What are my options

[cdemaria87]

I started brewing about 2 months ago. I have been bottling but recently got 3 corny kegs. I am working on setting up some taps (using old fridge as kegarator) but am a little lost in serving psi. I know the length, id of the hose, and height from keg are all factors. Here is where I am having issues.

I am using the following equation to calculate needed PSI.

L=(P-(Hx.5)-1)/R

For my case
L= 15 feet (need this amount to get from kegarator to tap)
H= 7 feet (kegarator is in the basement)
R= 0.7 (found this value online for the resistance of 1/4ID plastic hose)

So P=15 PSI

The warmest I can get the fridge is 40-42 degrees. So 15 PSI at 42 degrees gives me 2.65 volumes. I like a lot of different types of beer so my target volumes are 2.3 (upper end of imperial stout but still a little low for cream ale).

I only have 1 regulator for now as I just got started and can't afford another for awhile.

The only 2 options I see is either move where I want the taps (I really don't wanna do this) or raise the temp with a temp controller.

Any other suggestions?

 

[stesmi]

I'm not sure I understand the post fully, but I make your serving pressure 16 psi. My maths may well be way off :-) But that's neither here nor there. As I understand your post you're equating carbonation level with serving pressure? But they are two seperate things. Basically you set your co2 to carb your beer, so to get 2.3 at 5.5c (42f) you'll need 11psi to slow force carb - over a week or so. Once you've carbed your beer you need to reset your co2 to your serving pressure, in this case 15/16 psi. But in doing this you'll also slowly keep carbonating your beer to 2.56. I'd suggest carbing at 11psi and keeping it there for serving. You'll soon find if 11 is high enough. Am I way off here?

 

[cdemaria87]

I filled one of my kegs last night and put it in the fridge. I set the regulator at 11psi to force carb it. I got 15psi needed for serving but wither way it's too high right? I don't see how force carbing and serving pressures are separated??? As you say if I increase pressure to serve I will keep carbing the beer. Don't you try to avoid this? If I am going to serve at 15 psi and it will eventually increase the volumes to 2.56 shouldn't I just carb to this in the beginning so I don't change the regulator? I am sure there will be times that I am force carbing a keg when the others r tapped and being used and without another regulator I cannot hold 2 different pressures.

The 0.7 value for the resistance may be a little high. When I was cleaning the kegs I pressurized to 5 psi and hooked up out tube (without a tap and about a 1' rise instead of 7') and the water flowed out plenty fast enough to "serve" so 11 psi may be plenty. Added: when I was cleaning I pressurized to 5 psi and disconnected co2 and got over half a gallon of water out before it stopped flowing.

Sorry if this comes across as ignorant I just like to have things planned out before starting a project. Especially since this involve me drilling a 2-3" hole in my floor/ceiling.

Thank you

 

[stesmi]

I filled one of my kegs last night and put it in the fridge. I set the regulator at 11psi to force carb it. I got 15psi needed for serving but wither way it's too high right? I don't see how force carbing and serving pressures are separated??? As you say if I increase pressure to serve I will keep carbing the beer. Don't you try to avoid this? If I am going to serve at 15 psi and it will eventually increase the volumes to 2.56 shouldn't I just carb to this in the beginning so I don't change the regulator? I am sure there will be times that I am force carbing a keg when the others r tapped and being used and without another regulator I cannot hold 2 different pressures.

The 0.7 value for the resistance may be a little high. When I was cleaning the kegs I pressurized to 5 psi and hooked up out tube (without a tap and about a 1' rise instead of 7') and the water flowed out plenty fast enough to "serve" so 11 psi may be plenty. Added: when I was cleaning I pressurized to 5 psi and disconnected co2 and got over half a gallon of water out before it stopped flowing.

Sorry if this comes across as ignorant I just like to have things planned out before starting a project. Especially since this involve me drilling a 2-3" hole in my floor/ceiling.

Thank you

Generally folks will long force carb at, say 11 psi then drop the pressure to 3 to 5 ish to serve, but their lines are short. At 11 psi Your beer will carb to 2.35 at 5c where the co2 slowly incorporates into solution. When you drop to serving pressure the 2.35 stays intact because the co2 has been dissolved into solution. It's the head space that drops to 3 to 5 therefore limiting the pressure pushing on the beer. With longer lines you need to increase your serving pressure as you've suggested. I think 11psi may be enough for you to push your beer through, so I'd force carb and serve at 11. That also means you can hook up other cornies and keep everything at 11. Of course you may find 11 isn't enough to serve. Hope you get the right result?