Leland mini CO2 bulb cartridge regulators

[BDC]

While we're at it - sodastream style food grade co2 bottles for US$12 max - MOQ 200

http://m.alibaba.com/product/60401063661/High-Quality-CE-Eurpean-Australian-standard.html?spm=a2706.7843299.1998817009.5.QxfOiP

Shipping ???

 

[BDC]

For some strange reason the alibaba links don't work on my phone. Just search for "Soda stream mini co2 regulator" to find it if you have trouble too. It's the third one down when I search

 

[BDC]

For the soda stream bottles search for "425g co2 Australian". It's the first that comes up for me.

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

By time you factor shipping and exchange rate, its good to know the Aus price isnt an outright rip off.

What did you search to find the one with the adaptor?

 

[BDC]

These link should work for all:
Sodastream: http://noursun.en.alibaba.com/productgrouplist-802410160/Regulator_for_soda_stream.html
Just 16g bulbs: http://noursun.en.alibaba.com/productgrouplist-802388941/Regulator_for_home_brew.html

If you look at the pics for any of the Soda Stream ones they have an adapter with them. Not sure whether this goes from the 16g bulbs to a sodastream or other. I'm contacting the seller to ask some questions and this will be one of them. I'll post back when I have a reply.

 

[technobabble66]

The thread on those regs in BDCs links are for the international SS bottles. The Aussie SS bottles use a different gauge thread.
May not be an issue to sort it out with the supplier, but it's another hurdle.

... Oh, and finding a home for 100 of them...

 

[BDC]

Thanks technobabble - I'm a newbie to the kegging scene.

FYI I started up a new thread here: http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/89930-sodastream-hack-for-mini-regulator/

I may have found a universal solution to the problem... but I'm sleep deprived and on heavy painkillers at the moment due to a freshly broken foot so I could be way off. I wouldn't be surprised.... I'd be more surprised if no-one had thought of it before.

BDC

 

[Coldspace]

Hey guys,
Don't know about your mini leland copy co2 regs performance , but either I'm doing something wrong or it's a faulty unit I received today.

It's not working any better than the keg king or others around that I have tried but taken back to the shop because if leaks etc.
This unit doesn't leak , but you can't get an accurate pressure hold on a 9 ltr keg. When I take the charger off I can dial in 5-7 psi and it holds ok. When you depress the pin on the disconnect it drops back then goes back up to anywhere between 5 psi and 10 psi. So it can't hold any accuracy . If you leave it on the keg, because the flow rate is so miniscule it's so hard to maintain either enough pressure or to much.
So you are best to click it on wait 2 mins for it to put enough pressure in the keg to start pouring then un click it otherwise it will over pressurise for the next glass 10 mins later.
A real pain in the arse compared to my soda stream 400grm with a proper reg via adapter which I have been using past year with great success .

I was hoping this thing would work similar and be more compact , but after playing around with 4 schooners sarvo, it went through 2 16 grm bulbs. A real costly system, much better going back to a proper soda stream and reg set up. At least that had more flow and recovery.

Unless someone can educate me on how to use this with out constant playing around with it with each glass then it will become another paper weight and I'll just lug my soda stream set up around.

16 grm bulbs just don't have enough grunt for kegs, or flow, probally be ok for a growler /drafto type set up. But into 3/4 filled kegs or less then no go.

Back to drawing board to find out how to use Aussie soda sterna onto this reg.

Cheers

 

[Coldspace]

Maybe I just need to be more patient with it and recovery. I'll have to play with it abit more another night but I've got no more bulbs left.

I ordered 30 bulbs from a mob on evil bay which arrived today, but they sent un threaded bulbs even though the ad stated threaded. So I have emailed them today via the ebay site for a refund.

At least I got my other gas set ups tonite for a couple of lagers lol.

 

[Coldspace]

I think I may have relised my prob. I initially poured 3 schooners for me and 2 mates sarvo, by the 2 nd pour it was slowing down to a trickle so I upped the pressure a little instead of waiting for a minute or so for it to recover art such low pressure .

