I wish to set up a Sodastream CO2 system for my Growler but ...

[Dutto]

... I want to use my existing Pressure Regulator that takes 16g screw thread CO2 capsules.

A few points are:

1. The cost of CO2 using 16g Threaded Capsules is over twice as expensive as using Sodastream Refills.
2. I don't see a need for a more elaborate Pressure Regulator as I can temporarily revert back to the 16g CO2 Capsules if the Sodastream Bottle runs out.
3. I don't chill my beer in a fridge so the Sodastream Bottle (with regulator attached) can be secured anywhere within a 2 metre radius.

I think I will need:

• A Sodastream Bottle.
• An adaptor that will allow me to connect the Sodastream Bottle to the ⅜" threaded connection on the Pressure Regulator.
• CO2 tubing (and Jubilee Clips) to connect the Pressure Regulator to the Growler.

So, any ideas as to where I can find and buy this equipment please? (I'm having trouble finding a Sodastream to ⅜" - 24 - UNF adaptor.)

Any information and thoughts on this would be much appreciated. :thumb:

 

[peebee]

There is a small adaptable regulator that will fit to those little capsules and Sodastream bottles - I'm sure someone will post about them soon.

I tackled it from a different angle - big Pub CO2 bottle with a Sodastream back up. If you can wait 2-8 weeks and don't mind doing your bit towards destroying Western economy there are loads of Chinese adapters that can be ordered from eBay.

This one has got one of the diminutive primary regulators I use attached - standard W21.8 CO2 bottle thread - feeding one of the (not so good) secondary regulators I used to use.

So, any ideas as to where I can find and buy this equipment please? (I'm having trouble finding a Sodastream to ⅜" - 24 - UNF adaptor.)

Sodastream changed all their threads to some kooky trapezoid thread. The NZ/Australian bottles are still BSP apparently (as were the old defunct "Midget Widget" bottles). Didn't stop the Chinese copying them.

 

[peebee]

Hum, the adapters exist but these are a hell of a price: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/sodastre...940061?hash=item4d4ac5839d:g:fC4AAOSwxg5X1VJn. (Not from China - well not directly).

No-one replied with those modular regulators. But I found 'em, here go: https://www.themaltmiller.co.uk/product/universal-co2-regulator/. If the adapter above was a "hell of a price", these set fire to hell!


(EDIT: This was the earlier related thread: https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/mobile-co2-for-corni-kegs.77124/).
(EDIT-2: Ha! ↓↓↓↓↓ I knew they'd turn up, I was just impatient).

 

[F00b4r]

You could consider this modular setup, it would mean seeking your current reg but it would give you total flexibility (what you have asked for but also pub style bottles of CO2).

 

[Dutto]

Many thanks for the input. :thumb:

This evening I went to my local Shooting Club where the Members have a wide variety of compressed air and CO2 powered rifles and pistols. The CO2 users charge up their guns by using a large CO2 bottle, but one of the connecting systems being used had four connectors screwed into each other in order to get the connection from the CO2 bottle into the rifle; and this is something that I want to avoid,

I've already got a small Pressure Regulator and SWMBO has advised me that I don't need to buy another one.

I can find plenty of the "use once" Sodastream CO2 cartridges like this ...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005ERICB8/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

... so does anyone know if these cylinders will fit the eBay adaptor here ...

​

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/sodastre...940061?hash=item4d4ac5839d:g:fC4AAOSwxg5X1VJn.

If so, then I will bite on the bullet and give it a whirl ... :thumb:

... once I have found a source of CO2 resistant tubing!

Thanks again. :thumb:

 

[peebee]

I can find plenty of the "use once" Sodastream CO2 cartridges like this ...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SodaStream...079516&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=sodastream+CO2

You've linked a full-size Sodastream refillable cylinder, not the "use-once" cartridges. If you get the full-size, buy it with the drink bottle; its cheaper!

... once I have found a source of CO2 resistant tubing!

I use 6mm OD 4mm ID polyurethane tube which the aquarium bunch use as "CO2 resistant". You can get it here: https://www.contextpneumatics-catal...7&level2=71236&level1=70982&stockistown=False. 25m for about £10, which should keep you going for a while. Lots of different sizes (and colours) too.



