Instant cooler - Lindr PYGMY 20 & photos

[Godsdog]

open box after taking delivery put in pre ordered john guest 3/8 Elbow(preffered) but you can use an inline one.connect 3/8 beer line with a liquid out quick disconnect(black one not white) to your beer out cornie post with a preffered john guest 3/8 shut off valve in the beer line so you can isolate but not crucial.once connected switch the unit on and set the chill dial to your preffered tempature all the way round will give you 3 degrees very cold beer in around 5 minutes and at 2'o clock on the dial 10 degrees in less,the dial isn't calibrated but its as simple as that, I calibrated it with a pie chart and digital thermometer and while you are drinking your chilled ale the unit will kick in 2/3 times an hour for a few minutes to keep the beer at your chosen tempature so it uses very little power and is loads cheaper to run than a maxi cooler or keezer as its on when you want chilled ale and off when you don't you can even use it as the tap to serve your beer in winter when you don't need it chilled and runs on just under 110Watts per hour not prone to leaks,but one word of warning don't run it when there is no ale in the unit as itll freeze up and I think fore will attest to that fact
again for the price of them they are the dogs doodars and cut down on the fobbing of your ale from the cornie even though your cellar is room tempature when the beer enters the unit,cleaning is also a breeze just run the sanatiser through the unit after emptying a cornie of your beer using the same sanatiser that's sanatising your cornie
that's it that's my salesman pitch :lol: you don't want a compressor model as your C02 tank,or under pressure cornie dispenses the beer and they currently sell them for 319 euros a little more than I paid due to the falling strength of the pound,add around a tenner for paypal conversion too the cheapest option

 

[Godsdog]

my heath robinson attempt at calibrating the unit with a digital thermometer, and the first showing the tempatures on the pie chart as positions of what O'clock you set it
and the second pic being the actual dial for temperature

 

[Euan1984]

open box after taking delivery put in pre ordered john guest 3/8 Elbow(preffered) but you can use an inline one.connect 3/8 beer line with a liquid out quick disconnect(black one not white) to your beer out cornie post with a preffered john guest 3/8 shut off valve in the beer line so you can isolate but not crucial.once connected switch the unit on and set the chill dial to your preffered tempature all the way round will give you 3 degrees very cold beer in around 5 minutes and at 2'o clock on the dial 10 degrees in less,the dial isn't calibrated but its as simple as that, I calibrated it with a pie chart and digital thermometer and while you are drinking your chilled ale the unit will kick in 2/3 times an hour for a few minutes to keep the beer at your chosen tempature so it uses very little power and is loads cheaper to run than a maxi cooler or keezer as its on when you want chilled ale and off when you don't you can even use it as the tap to serve your beer in winter when you don't need it chilled and runs on just under 110Watts per hour not prone to leaks,but one word of warning don't run it when there is no ale in the unit as itll freeze up and I think fore will attest to that fact
again for the price of them they are the dogs doodars and cut down on the fobbing of your ale from the cornie even though your cellar is room tempature when the beer enters the unit,cleaning is also a breeze just run the sanatiser through the unit after emptying a cornie of your beer using the same sanatiser that's sanatising your cornie
that's it that's my salesman pitch :lol: you don't want a compressor model as your C02 tank,or under pressure cornie dispenses the beer and they currently sell them for 319 euros a little more than I paid due to the falling strength of the pound,add around a tenner for paypal conversion too the cheapest option

Good man thank you for the info it is very much appreciated and I shall update you on how I get on when it arrives , I have a nice pilsner ready to gas this week so hopefully sample it when ready , just a quick question what is the need for the John guest
Isolation valve , does the machine fill with your beer or simply pass through cooled plates thus chilling the beer ,

 

[Godsdog]

Good man thank you for the info it is very much appreciated and I shall update you on how I get on when it arrives , I have a nice pilsner ready to gas this week so hopefully sample it when ready , just a quick question what is the need for the John guest
Isolation valve , does the machine fill with your beer or simply pass through cooled plates thus chilling the beer ,

