Kegerator newbie set up help

[Gwen]

I am about to bite the bullet and go down the corny kegerator route. I bought a keg locally that came with a party tap and another tap (see pic). I have sourced a c02 pub gas bottle from my local pub. I have convinced hubby that we need to make a kegerator, which he say's he will help me make. We have a small chest freezer and a tall fridge we could convert, but I think the fridge is going to be the one to be converted. I have spent ages over the last couple of weeks doing my homework and pricing stuff up. I think just for easiness and so I don't forget a part, I am going to do a 2 keg starter kit. Then I would have the 3rd keg as a back up.

I just have a couple of questions if anyone can help please.

Would the tap below be able to be used on a fridge door or is this only to be used straight onto the keg. (Please excuse my technical terms) The bit where the black disconnect screws to is I imagine too short to go through the fridge door. Can this be changed to a longer bolt/screw piece?

To run 2 kegs from the same gas bottle it say's to use a Y splitter. If I use this does this mean that 2 kegs have to be connected at all times? I would only have 1 full of product to start with. From what I understand it would mean gas would be pushed through the pipes or would the gas be held back if the disconnect is not connected to the keg? As I cannot see anyway of just turning 1 pipe off. Would spending a few quid more from the start and getting a gas manifold be a better option? Just do not fancy an accident with such a large gas bottle as I didn't have much luck with the little mini gas canisters.

If I get a gas manifold is it better in or outside the fridge?

Thanks Gwen

 

[gyurmaember]

You don't have to get the second keg connected as the grey keg connector will shut the gas when it's disconnected. You might want to split the gas line into 3, to carbonate the spare keg, or use it for pressure transfer.
You can get a longer shank if needed, no problem, have a look on keglands AliExpress site, or if it's urgent use brewkegtap.
You also need a regulator as the bottle has much higher pressure in it, than what you need for homebrew purposes.

 

[Gwen]

Thanks for that.

Would the gas manifold be better fixed inside the fridge or outside?

 

[hoppyscotty]

Anyone running in-line regulators so you can independently set different pressures for each keg? Sounds like it might be a good idea if you wanted different carb levels for different styles of beer?

 

[Gwen]

Anyone running in-line regulators so you can independently set different pressures for each keg? Sounds like it might be a good idea if you wanted different carb levels for different styles of beer?

Now you have given me something else to think about.

So to regulate each keg separately I need to use a secondary regulator?

I was originally thinking of using a Y splitter, then moved onto a gas manifold with 3 or 4 outlets but I have also seen a 3 way splitter from the malt miller. Which do you think would work better if I add secondary regulator? or am I just over thinking it now I would probably start off with a keg of wine and a keg of beer but could end up with a cider too so probably will need to regulate each keg at different pressures.

 

[hoppyscotty]

I was thinking of a couple of these...

https://www.angelhomebrew.co.uk/gas...inline-in-line-regulator-8mm-516-push-in.html
So split off a full pressure gas line from your cylinder for you kegarator from your main gas cylinder and feed a couple of these...or one for each keg. Then a separate line off the cylinder regulator for other purposes.

 

[Gwen]

Perfect and thank you

I had better start doing some overtime as I have given hubby a ball park figure and it seems to be going up each day

 

[hoppyscotty]

To be fair at the moment I'm just running two kegs at the same pressure, but sticking largely with similar beer styles at the moment so no rush, so one of those things you can do over time. The biggest issue is I don't want to buy a second cylinder just to run the kegarator so having to run everything off one cylinder with minimal faff.

 

[Leon103]

The ultimate set up would be a manifold with in line regs. Put the manifold inside the fridge.

I went down the splitter route but eventually got a manifold. So much easier and tidied. I used aliexpress was so much cheaper.

 

[Binkei Huckaback]

Yes, a manifold is better than a Y piece, but, give serious thought to if you might in the future want to serve drinks that have different carbonation levels at the same time. If so, go for secondary regulators instead.

You'll need one for every additional keg, but I think worth it. I initially bought a three way manifold but wish I'd just gone for a secondary regulator in the first place.