(EDIT: If you want to spend a fortune just because it says "CO2 resistant" try here: https://www.co2supermarket.co.uk/co2-polyurethane-tubing-black-4mm-6mm-aquarium-p96.html).

 

[dave_walton]

You can get all you need from Brewkegtap
https://brewkegtap.co.uk/search?type=product,article,page&q=Sodastream


Sent from my SM-T813 using Tapatalk

 

[Dutto]

You can get all you need from Brewkegtap
https://brewkegtap.co.uk/search?type=product,article,page&q=Sodastream

Many thanks, but they only seem to sell Kits so it looks like Amazon and Flea-bay will get my business.

When SWMBO has gone to bed I'll order a few bits and pieces!

 

[dave_walton]

Email them and I'm sure they will make up what you want. They made me a keg jumper on request.

Many thanks, but they only seem to sell Kits so it looks like Amazon and Flea-bay will get my business.

When SWMBO has gone to bed I'll order a few bits and pieces!

Sent from my SM-T813 using Tapatalk

 

[britton]

When SWMBOhas gone to bed I'll order a few bits and pieces!

I wonder who wears the trousers...

 

[Dutto]

I wonder who wears the trousers...

It sure as hell isn't me ...

... but the deed is done! :thumb:

Ordered the following:

• Sodastream Cartridge £22. (From Amazon.)
• Adapter £15. (From eBay.)
• Tubing £10 (From CO2Supermarket)

Many thanks for all the advice and research. It's much appreciated even if I didn't use some of it. :thumb:

Now all I have to do is hope that everything fits together when it arrives! :hat:

 

[Clint]

A keg jumper...is that a knitted sweater with a picture of a keg on the front?

 

[peebee]

A keg jumper...is that a knitted sweater with a picture of a keg on the front?

Here go. I couldn't get one with a picture of a keg, but this one has special access ports for the gas-in and beer-out. And allows the keg to be filled without taking the jumper off:

 

[peebee]

… Ordered the following:

• Sodastream Cartridge £22. (From Amazon.)
• Adapter £15. (From eBay.)
• Tubing £10 (From CO2Supermarket) …

You didn't get the Sodastream cylinder with drink bottle: I said it was cheaper. And you got the hyper-expensive tube from CO2 Supermarket. More money than sense ...

Hang on, I've just got to look this telephone number up … d, d, ah, here we are, Mrs Dutto, right … I'll be back after I've made this call.

 

[Dutto]

A keg jumper...is that a knitted sweater with a picture of a keg on the front?

That reminded me of the very non-PC joke I saw written on the wall of a gents that went ...

"My mother made me a queer."

... and underneath someone else had written ...

"If I buy her the wool, would she knit me one?"

You didn't get the Sodastream cylinder with drink bottle: I said it was cheaper. And you got the hyper-expensive tube from CO2 Supermarket. More money than sense ...

.......

Solid thinking (I hope).

A number of "Reviews" insisted that the delivered bottles were virtually empty so I went for the simplest version and I will weigh it before I remove the top seal; plus I have absolutely no use for a plastic bottle.

I found no end of tubing but the one that could be ordered in 1m lengths was the one from CO2 Supermarket; and I don't want or need 6 metres of tubing cluttering up the place any more than I need an empty bottle!

It's all due to be delivered later today so "moment of truth" when it arrives! :thumb:

 

[Dutto]

I'm posting this because Lidl have an air-line manifold on sale for £3.99 and the exact same bit of kit is on sale via t'Internet for £14 plus postage!!

For another £3.99 Lidl are also selling some male connectors and connections like the one I have plugged in.

I've yet to make the system "neat" as it's under test to make sure that nothing leaks so here's hoping!

Peebee - Guess what? As I've gone for an air-line set up I haven't used any of the expensive 4mmID tubing I bought.

I've thought of buying an aquarium ...

... but decided that I will use the tubing to deliver air to my Cold Smoker; which uses an aquarium compressor to push the smoke along!

 

[Dutto]

I took a look at the King Keg and the Wilco Keg yesterday and decided that I could modify them to suit the new system.