By the time we went back and poured again we got too much flow so I adjusted down a little and purged a little off the keg so we can all grab 3 more glasses.
Then the 3 rd glass stopped pouring, so we upped the pressure a little .

I think using these systems are going to be ok for a couple of glasses every 5 mins or so but any more flow rate needed then a bigger reg and bottle will be required for the keg recovery etc such as at a busy party.

I also think, especially if running a higher carb beer such as a lager, then using a Pluto gun with a mtr of hose is a much better option than a tap mounted on a disconnect, otherwise any higher pressure than 4 psi is going to cause foaming issues with the tap.

These regs seem to run best at around 10 psi, so Pluto gun is the option.

Going to play more later in week when I get more bulbs.

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

Mate have a quick google on how a regulator works. Essentially what you described with dialling a set pressure then "opening" it up by depressing the pin is full regulator flow. The way it gets flow is by the pressure dropping. The regulator wont flow if the pressure is equal to its set point.

Sounds like you are playing with the set pressure instead of finding the right set pressure and ignoring it, letting the regulator do its thing. As it dispenses a beer sure the pressure on the regulator outlet will drop as it tries to fill the void you create from beer flow. But soon after it will catch back up. Shouldn't materially affect the beer flow etc. Try a set and forget approach and report back, I'm thinking you'll see it does function as intended. Happy to be corrected of course

Side note am working through options with supplier, wont have much back for a week or so. Will report back then!

 

[Coldspace]

I think your right. Just set a forget is prob best. I fiddle too much

Also do you think a flow control tap on a disconnect would solve the issue on my portable set up with carb up lagers?
Instead of lugging a Pluto gun with hose.

Be keen to here if the supplier can supply adapter for the soda stream bottles

Cheers mate

 

[Coldspace]

Hey guys,

How have you found these regs to work with the threaded16 grm cartridges out there?

Mine has been tested with 3 keg king ones ok, pierced the bulb ok but on the weekend it failed to pierce a 4 th keg king cartridge?

I had a 30 pack of food grade cartridges arrive today from ezy whip and it fails to pierce these ones. You wind them up fast and hard but the stop on the bottle before it pierces. So these cartridges are no good . I am waiting till tommoz to go and try the ones from my local bike shop. Hopefully it pierces them. I know the bike ones go ok into the cheaper keg king mini regs as I've used them before.

I think either the tolerance of these adapters is just too fine, or these cartridges are no good.I'll try more experiements tomm with various other 16 grm ones from the bike shop as well as taking these cartridges down to my local brew shop and trying them on other charging gear they sell there.

These ezy whip ones are about 2 threads shorter than the keg king ones maybe that's the issue?..

I've started another thread with photos on this issue.

Cheers

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

No issues with my fine whip bulbs its pierced them all thus far. Good info if there are incompatible brands...

Also seller is still currently MIA so I'm still patiently waiting for next contact.

 

[Coldspace]

Ok, my bad. Lol.

These shorter shaft ezy whip bulbs do work.

What happened is when I changed over the adapter from the 75 grm to 16 grm the silicone seal stayed in the reg and so when the other adapter went in it was a double up seal.

This then worked ok with the slightly longer keg king bulb but the short ezy whip bulb it didn't .
Easy mistake and then when 1 bulb works and the other doesn't it's not something that you would think of unless you pull the adapter off.

I pulled the adapter off, and discovered the second oring. Removed it and presto works a treat.

Got to stop playing with gear and posting while drinking lol.

 

[Coldspace]

Btw guys,

Now I'm sure ezy wip bulbs work

You can get a 100 pack delivered for $78 bucks on evil bay. ( 4.87 cents a gram)

This makes the cost per gram of gas about the same as the $19 bigw charge me for change overs soda stream. (4.75 cents a gram)

So I'll stick with the 16 gram bulbs now. For compactness.