Kegorator Help

[marksa222]

Hi. I've just bought a larder fridge and a couple of corny's from Norm, and just wondered anyone has any suggestions as to what else I would need.

I've found some Kegorator conversion kits on ebay, which are from the states and cost a fortune. Does anyone know of another option? Preferably a cheaper one from the UK.

I have 2 kegs, so ofcourse 2 taps would be ideal. I know I would need a co2 regulator, but not sure which ones to look out for. I'm not too fussed about having one that allows two seperate psi's to the kegs, as I'd imagine they would be more expensive. I also keep hearing about a shank, which I think is the part that would go through the fridge door? I'm not sure about all the connections/fixings need though.

Another option is the party taps which I've seen online, but I hear that you will just get a pint of foam from a well carbonated beer.

I'd be grateful for any suggestions/links to things that might be useful.

Thanks
Mark

 

[joe1002]

If you want to mount the taps on the door you will need a shank, I bought mine from the USA. I can try and find the link if you need it.

As for a regulator, something like this will be fine. You will need to check the dials though as they may not bee on a small enough scale for you i.e. you need it to be deailed enough to be abble to pressure to 2-3 psi say.

You may want to consider a STC100 and tube heater as the fridge may keep your beer too cool - personal taste

 

[marksa222]

Thanks Joe. Already have the STC-1000.

Appreciate the link. So that, hooked up to the co2 will pressure two kegs to the same set psi?

The taps would be in the door, I can think of a way to get a font. If it was an undercounter one, it could go on top. Is there a way that people use them with taller fridges? If so, there seem to be alot more available taps that look like they've come out of pubs. Presumably this would be a bit cheaper and would only need the beer line running to it, rather than going through a shank?

Thanks.

 

[joe1002]

Appreciate the link. So that, hooked up to the co2 will pressure two kegs to the same set psi?

With a splitter yes. I think I may have a spare at home I could send you.


I have never seen the fonts on a taller fridge. I guess you would have to mount them on a lower worktop or something. You may be able to get a Dalex Tap fitted to the door without a shank by drilling a bigger hole in the insulation then the tap could clamp on to the metal of the door, if you see what I mean?

 

[marksa222]

Thanks very much.

I do see what you mean. I guess I could try and get a smaller table next to the fridge, or even made a table with foldable legs to attach to the side. Is it ok to drill through the side of the fridge to let the beer line out of it?

 

[joe1002]

I think drilling through the side of the fridge is dangerous as the coolant lines run through it. To get the co2 lines through the back of Mine I drilled VERY carefully. The door is fine, I'm not sure about the top of the fridge.

 

[marksa222]

brilliant thanks.

I'll have a look at the back of the fridge and see how safe it looks. Do you happen to know, if I got a tap (like an ex-pub one) do you just have somewhere to slide the beer line onto or is there another connection need for this? T

Thanks again

 

[richc]

My understanding of fridges is that the coolant lines are in the BACK not in the side. I've drilled holes in the side of my fridge with no issues. The way to find out where the coolant lines are is to turn the fridge as cold as it will go , spray the inside with water and shut. The coolant lines are where the ice is.

Most taps take/have a 5/8 inch shank on the back so some UK ones (the black dalex ones) are 1/2 inch.

Dalex tap on left, US style on right (actually a quix tap of ebay). My beer fridge sits on top of the freezer to keep it out of reach of the children.

Gas (and secondary beer) line at the side.

Inside - dalex on the right has a john guest fitting built in. Other tap has a shank (the threaded bit), retaining nut and a 7mm angled barb all from candirect.

