4" tubing into the 3/8" fittings on the regulators and disconnects etc.

Here's a quick photo of my setup (ok it's not the neatest but you can probably work out what's going on):

Any doubts/queries just give me a shout

Cheers Martin.