Getting started with kegs

[stevela]

Fridge has arrived and it just about doesn't fit two kegs side by side on the bottom shelf so I'll need to build a platform and then I should have plenty of space for two kegs and a gas bottle (three kegs if I leave the gas outside of the fridge).

*edit* probably helps if I put the image in:

Unfortunately it smells horrendous at the moment (although the guy I bought it off said it was new) so I'm going to air it out then give it a good clean tomorrow.

I've won two more eBay auctions for taps so I should have enough parts to start building this next week :)

Any hints or tips for mounting the taps?

 

[stevela]

First tap has arrived from ebay:

Handle is a bit beaten but I assume this can be replaced easily enough. Two more yet to come along with the regulator and some connectors/beer line that I won auctions for today.

 

[Fil]

looking good... if u are planning of having the taps in the door, i think u may want to look at some sort of reinforcing plate as the door skin will be thin and if attached to that have the capacity 2 flex as u pour and pull on the lever.

 

[stevela]

looking good... if u are planning of having the taps in the door, i think u may want to look at some sort of reinforcing plate as the door skin will be thin and if attached to that have the capacity 2 flex as u pour and pull on the lever.

Hi Fil

Yes I was going to mount them on the door as it seemed most sensible place to put them. I'll look into getting something to go behind them when I put them in place. Thanks for the advice.

 

[Fil]

Not a job ive attacked as my kegs are not chilled (yet??)
my taps are in a font, and you do exert some force with a lever tap, when my font wasnt secured properly the little wobble spoilt the proud(ok smug) experience..


But putting something behind will involve cutting a lot of insulation back, how about a nice polished thin board of ply, or brass or even SS if u have a qmax punch to knock out a clean hole, if u used strong epoxy to bond the plate to the front all over its rear you may not need to dig out more insulation than necessary..

imho a wee dink with the tap bending into the door would spoil a proud pint pull from such a nice looking solution.

 

[stevela]

Regulator has arrived safe and sound:

I've given the fridge a good clean today and it now smells much more pleasant, I've also fired it up to make sure the compressor works etc. Just realised I need to get myself another STC-1000 so back to eBay it is.

Not a job ive attacked as my kegs are not chilled (yet??)
my taps are in a font, and you do exert some force with a lever tap, when my font wasnt secured properly the little wobble spoilt the proud(ok smug) experience..


But putting something behind will involve cutting a lot of insulation back, how about a nice polished thin board of ply, or brass or even SS if u have a qmax punch to knock out a clean hole, if u used strong epoxy to bond the plate to the front all over its rear you may not need to dig out more insulation than necessary..

imho a wee dink with the tap bending into the door would spoil a proud pint pull from such a nice looking solution.

Stainless would be the nicest looking but I don't have a QMax to put a hole in it unfortunately. I'll have a look and see what's in the scrap store for wood.

 

[Fil]

pm sent.. if u dont like that idea i have seen SS 150mm sq wall tiles on ebay..

 

[stevela]

Final two taps have arrived, as I can only fit two kegs and a gas bottle in the fridge I am only going to fit these:

This means I have a spare Hydes branded one if it is of interest to anyone.

The connectors on these new ones are slightly smaller than the 3/8" beer line that I have:

Approx 8mm across (5/16?) so I guess I will either need new beer line or an adaptor to step between the keg connector and the tap.

 

[Fil]

a 5/16"stem to 3/8" jg should sort u out, but are you factoring in any microline to balance off keg pressure before it hits the tap? if so it might me easier just to plumb in with microline for beer, it will coil up tighter and neater and will be easier to handle opening and closing the door 3/8" line is pretty rigid and unless secured and plumbed up with elbows for corners could disturb the kegs with opening and closing the door

 

[stevela]

Hadn't thought of that, assumed I would be good with 3/8 throughout. When you say microline are you talking 3/16?

In which case I would need:

SANKEY CONNECTOR 3/8 (stem) -> 3/16 ---------------- 3/16 -> 5/16 (stem) TAP

How long should I be looking to have my lines?

 

[PaulCa]

Regulator has arrived safe and sound:
Just realised I need to get myself another STC-1000 so back to eBay it is.