Whatever you buy and your equipment and wherever you buy it from, make sure you buy a non-return valve (manifolds have them built in). It could save you the cost of a new regulator.

Johnny at Brew Keg Tap is very helpful and his prices are very competitive.

 

[Binkei Huckaback]

Anyone running in-line regulators so you can independently set different pressures for each keg? Sounds like it might be a good idea if you wanted different carb levels for different styles of beer?

I have a (I think ODL) secondary regulator from the Malt Miller which I use in conjunction with my two keg kit from Brew Keg Tap. I've only used it once with a Batham's Best clone at about 10 psi whilst a hefeweizen took higher pressure direct from the cylinder and was very impressed. Don't forget a non-return valve for it though!

 

[gyurmaember]

Manifolds usually have non return valves built-in.

 

[Binkei Huckaback]

Manifolds usually have non return valves built-in.

Yes, they do. As I said in my posts above.

 

[Gwen]

Yes, a manifold is better than a Y piece, but, give serious thought to if you might in the future want to serve drinks that have different carbonation levels at the same time. If so, go for secondary regulators instead.

You'll need one for every additional keg, but I think worth it. I initially bought a three way manifold but wish I'd just gone for a secondary regulator in the first place.

Whatever you buy and your equipment and wherever you buy it from, make sure you buy a non-return valve (manifolds have them built in). It could save you the cost of a new regulator.

Johnny at Brew Keg Tap is very helpful and his prices are very competitive.

Thanks.
I think I am following
So if I want different pressures on say the 2 or 3 keg set up use secondary regulators on my gas pipe. So here is were I start to get lost. Would I use secondary regulators with a gas manifold or is this instead of?
Sorry but what I thought I was understanding I just want to get it right from the start and not waste time and money on something that I would probably change soon after as didn't do enough homework.
I think I will be having a fairly long conversation with BKT when I place my order.

 

[Binkei Huckaback]

If you have two kegs, where, say keg 1 needs to be at 12 psi and keg 2 needs to be at 20 psi, you have your main regulator on your gas bottle set to the pressure of your most carbonated beer (keg 2).

You run gas line to a secondary regulator from the main regulator which is then connected by gas line to keg 1. The secondary regulator drops the pressure to 12 psi, but also alllows gas to travel through it at the pressure set on the main regulator to keg 2, via another length of beer line.

You could also have more secondary regulators feeding more kegs by daisy chaining them.

Malt Miller had a very good kegerator build video where they do this here:

 

[Leon103]

Thanks.
I think I am following
So if I want different pressures on say the 2 or 3 keg set up use secondary regulators on my gas pipe. So here is were I start to get lost. Would I use secondary regulators with a gas manifold or is this instead of?
Sorry but what I thought I was understanding I just want to get it right from the start and not waste time and money on something that I would probably change soon after as didn't do enough homework.
I think I will be having a fairly long conversation with BKT when I place my order.

Ideally with a manifold

 

[Gwen]

Great video, thanks is for the link.

Thanks everyone, I think I have a good idea how to go forward now get money in bank and get loadsa stuff ordered before hubby gets home

 

[Binkei Huckaback]

Ideally with a manifold

Sorry, but having bought both a manifold and a secondary regulator, I can't see the point of using a manifold. The ODL secondary regulators also allow you to turn off the gas supply to the keg they control the pressure for.

Unless you want to, say have a line which you'll not use for kegs (say for purging kegs, pressure transfer etc, I can't see the point. *But* maybe I'm missing something. Do you use both together?

 

[gavp1979]

I suppose it depends which secondary regulators you use, I have the cheap and cheerful kegland duotight secondary regs which don't have a pass through so I split the line with a manifold and then use the secondary regs between the manifold and keg

 

[Binkei Huckaback]

I suppose it depends which secondary regulators you use, I have the cheap and cheerful kegland duotight secondary regs which don't have a pass through so I split the line with a manifold and then use the secondary regs between the manifold and keg

Ahh. That makes sense.