Jockey Box build

[2cranky]

I want to build a jockey box so I can take my brews camping over summer. I go away for about 4 weeks so I'm thinking 3 or 4 kegs would do.
They will be carbed cold but will be kept at ambient temp over the whole time I'm away.
The jockey box will be my retired mash tun - 50l esky.
I'm thinking of buying some 2nd hand ss coils ( these are the rectangular ones on gumtree) plus a mini Reg to take 32 gram co2 cylinders and taps of some sort.

So questions.
Will the kegs keep ok warm?
Should the esky with about 15m of stainless coil cool it ok?
Not too worried about ice as this is delivered twice a day.
What are some ok budget taps? Thinking maybe even use the picnic taps I have with a fitting through the esky. On a tight budget with this one.

Cheers.

 

[homebrewnewb]

I built one last summer and worked okay, i used taps and long shanks from kk, it still need a bit of attention as it will be used this summer too.
Found the ice went a bit quicker than i would have liked.
"should the esky with about 15m of stainless coil cool it ok?"

should be, so long as it's per tap, i think min is 10m and it worked well ss is a great conductor as you know, so it should get it cold enough. the only thing you will need to think about are the connections from ss tube to the disconnects and tap
if i were you i would look at keeping the ss coil easy to disconnect to dry out and keep the esky dry and clean after use. i am still trying to find the perfect set up, i am using ss reducing connectors currently.

there are also chiller plates from kk - they can keep the esky as is apparently.
are you set on a jockey box with coils?

 

[Pnutapper]

G'day Cranky,

Like homebrewnewb, I am interested to know if you have your heart set on coils? It has been my experience that chill plates are the way to go with jockey boxes. Stainless provides reasonably good heat transfer, but IMO you just can't beat aluminium. Easier to keep covered with ice as well.

The key is to make sure that you have good drainage, and smash up the ice as much as you can. Tamp the ice down on the plate from time to time to prevent it "bridging," and Bob is your Mother's brother.

I made one like this a few years ago. It has never missed a beat.

(The white box behind, is one I made with cool room panels. But that is a story for another time!)

 

[homebrewnewb]

what a damn work of art... wish i could weld.
Pnutapper, is that one at the bottom for drainage? Can you talk us through the inside of that good lookin piece of stainless?

 

[2cranky]

I can get the coils for $30 each. So a lot cheaper than a plate. Especially when I want two taps.
So I'm not ruling a plate out but two makes it a pricey set up.
What's the deal with drainage?

 

[Meddo]

I can get the coils for $30 each. So a lot cheaper than a plate. Especially when I want two taps.
So I'm not ruling a plate out but two makes it a pricey set up.
What's the deal with drainage?

At $150 they're still a lot more expensive than two coils but these plates have two product lines so you do only need one unit: http://kegking.com.au/keg-couplers-...ast-aluminium-cold-plate-2-product-lines.html

 

[homebrewnewb]

ah the old price constriction. if you can get cheap coils i guess that kind of leans toward the coils as opposed to plates, which fair enough.
wish i thought about it a bit more before i whacked mine together.

i am sure the esky you have in mind will have a bung so there's that.
you'll want to get the box dry after use to avoid any mildew or mould build up, the ss should be right but any other fittings like non ss clamps might get a bit of rust if you go with them. depends how you decide it'll all go together.

 

[Grott]

One thought, if you use the plate you have room in the esky for other items but not so much with coils. Also plate is at the bottom so less monitoring of ice, as coils are higher and need more ice.

 

[Pnutapper]

what a damn work of art... wish i could weld.
Pnutapper, is that one at the bottom for drainage? Can you talk us through the inside of that good lookin piece of stainless?

I don't have it anymore, otherwise I would take some pics of the inside for you.

Yes, the outlet at the bottom is a drain. The plate stands upright in the bottom of the keg, which is not ideal as you need more ice, but there was not enough room to lay it down flat. Upside to standing it up is that it stays dry.

P.S. I'll let you in on a little secret... I didn't apply any welds to this. It's all panel adaptors and a bulk head fitting.