Fills with beer in the cooling chamber and I use an isolation shut off for no other reason than being able to change kegs if I want to before one is empty so you don't lose much beer in the change over and can blow the remaining different ale from the unit with the gas management board and only lose just what's in the beer line from disconnect to the shut off valve around an egg cup full
Plus its handy for cleaning the unit inside doings with the carbonating cap and pet bottle

 

[Godsdog]

Just one more thing go out and get yourself a Euro two pin socket £2 at morrisons or a quid at poundland as the power plug isn't uk standard 3 pin,the unit is 230/40 volts though and it doesn't have an on and off switch,you plug it in it runs and to stop it you unplug it

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Just one more thing go out and get yourself a Euro two pin socket

Is that the same as a shaver plug GD?

 

[Godsdog]

Is that the same as a shaver plug GD?

Nope just tried it in my shaver 2 pin adapter and it doesn't run,the one from Morrison's for 2 quid is a good quality one

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Thanks GD :thumb:

 

[Godsdog]

Just one other tip,if you ever need an excuse to drink ale while the cooler is connected to your keg, pull at least half a pint off it daily because if left in the cooler for longer it'll taint

 

[Steved53]

I think the pump version is worth getting - saves faffing with a co2 cylinder if you want to take it to a party, wedding etc.

Also, the pump is ideal if you eventually purchase any Ecofass kegs or Keykegs.

However, if you are sure you aren't going to do either of those things then you can save your money.

I have the Pygmy 20 and the double tap Kontakt 40k profi. The machines are brilliant, but the big one is a beast. If you are thinking of taking that one to a party (yes, I've done it), then you should probably think about doing some weight training beforehand!

 

[Godsdog]

I think the pump version is worth getting - saves faffing with a co2 cylinder if you want to take it to a party, wedding etc.

Also, the pump is ideal if you eventually purchase any Ecofass kegs or Keykegs.

However, if you are sure you aren't going to do either of those things then you can save your money.

I have the Pygmy 20 and the double tap Kontakt 40k profi. The machines are brilliant, but the big one is a beast. If you are thinking of taking that one to a party (yes, I've done it), then you should probably think about doing some weight training beforehand!

the compressor type is ok if you are gonna empty a cornie pretty quickly,otherwise itll taint whats left in the can

 

[Steved53]

the compressor type is ok if you are gonna empty a cornie pretty quickly,otherwise itll taint whats left in the can

Absolutely, but a cornie isn't going to last at any party that I'm going to.

That's why it's also useful for Ecofass and Keykegs!

They will also handle the 5l party kegs. I purchased a fitting which is a simple gas in, liquid out arrangement for a 5l keg. These can be used towards the end of a party, if you think you're not going to kick a whole Cornelious keg.

Saying all of that, if you're carrying the machine in, the full kegs etc - may as well just bring in a cylinder of gas as well!

 

[kebabman]

I am considering using one of these machines to dispense one pint a night. Would I have to run off and waste any beer each evening? Approximately how much beer is in the machine.
Many thanks.

 

[Fil]

with any dispense system where the tap is connected by beerline to the pressure containing vessel there will be some condition loss in the lower pressure tubing between sessions, However while this may represent a 1/2 pint of spluttered foam from the tap when it initially coughs open of a session, if left to settle it would show only a finger or two of actual beer loss less than a mouthful..

