CO2 Regulator- particular PSI?

[Pugh]

Hi All,

I've a question regarding my CO2 regulator as I've recently started bottling from the keg using a Tapcooler.

The regulator is this one: CO2 Regulator for Cornelius Keg - Love Brewing (although I got mine from The Malt Miller)

And it's fine for normal use but in the Tapcooler instructions it says "set your Co2 to 7PSI". The regulator seems to have a bit of a lag on the output dial so it's difficult to say whether the output really is 7PSI. And I really don't want that to be wrong if I'm pressurising the bottle I'm holding...

So the question is: does it sound like the regulator is faulty (i.e. should the dial immediately reflect the pressure) or is it working fine and what I need is some sort of different regulator or bit of equipment with the ability to select an output PSI, rather than just turning a screw on the regulator and hoping...

Thanks!

 

[Drunkula]

Regulator is fine. It measures the pressure of what the keg's at - if you gassed a keg to 15 psi then dropped the setting on the regulator it doesn't automatically vent out the pressure. You'd have to vent the keg to see the changes. Some regulators even have a pressure release on them.

 

[Buffers brewery]

I use a cylinder/regulator for charging my King Keg pressure barrels. The gauge on the regulator goes up to 6 bar which made it a bit coarse for my needs so I fitted another (venting) regulator (0-2 bar) to the output. I set the regulator to 20psi then adjust the second regulator to my required pressure. If the line pressure is too high, turning the second regulator down vents the line to the required level.

 

[Pugh]

I use a cylinder/regulator for charging my King Keg pressure barrels. The gauge on the regulator goes up to 6 bar which made it a bit coarse for my needs so I fitted another (venting) regulator (0-2 bar) to the output. I set the regulator to 20psi then adjust the second regulator to my required pressure. If the line pressure is too high, turning the second regulator down vents the line to the required level.
View attachment 35684

Ah, that's a good idea. Is there also scope to put a T piece in between then two regulators allowing you to take a gas line off to another keg at a potentially (with another venting regulator) different PSI?

 

[Buffers brewery]

Ah, that's a good idea. Is there also scope to put a T piece in between then two regulators allowing you to take a gas line off to another keg at a potentially (with another venting regulator) different PSI?

Can't see why not. Might just have to think about stability. Perhaps use a couple of brackets (they come with the regulator) and connect with hose?

 

[Drunkula]

So with a venting regulator you always have to keep the main regulator below its venting value I'm guessing.

And @Pugh you can get secondary regulators that chain into the regulator output and let you drop the pressure again. So you could:

Main : 12 psi into splitter one going to a keg, other to the secondary ->

Secondary : drops the 12 psi to 3 psi to a keg for old man beer where they count the bubbles and shout "I've seen three bubbles this hour, Judith! I'll not be served this fizzy muck again lest my colon inflates and bursts out of me like a enraged conger eel and frightens our Billy. Good day to you. I shall expect reimbursement in currency or kind, it's your choosing."

 

[Buffers brewery]

The venting regulator only vents the upstream line, i.e. the line between the regulator and Keg. On my cylinder I set the main regulator to 20 psi. The second regulator steps the pressure down to 9 psi which is the pressure I have in my KK. If I want to reduce the pressure in the Keg I turn the second regulator down and gas in the keg line vents down to the required pressure.

 

[peebee]

I use a cylinder/regulator for charging my King Keg pressure barrels. The gauge on the regulator goes up to 6 bar which made it a bit coarse for my needs so I fitted another (venting) regulator (0-2 bar) to the output. I set the regulator to 20psi then adjust the second regulator to my required pressure. If the line pressure is too high, turning the second regulator down vents the line to the required level.
View attachment 35684

That's a kookie setup! I've never seen a secondary regulator attached directly to the primary like that. But it is of cause a perfectly valid setup, mimicking a very expensive two-stage regulator which gives much finer control over the output.

Ah, that's a good idea. Is there also scope to put a T piece in between then two regulators allowing you to take a gas line off to another keg at a potentially (with another venting regulator) different PSI?

Absolutely! That would be a setup more like I'm used to. I've got five regulators attached to my "primary" regulator, and you could have many more. The output from the primary regulator (the one attached to the gas cylinder) feeds the line providing input for all the "secondary" regulators, and this line might be called the "bus line".

Many regulators used as "primaries" would be hard pushed to hold steady at 7PSI. A secondary has no problem.

But going back to the OP: I'd say the only reason Tapcooler say "7PSI" is that will be about the minimum serving pressure most would be using. More accurately it should be "the pressure of the keg supplying the beer". That way no beer flows into the bottle until the pressure in the bottle is slowly vented. But that takes a bit more explaining! And it isn't so important than with a normal counter-pressure bottler because the Tapcooler filler is attached to .... the tap! The tap can provide all the initial flow control until the pressure in bottle and keg get close.