 

[Pnutapper]

I can get the coils for $30 each. So a lot cheaper than a plate. Especially when I want two taps.
So I'm not ruling a plate out but two makes it a pricey set up.
What's the deal with drainage?

Fair enough mate... Man's gotta respect his wallet!
As Meddo mentioned two (and more) coil plates are easily available, but you would be doing well to get one cheaper than the 60 bucks you can get the coils for.
Drainage is essential whether you use coils or plates. The idea is that as the ice takes the heat out of the beer it leaves a little water behind (obviously.) If your ice is kept reasonably dry and is smashed up quite finely, this small amount of water will refreeze and form a crust around your plate (or coil.) If there is a puddle of water at the bottom of your box, you will not achieve this.

 

[2cranky]

One thought, if you use the plate you have room in the esky for other items but not so much with coils. Also plate is at the bottom so less monitoring of ice, as coils are higher and need more ice.

Ok I might work out a plan b.
Maybe another esky I have and rather than modify it fit a collar with the ins and outs

 

[2cranky]

So maybe this regulator
http://kegking.com.au/mini-all-in-o...riteo&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=lowerfunnel
But I would split the output to connect 2 kegs.
Not sure on the thread size. My cylinders are 1/2" UNF. i have a good cheap supply of these.

 

[Cervantes]

All the jockey boxes that my local U Brew It rent out are plate type.

 

[homebrewnewb]

So maybe this regulator
http://kegking.com.au/mini-all-in-o...riteo&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=lowerfunnel
But I would split the output to connect 2 kegs.
Not sure on the thread size. My cylinders are 1/2" UNF. i have a good cheap supply of these.

looks like they will work on the 2.6 kg bottles
i had one of the earlier ones i see the gauge in this one is protected, i dropped it once and that was it.
there may be some folks who would argue the purity of the co2 in those charges might not be up to snuff, i've used them without issue. good luck on the fit, let us know how you go if you get it.

if you are happy with both kegs at the same pressure a http://kegking.com.au/stainless-steel-tee-6mm-barb.html splitter or the push in, is the go, or a manifold.

 

[knot_gillty]

Taking 3-4 kegs camping? I want to know where you're camping and if there's room for more... haha

 

[2cranky]

looks like they will work on the 2.6 kg bottles
i had one of the earlier ones i see the gauge in this one is protected, i dropped it once and that was it.
there may be some folks who would argue the purity of the co2 in those charges might not be up to snuff, i've used them without issue. good luck on the fit, let us know how you go if you get it.

if you are happy with both kegs at the same pressure a http://kegking.com.au/stainless-steel-tee-6mm-barb.html splitter or the push in, is the go, or a manifold.

I have splitters etc already- retired when I upgraded my keezer.
I've got access to very cheap life jacket co2 cylinders so I'd like to use those as well. They are the 1/2" unf.
With a bit of luck I will only have to outlay a Reg and chill plate or coils.

 

[2cranky]

Taking 3-4 kegs camping? I want to know where you're camping and if there's room for more... haha

Sure. Been camping at Stradbroke island every Christmas for years. I think I'm being conservative though. Tend to share home brew a lot more than commercial beer.

 

[Pnutapper]

I was just digging around in the workshop looking for something else and stumbled on one of these little fellas:

When I opened it, it proved to be one of these:

It has never been used. I got a few of them years ago for a little project I was doing at the time and ended up with one surplus to my needs. It is only a little fella, and would not keep up in a commercial environment, but would skip along quite happily if you were just pouring a few litres an hour.

It measures 200 x 300 x 25.

I think I paid $100 for it a few years ago. You can have it for $60 + postage if it makes your life easier mate. You would just need to organise some 1/4" flare swivel nuts / barbs, or push in fittings and appropriate washers.

 

[2cranky]

Mate! Done.
I'll get it picked up by my courier

Oh and thanks a lot. You are turning out to be my go to supplier for my projects.

 

[Pnutapper]

Mate! Done.
I'll get it picked up by my courier

Oh and thanks a lot. You are turning out to be my go to supplier for my projects.

No worries mate...
I am picking up a lot of brewing knowledge from this forum, so if I can give a bit back without seeming too mercenary, then all is good!
Sometime early next week okay with you?