The pygmy machines will pour your more heavily conditioned beer in a european manner.. that is it will foam cascading over the glass rim while you pour, and a foam flick blade will probably be a good idea to level off the glass when full.. you will have a head to please anyone north of the watford gap too.


your maximum possible loss per session will be a proportion of the volume contained in the beerline and chiller. the pygmy will contain significantly less than a maxi chiller, and a maxi chillers product coil is between 1.5-2m long of thin walled (0.25mm??) 3/8" SS tube.. So 3/8" = 8.9mm 8.9mm -(2 x 0.25mm) = 8.4mm Inside diameter of the product tube..

so Pi.r.r x length in cm will provide volume in ml. 3.14 x .42 x .42 x 100 will give the volume per meter of product tube.. circa 55ml..
3/8" beerline has a 1/4" or 6.3mm id so 3.14 x .315 x .315 x 100.... 32ml volume per meter length..

so with standard shelf chiller with a 2m product coil and 4m of beerline between keg and tap you have a maximum volume of lower pressure tubing of about 220ml or 1/4 of a pint that can loose some condition between sessions.. Now behind that lower pressure line you have the keg at full pressure pushing out, so most of the beer will remain in the line and i would suggest if left a few weeks perhaps upto 50% even 60% of the volume could be filled with lost condition (co2) so your looking at about 100-140ml maximum loss per session ..
well thats my best guess

 

[Fore]

I don't think Fil is too far out with his estimate. It won't be a lot. I'm about to sanitise my keg & line, so I will shortly report back the exact measured liquid volume in the 20 version. As I believe the 25 version will probably have about 25% more cooling coil, if you are interested in the 25 model, add 25% to my measured volume.

 

[kebabman]

Many thanks for your replies.
I was thinking of maybe getting one of the two tap models. Yes I would be really keen to know Fore what your measured volume is.
Cheers

 

[Fore]

I used plain water and followed it until the air was entering the Pygmy, and then measured what came out. It came to 250ml. It's possible a little extra gurgled from the Cornie, but it won't amount to much. So slightly less than half a pint then. More than what I was expecting. But you'll always have loss in the line, and you have to have line. I just drink it apart. OK, so not fully carbonated and with a slight tang; no biggie.

 

[Steved53]

I have both a single tap and a double tap model, and I honestly think that whilst they are great machines, at one pint a day I think it is questionable whether it is worth it. A 5l mini keg in a fridge would perhaps be better for that sort of volume, or even bottles.

If you are drinking 4 or 5 pints a night, then to have the first half pint a bit 'iffy' is maybe acceptable, but not if you are only going to savour one pint. I hooked up the Pygmy 20 to a 50 litre keg of porter a few weeks ago. I think I am losing as much as I'm drinking.

In fact I think the whole keg may have gone off. Does anyone here use a non return valve in the line from the keg?

 

[Godsdog]

I have both a single tap and a double tap model, and I honestly think that whilst they are great machines, at one pint a day I think it is questionable whether it is worth it. A 5l mini keg in a fridge would perhaps be better for that sort of volume, or even bottles.

If you are drinking 4 or 5 pints a night, then to have the first half pint a bit 'iffy' is maybe acceptable, but not if you are only going to savour one pint. I hooked up the Pygmy 20 to a 50 litre keg of porter a few weeks ago. I think I am losing as much as I'm drinking.

In fact I think the whole keg may have gone off. Does anyone here use a non return valve in the line from the keg?

since doing away with all JG fittings except the elbow out at the back of the unit and going all QDs I have no bad first pulls anymore.i do have a non return inline valve on the gas out line but not one on the beer out line.may get round to it soon:thumb:

 

[Fore]

Just a thought, but if you turned the unit down to minimum and just left it on all the time, it will probably remove any beer line tainting. And the cooling cycle is much shorter and less frequent than a fridge. So given that, and the much higher temp setting, it shouldn't cost anything like the cost to run a fridge. It would act like a python; I think that's what the beer line cooling is called. I probably would have tried the idea myself, but I don't find the first half pint too bad anyway. I'm not too sure how the unit would take to being switched on all the time, so probably safe to test beer temp after 5 hours or so, just to be sure it doesn't slowly cycle down to freezing (but I doubt it would). And if you still find taint quite bad, then be sure to clean the unit really well between kegs.

This is not really a Pygmy issue as such, it's a beer line issue. The Pygmy just adds a bit of extra beer line that most of us with kegs right next to the tap might not be accustomed to. Those who use long large diameter line, or run a line from cellar to upstairs, will already be familiar with this issue.