Emm... It's a fridge, it already has a temp controller in it surely. Unless you want to keep it outside of it's normal range.

 

[bobsbeer]

How long should I be looking to have my lines?

I have about 4' of 3/16th line coiled up,but on less carbonated beer it works too well and I have to pour from a height to get a head. But on more carbonated beers it works well.

 

[stevela]

Regulator has arrived safe and sound:
Just realised I need to get myself another STC-1000 so back to eBay it is.

Emm... It's a fridge, it already has a temp controller in it surely. Unless you want to keep it outside of it's normal range.

It seems to have one temperature setting of very cold, regardless of where the dial is set although I need to have more of a scientific measure of it than I have so far :)

I figure an STC-1000 will give me more control of serving temp and will allow me to have a backup fermenting fridge should I have need of one.

 

[Fil]

3/16" yes, how much to use depends a lot on the beer, the idea is to reduce the pressure to a nominal level when u open the tap so the sudden change isnt going to stimulate a foam out. i use about 5ft of microline with a further length of about 4m of 3/8" line to and thru a chiller with beers i store at ambient temp (coolest spot possible COLD atm). and use it for beers served between 12-16psi.

iirc the effect is 1-2psi reduction per foot length for 3/16" line, i think that unless your serving at very high pressures for very high condition levels a 6ft or 2m length is a good start for most, and if too slow a pour , get the scissors out and chop a bit off for pour test #2.. :)

 

[Will12283]

How long should I be looking to have my lines?

I have 2m of 3/8 and 2m of 3/16 but I am despensing lager. I would recommend Paul at the Harmony Hut dealt with him last week and sorted me out :thumb:

 

[stevela]

How long should I be looking to have my lines?

I have about 4' of 3/16th line coiled up,but on less carbonated beer it works too well and I have to pour from a height to get a head. But on more carbonated beers it works well.

3/16" yes, how much to use depends a lot on the beer, the idea is to reduce the pressure to a nominal level when u open the tap so the sudden change isnt going to stimulate a foam out. i use about 5ft of microline with a further length of about 4m of 3/8" line to and thru a chiller with beers i store at ambient temp (coolest spot possible COLD atm). and use it for beers served between 12-16psi.

iirc the effect is 1-2psi reduction per foot length for 3/16" line, i think that unless your serving at very high pressures for very high condition levels a 6ft or 2m length is a good start for most, and if too slow a pour , get the scissors out and chop a bit off for pour test #2.. :)

Thanks I'll pick up a 5m coil and have a play.

How long should I be looking to have my lines?

I have 2m of 3/8 and 2m of 3/16 but I am despensing lager. I would recommend Paul at the Harmony Hut dealt with him last week and sorted me out :thumb:

Looks like he has everything that I need :thumb:

 

[Fil]

err dont use scissors to chop the line unless they are very sharp, blunt scissor cuts can be the cause of bad jg connections. use sharp tools for a nice clean un deformed cut.

(rough intrusions into beer line can also stimulate unwanted foam release)

 

[bobsbeer]

Give Barneey a pm. He had some beer line going cheap. Good quality stuff as well.

 

[stevela]

Next items have arrived, two keg couplers from eBay turned up today:

Bought these on a punt as they didn't have great descriptions, one is Labatts branded the other Carlsberg/Tetley

They both have the same serial number of DSi SK 172-001

I've found a few other eBay auctions (http://www.ebay.com/itm/DSI-S-Type-Beer ... 7675.l2557) which refer to these as S Type and they connect to my spears and push down the valve.

The only difference I can see between the two is that the inner seal is bigger on one than the other. The one with the smaller seal seems to have a chunkier peg for pushing down the valve.

Do these look ok to use?

 

[stevela]

Due to Xmas, New Year and a bout of illness I've not had chance to do anything with this recently however I did contact metal offcuts and they kindly supplied me with a 300mm x 50mm piece of stainless with two 21mm holes in which fit my taps nicely:

Now I just need to find some suitable washers for this and drill the holes in the kegerator and see if it all fits together!

I still haven't found a CO2 supplier that delivers yet, I thought I had managed to get Savannah Gases to drop some off but they went quiet on me