 

[Gassman]

I bought my taps and disconnects line etc from Norm the other day and in a few days when my beer has cleared a bit I will get it into the kegs and fridge

The taps I bought are Perlik flow control taps with long shanks so was really easy to drill and connect up

 

[Gassman]

I have been asking questions myself so this also a first attempt and nearly ready

Thanks Eclipse and Dave and the others that have helped and not forgetting Norm for the help in getting me the stuff

I hope the pics work

I was toying with the idea of putting the gas bottle inside but its tucked away at the side

Hopefully will get this finished tomorrow

 

[joe1002]

Looks excellent Gassman :thumb:

You need to paste your picture links inside "img" (click on the img button) like this:

[img]http://s22.postimg.org/5wt1iglw1/20131125_122449_1.jpg[/img]

These are your pictures:

 

[joe1002]

Appreciate the link. So that, hooked up to the co2 will pressure two kegs to the same set psi?

With a splitter yes. I think I may have a spare at home I could send you.

I do indeed have a spare John Guest 3/8" push fit Y splitter, if you would like it let me know :thumb:

 

[marksa222]

Appreciate the link. So that, hooked up to the co2 will pressure two kegs to the same set psi?

With a splitter yes. I think I may have a spare at home I could send you.

I do indeed have a spare John Guest 3/8" push fit Y splitter, if you would like it let me know :thumb:

Thank you, that's really good of you. Out of interest (and I know this will probably sound like a really dumb question) all the regulators seem to have 2 dials on them. Do you know why this is?

I have found this tap on ebay. Is this the kind I would need, and if so, could you tell me which fitting I would need to get the beer line to go into it please.

Thanks again
Mark

 

[joe1002]

Thank you, that's really good of you. Out of interest (and I know this will probably sound like a really dumb question) all the regulators seem to have 2 dials on them. Do you know why this is?

One dial is to tell you how much co2 you have in your bottle and the other shows the pressure in your keg :thumb:
PM your addy and I will send it you :thumb:

I have found this tap on ebay. Is this the kind I would need, and if so, could you tell me which fitting I would need to get the beer line to go into it please.

That tap would work, it looks like it has a push fit connector on it. It will take either 3/8" or 3/16" line I would imagine (most likely the former). Ask the seller.

 

[marksa222]

Thanks Joe pm coming. I asked the seller who says it would require a hole just larger than 20mm and would fit a 5/16 John Guest reducer. I'm thinking to drill the hole through the door, put the tap through and bore out the insulation on the inside of the door to accomidate a 5/16-3/8 john guest adapter. Which will have the beer line attached to the 3/8 end. Does this sound about right? I do apologise for being a moron lol.

 

[marksa222]

Took a chance and got a JG 5/16 - 3/16 stem reducer and got ordered some 3/16 beer line. Probably wrong but isn't too expensive to find out.

 

[marksa222]

Yay... tap came this morning and the connections I got fit!

I have a wilkos real ale kit from the £8 sale thing a few months ago. Not used it as I started ag shortly after. I was thinking of using this as the first one to go in the corny. I will need to experiment will carb levels and things, so wouldn't want to risk a whole batch of AG. I believe you need to carb at a high level, then reduce this to serving pressure. Could anyone suggest which levels these should be approximately for this style of beer?

 

[Fil]

with a keg fridge u can just set the oprimum temp and pressure and leave the keg for a week and serve, tho u may want to leave it a little longer to mature ??

http://www.brewersfriend.com/keg-carbon ... alculator/

is usefull and so is

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j ... 5469,d.ZG4

and

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=carbo ... d=0CC8QsAQ

look up the style of beer and the level of condition u want , then look up the pressure and temp to set and away u go..

those of us without keg temp control and sometimes those with it speed up the conditioning by setting a higher pressure for a few days and some even shake the kegs to speed it up more. with a keg fridge u needednt bother..

to serve beers at higher than nominal pressure tho u need to balance the keg pressure off with thin restricting line so u dont get the full pressure drop at the tap, as that will stimulate a foam out.

Fit thin microline between the keg and tap 3/16" line will restrict pressure at about 1 to 2 psi per foot length.

so depending on the keg pressure a few feet of micro line will drop the beer pressure at the tap to a level circa 2psi which should allow u to keep the condition in the beer.