PaulCa
Regular.
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2012
- Messages
- 311
- Reaction score
- 6
So I'm about 12 brews and 6 months into using a keg and CO2.
I started with a 5.5Kg pub cylinder. Originally I trusted my calor gas pipe, jubilee clipped nicely to the barbed tails. So when I up the keg to 30PSI for 2 days I left the gas on. Then when I dropped it to serving pressure I left the gas bottle on. This 5.5Kg cylinder lasted me maybe 4 brews.
When it turned out to get it filled the first time at a supplier they wanted £20 to fill it and £18 to test the valve and stamp the cylinder, I decided to use an unconverted 2Kg CO2 fire extinguisher instead. They are cheaper and more local to get filled. I can get it swapped straight out on the way to work for £17.
Given that 5.5Kg lasted me only 4 brews I decided to work on saving the gas.
1. Firstly when cleaning the keg I only use 10PSI gas, just enough to get the sanitizer to run through the lines, then took the gas off. The same when rinsing. Not attempting to seal the lid saves a lot of gas, if all you need is to get the water forced through the lines. (To clean the gas poppet just upturn the keg and push the poppet to release sanitizer through the post).
2. When cleaning/rinsing etc. Filling the keg to the brim means you need MUCH less gas to pressurize the keg.
3. I marked my Corny lid with a marker so I can get the lid seal more quickly. That and practice, practice, practice at manipulating the lid to get a seal as quickly as possible saves LOTS of gas.
4. Now that I have 2 kegs, when force carbonating I only use 15PSI gas instead of 30, then I leave it for a week at least only putting the gas on it every few days to keep it at 15PSI or until it stops accepting gas.
The most important thing to save gas is this:
5. I always leave the bottle OFF. As it's an FE it has a trigger style gas release valve. What I have found is the valve, tube and regulator fitting hold quite a significant volume of gas at 800PSI. Enough to run an operational keg dispensing beer for 10 pints! Then just squeeze the valve when the pressure ebbs and your good for another 10 pints.
This means that if there is even a tiny micro-leak in the lines (or keg) the most gas you waste is the surplus in the regulator and it's fitting tube.
So this time around, I'm still on the 2Kg FE which I got filled in October or something. Probably 8 brews so far and there was still a small mass of liquid moving around inside it last time I filled a keg with it.
I believe that two things waste the most gas. 1. Leaving the bottle on for weeks, causing you to waste gas through micro-leaks etc. and 2. Trying to get the lid to seal and failing multiple times while using 30PSI gas.
Mark your lid so you know which way round it goes to get the seal quickest. Line up one end of the oblong so it's high in the seal. Lift the keg by the lid handle and manipulate it by pulling against the PRV and twisting the handle until you get the other side up as high as you can. If it won't come up, stop, re-position the lid and try again. Do not turn the gas on until you can get the lid part way up into the seal on both sides. Wet the lid with clean water. 10PSI gas and keep manipulating the lid by the handle until the sound of bubbles along the seal stops. Secure the lid. Purge once (the leak through the seal while sealing will already have purged the keg, then increase the pressure to your preferred level. With practice you can get the lid to seal first time and in seconds.
Paul
I started with a 5.5Kg pub cylinder. Originally I trusted my calor gas pipe, jubilee clipped nicely to the barbed tails. So when I up the keg to 30PSI for 2 days I left the gas on. Then when I dropped it to serving pressure I left the gas bottle on. This 5.5Kg cylinder lasted me maybe 4 brews.
When it turned out to get it filled the first time at a supplier they wanted £20 to fill it and £18 to test the valve and stamp the cylinder, I decided to use an unconverted 2Kg CO2 fire extinguisher instead. They are cheaper and more local to get filled. I can get it swapped straight out on the way to work for £17.
Given that 5.5Kg lasted me only 4 brews I decided to work on saving the gas.
1. Firstly when cleaning the keg I only use 10PSI gas, just enough to get the sanitizer to run through the lines, then took the gas off. The same when rinsing. Not attempting to seal the lid saves a lot of gas, if all you need is to get the water forced through the lines. (To clean the gas poppet just upturn the keg and push the poppet to release sanitizer through the post).
2. When cleaning/rinsing etc. Filling the keg to the brim means you need MUCH less gas to pressurize the keg.
3. I marked my Corny lid with a marker so I can get the lid seal more quickly. That and practice, practice, practice at manipulating the lid to get a seal as quickly as possible saves LOTS of gas.
4. Now that I have 2 kegs, when force carbonating I only use 15PSI gas instead of 30, then I leave it for a week at least only putting the gas on it every few days to keep it at 15PSI or until it stops accepting gas.
The most important thing to save gas is this:
5. I always leave the bottle OFF. As it's an FE it has a trigger style gas release valve. What I have found is the valve, tube and regulator fitting hold quite a significant volume of gas at 800PSI. Enough to run an operational keg dispensing beer for 10 pints! Then just squeeze the valve when the pressure ebbs and your good for another 10 pints.
This means that if there is even a tiny micro-leak in the lines (or keg) the most gas you waste is the surplus in the regulator and it's fitting tube.
So this time around, I'm still on the 2Kg FE which I got filled in October or something. Probably 8 brews so far and there was still a small mass of liquid moving around inside it last time I filled a keg with it.
I believe that two things waste the most gas. 1. Leaving the bottle on for weeks, causing you to waste gas through micro-leaks etc. and 2. Trying to get the lid to seal and failing multiple times while using 30PSI gas.
Mark your lid so you know which way round it goes to get the seal quickest. Line up one end of the oblong so it's high in the seal. Lift the keg by the lid handle and manipulate it by pulling against the PRV and twisting the handle until you get the other side up as high as you can. If it won't come up, stop, re-position the lid and try again. Do not turn the gas on until you can get the lid part way up into the seal on both sides. Wet the lid with clean water. 10PSI gas and keep manipulating the lid by the handle until the sound of bubbles along the seal stops. Secure the lid. Purge once (the leak through the seal while sealing will already have purged the keg, then increase the pressure to your preferred level. With practice you can get the lid to seal first time and in seconds.
Paul
