CO2 Regulator Advice

[Petrolhead]

My kegerator/keezer plans are coming together and I think I have decided to buy a double CO2 valve so that I can run two different pressures and possibly with a couple of 'Y' pieces four kegs. I hope this will in a simple fashion give me some flexibility.

A lot of UK suppliers seem to be out of stock at the moment but I have seen a TapRite valve on Amazon for about £80 and read some good reviews but wondered if any of you guy's had any advice or recommendations?

I am surprised no one has produced a simple 'Y' piece or manifold to allow two valves, or more, to be connected to the CO2 cylinder.

 

[Bigcol49]

Hi!
As you say, there is a distinct paucity of dual body regulators on UK sites. If you can get one for £80, grab it!

 

[peebee]

What the hell is a "double CO2 valve" and "dual body regulator"? And for £80 . I think the retailers are taking the Mickie.

 

[Bigcol49]

What the hell is a "double CO2 valve" and "dual body regulator"? And for £80 . I think the retailers are taking the Mickie.

Hi @peebee
Dual body regulator:

 

[HopHead420]

I find a single regulator set to about 50psi, with small and cheap secondary regulators for each desired keg pressure to be preferable, personally.

 

[Petrolhead]

Oh well I bit the bullet and it is arriving at the end of the month. I'll tell the missus that BigCol made me do it but will have to wait until payday for some cornies.

Now I just need to have a chat with our buyer about our BOC account...........

 

[peebee]

Hi @peebee
Dual body regulator:
View attachment 17518

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Ah, thank you.

They really are "dual bodied" in that they are two primary regulators in series. For which you gain the ability to set two pressures … and nothing else. Single-stage, not particularly accurate, can't cope with very low pressures, not very flexible, blah, blah. But if those extra features are not important they are perhaps adequate.

Or you get a single primary regulator (fixed output will do) feeding a couple (or more) secondary regulators. A little less "compact" maybe. A little less straight-forward maybe. But all the extra features (including "dual stage"). And half the price!

 

[Petrolhead]

Hi Peebee, too early for me to fully understand your comments as Im only just getting started but I read about the Taprite valves which are supposedly very good and it would appear that a single regulator is £70-80 in the UK and double regs about double that. In the US I could buy a double for what I could get a single in the UK so seemed a good move. Secondary regulators and such mysteries will all be to come I am sure

 

[-Bezza-]

Beer Hawk sell a dual regulator which is a Northern Brewer model. Quite like the look of it myself.

I'm sure there must be a discount code available to get it below £80 too.

 

[Bigcol49]

Hi @-Bezza-
That's a dual gauge regulator, but it isn't dual body.
A dual body regulator can pass gas at two different pressures.

 

[-Bezza-]

Hi @-Bezza-
That's a dual gauge regulator, but it isn't dual body.
A dual body regulator can pass gas at two different pressures.

There's a dual body one later in the vid.

 

[peebee]

Hi Peebee, too early for me to fully understand your comments as Im only just getting started but I read about the Taprite valves which are supposedly very good and it would appear that a single regulator is £70-80 in the UK and double regs about double that. In the US I could buy a double for what I could get a single in the UK so seemed a good move. Secondary regulators and such mysteries will all be to come I am sure

Don't worry, three or four years ago I was in the same boat. But I don't like being in the dark about things I want, and if I'm accusing you of wasting money I can assure you I spent loads on bits I later found I didn't want. So I quickly worked on becoming "expert"* material (* that might mean a "once was a drip under pressure"?) and now pass on that learning as noisily as I can.
Cheers

 

[Bigcol49]

There's a dual body one later in the vid.

Hi!
I haven't got time to watch ciné film.

 

[Petrolhead]

Cheers peebee

 

[-Bezza-]

Can someone post a link to an example of an appropriate secondary regulator please? @HopHead420 @peebee ??

 

[Bigcol49]

Can someone post a link to an example of an appropriate secondary regulator please? @HopHead420 @peebee ??

Hi!
These are the ones I bought - no problems with them at all.
https://rlbs.ltd.uk/v3002g-secondar...ith-pass-through-wall-mount-with-1-gauge.html

 

[peebee]

Can someone post a link to an example of an appropriate secondary regulator please? @HopHead420 @peebee ??

Shako regulators: http://www.shako-online-sales.com/frl/regulators/NR200. The "L2" version (yellow capped 0-2kgf/cm2) with, because it suited me, 1/4" BSP ports. The gauge is an add-on so don't miss it.

You can fit them up with JG fittings, or the fittings I used:

• 1/4" BSPP male -> 7/16" JIC (same as 1/4" female flare, or ffl). Part no. 2BJ0407. Connectors for the Corny keg disconnects.
• 1/4" BSPP female -> 1/4" BSPP male check valve. Part no. pcvf02-02. The check valve prevents catastrophic (!) loss of pressure from the keg if the CO2 cylinder is accidentally detached. NOTE: I only fit the check-valves when using as "spunding" valves.
• 08/06mm OD (finger-tight) with spring-guard -> 1/4" BSPP male stud. Part no. e1z-8/6-1/4. But I use 08/06mm polyurethane tube for CO2 hence these fittings. The 8mm OD stuff I use for the high-pressure (4-5 BAR) "bus" lines, the low-pressure (after the secondary regulators) lines are 06/04mm tube - simply so I don't mix them up.

All (and the tube) from Context Pneumatics here: https://www.contextpneumatics-catalogue.co.uk/.

Here's one in use. As a "spunding" valve! But imagine it has a beer tap fitted to the keg.

 

[xozzx]

Im thinking of adding a secondary CO2 reg to my setup as the primary reg often drifts, recently all my kegs were pressured to over 20 psi and Im still having foaming issues. Anyone any thoughts on this from Taprite. It looks ideal for my 4 keg keezer.

 

[Bigcol49]

Im thinking of adding a secondary CO2 reg to my setup as the primary reg often drifts, recently all my kegs were pressured to over 20 psi and Im still having foaming issues. Anyone any thoughts on this from Taprite. It looks ideal for my 4 keg keezer.

Hi!
Very nice - the price is good for a 4-way regulator. You could serve from 4 kegs and carb up a fifth with that setup.

 

[alsacebrew]

Oh well I bit the bullet and it is arriving at the end of the month. I'll tell the missus that BigCol made me do it but will have to wait until payday for some cornies.

Now I just need to have a chat with our buyer about our BOC account...........

Hi,
Doesn’t this regulator come with a CGA320 fitting? I bought one of these a couple of months ago from the US Amazon and realised too late that it won’t fit standard European gas bottles. I don’t know what to do with it now, so I’ve ordered a different one which should fit the gas bottle I have.