I had a spare stainless steel Schrader Valve like this one ...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01DJVDMVA/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

... so I drilled a hole in the cap of the King Keg last night, fitted it and pumped it up with an old bike pump to check that it sealed okay.

It did! :thumb:

So today:

• I got a length of plastic tubing and fitted an air connector so that it could fit into the CO2 manifold.
• Sawed up an old bicycle pump that fitted the Schrader Valve on the King Keg.
• Fitted a tube connector into the shell of the cycle pump.
• Fitted the tube on to the connector and "Voila!" one connection for a King Keg.

I tested it by taking the pressure up to 15psi and it works just fine. Next stop is the Wilco Keg which is currently in Brew Fridge No.2 carbonating a Coopers Lager.

I don't intend to keep the KK or the WK permanently hooked up to the CO2 manifold so there is no need for anything more elaborate than using the old bike pump in a similar manner to that of a CO2 capsule.

The next problem to solve is how to pressurise the to 10 litre PB's I have that look like this ...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B002R69T84/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

The cap contains a small PSV in the centre in order to bleed off any excess pressure. It is too small to take a Schrader Valve alongside so I will probably have to fit one to the top of the PB instead ...

... or alternatively, do nothing and rely on letting air into the PB as before!

I'm getting there! :thumb:

 

[foxbat]

You're going to need a bigger CO2 cylinder...

 

[Dutto]

You're going to need a bigger CO2 cylinder...

Only when I've proved to SWMBO that it's less expensive to buy and re-fill something like a fire extinguisher!

I just don't like the idea of forced carbonation (probably because it reminds me of the stuff they serve in pubs) so I intend to keep going with my normal carbonation procedures; but using a bit less sugar and hopefully using a minimum of CO2.

Two things are in my favour:

1. I hate touching a brew until it's at least six weeks old. (At the moment I'm sat drinking an Oatmeal Stout that I started in mid-December last year!
2. I hate a "gassy" brew, so when natural carbonation has finished I will keep the pressure down to 10psi for most brews.

PS

Just a thought or two:

• As we live in a bungalow escape is easy from any room in the event of a fire.
• We therefore only have a small hand-held dry-powder extinguisher.
• Hmmmm ........

 

[Dutto]

You're going to need a bigger CO2 cylinder...

I just didn't think I would need one within a couple of days though!

It's a saga that starts back in July when I was cleaning out the Wilco Keg and dropped it on some gravel.

I checked it out and there was only the slightest of dents on the rim of the cap so I carried on cleaning it, sanitised it and put it to dry ready for it's next use.

Move on to three days ago. I had forgotten all about the slight dent on the rim so I transferred the Coopers Lager into it, added 64g of Brewing Sugar and put it to carbonate.

Today, I checked the keg, discovered that there had been no build up of pressure, changed out the cap for the new one with the Schrader Valve fitted, tightened up the cap using a wood-clamp, deployed the new connection to the Schrader Valve and set the CO2 Regulator to deliver 10psi.

So far so good! :thumb:

Enter SWMBO with a request that I nip out and get something for her from the boot of the car. Duly ran the errand and discovered that I couldn't open the boot of the car! (The man who fitted the tow-bar last year finally got round to getting the proximity alarm to work yesterday; and apparently screwed up the boot opening mechanism.)

Getting into the boot via the back seat took some time and by the time I got back to the Wilco Keg the CO2 bottle was white with frost and I still had no pressure in the keg! Bugger!

In the end, I transferred the Lager to the King Keg, added a tablespoonful of Brewing Sugar and screwed on the cap with the Schrader Valve. I hooked it up to the CO2 system temporarily and brought the KK up to 10psi (which it was still holding six hour later) and then disconnected it. The CO2 bottle has to very nearly empty by now!

I then checked the Wilco Keg and (surprise, surprise) noticed that the dent in the rim was a bit bigger than I had thought it was, so it took me another hour (using a rasp, a file and some fine sandpaper) to smooth everything out, modify the cap to take a Schrader Valve, screw it back together and pump it up with a bike pump. It is currently under test at 10psi and has held the pressure for six hours now!

I love this hobby but it sure as hell keeps you on your toes!