Lion introduces "Tap King" - party keg / growlers

[Captain Morgan]

Hi All,

I'm new around here but following this one with great interest. This looks like it should do the trick I think to undo these screws?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Antislip-Plastic-Handle-Triangle-Screwdriver-Repair-Tool-2mm-x-80mm-/161026124589?pt=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item257de7ab2d

 

[robv]

A very small flat screwdriver works well, have taken a couple apart.

 

[Captain Morgan]

My only reluctance to get one is how hard it seems to find the 12g unthreaded C02 cartridges. As others have mentioned, I've also read that ones supplied by paintball goods stores often contain a lubricant to help keep paintball guns from jamming.

The ones at ezychargers at least say they are 100 percent CO2 and that you would need to add your own lubrication if using in a gun.

http://www.ezychargers.com.au/product_info.php?cPath=51&products_id=479

They look like they should be ok. I'll order a box and give them a run me thinks.

 

[hotmelt]

If only the bottles were this big.

 

[Adr_0]

Would these work?

http://www.mrfizz.com/1216.html

I'm having a bit of a giggle thinking how much FineWhip's sales must be going up since the Tap King came out. Saw one in action last night... much want.

 

[luckyphil61]

I am trying to empty enough bottles to do a brew ATM, when i sobber up ill try and get the screws out :icon_drool2:

 

[mrTbeer]

Experiments with 8g bulbs.
I figured 8g is easily enough to push 3L of beer if you've ever used a 16g keg charger on a 19L corny keg you'll agree.
These 8g bulbs used to be sold everywhere but are now tricky to find, no one under 30 even knows what a soda siphon is. (They all know about Nitrous though!) finally got some from a 'House' kitchen store $10 for 10 bulbs.
6x5c coins fix the length issue but unfortunately the collar is slightly bigger on smaller bulb. I removed 1 of 2 orings and successfully pierced bulb and started pouring test-water from TapKing but a leak started and I heard the gas go!
Undoing all the little screws and springs is a pain even with the correct 12g bulb.
http://i.imgur.com/eQsM9VZ.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/YYpbbhj.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/uoQzMXx.jpg

 

[Bats]

Just an idea but I reckon 8g bulb will do it. Tap-a-draft is nearly 6L and it takes only one 16g to dispense. So if 3.2L an 8g might just work. Might just be 12g to guarantee they are not dealing with returns.

I wonder if there would be enough left in the bulb to pour a second bottle?

I was thinking about re-filling the bottle with my counter pressure then have a go at pouring from it again.

Does anyone think this would work?

 

[barls]

i think the problem is when you tap them it pierces the bulb and then its open to atmosphere.

 

[bradsbrew]

i think the problem is when you tap them it pierces the bulb and then its open to atmosphere.

Yes, once pierced you will waste the rest of the bulb when you disconnect it from the tap unit, it looks like there is a ring seal as well. Think I lost the ones from the first bottle, a small bit of beer line over the top of the soda bulb and gas unit may work as well. I grabbed a box of 8gm ones today at the shops and will give it a go, I don't hold much hope but will give it a go. I am more at looking to convert the lid to have gas in and beer out to a picnic tap within the lid. If they will still be good growler bottles to take to BBQ's etc. Mainly wanted the tap unit for soda water on tap in the kitchen fridge. IMO the tap unit pours too much head with swill, so its going to be worse with home made brews.

 

[mrTbeer]

As barls said. When you remove the empty bottle it lets go of any spare gas so you can't do a second with same bulb.

BUT have tried the following with success.
1.
Inside the tapking there is a small white regulator, remove it.
High pressure side is flush against bottle lid a small 6mm OD tube does a U-turn which takes low pressure side into bottle.
Only takes 1 screw to remove but you need to remove 6 to access it. (All Phillips heads)

2.
Now push about 1cm of that tube into a 6mm ID tube and put a clip around it. (Clip not shown in pic)
Drill a hole 8mm hole in tap keg at about '11 oclock' and feed the 6mm ID tube out of there. Connect that 6mm ID line direct to your CO2 regulator and gas.

3.
Reassemble and use the tapking exactly as before.
A: It won't pierce the bulbs now and you can reuse those lids in an unmodified tapking with homebrew or megaswill.
B: Pierced (used) lids can be reused with homebrew or megaswill in the modified tapking, don't undo tri-screws on lid and never buy bulbs again.

I've just done this with a full size regulator and gas bottle but have ordered one of these today so regulator & gas can both reside in fridge. The 16g bulbs are available at brew & bike stores easily.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/281150299353?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649
I reckon 1x 16g bulb should do 3x 3.2L tapking bottles but haven't tested that yet.

Still working out the optimum pressure, could test the old regulator but would waste a bulb and need to reinstall everything. Let me know if anyone works it out but my guess is 15psi??

I can't work out how to make use of the removed regulator but I bet someone else does.

I've got 2 tapkings in kitchen fridge now, one takes bulbs, one takes gas. $46 total cost for 2-tap keg setup not bad. That assumes you have CO2 reg which I did.

 

[mrTbeer]

• Pics for above.
• 16g bulbs (finewhip.com.au) are about 9c / gram.
• 330g Sodastream refill from Woolies about 4c /gram.

 

[jorni]

The ones at ezychargers at least say they are 100 percent CO2 and that you would need to add your own lubrication if using in a gun.

http://www.ezychargers.com.au/product_info.php?cPath=51&products_id=479

They look like they should be ok. I'll order a box and give them a run me thinks.

On the ezychargers site, they also sell the 12g cartridges in 10s, not just 50s.

www.ezychargers.com.au/product_info.php?cPath=51&products_id=529

However, just looking at the measurements provided by ezycharges, 19mm x 83mm, and comparing it with the tapking cartridge, it seems like (from my measurements) that the collar is 2mm smaller. Currently, the cartridge fits snugly when pushed into the o-ring. But with the 19mm collar, the o-ring might have to be removed, which could be problematic, as mrTbeer discovered previously with a leak.

Could Be just spouting nonsense. Let me know if I am. Cheers.

 

[driftdaddy]

I've got some on the way from ezychargers, so will let you all know.

 

[luckyphil61]

I have just received my co2 cartridges from ezcharges ,the 12 g look identical the 8g apart from being smaller(shorter) have a wider neck

 

[jorni]

I have just received my co2 cartridges from ezcharges ,the 12 g look identical the 8g apart from being smaller(shorter) have a wider neck

Cool... does the 12g fit with the o-ring in place?

 

[Captain Morgan]

Just had one that didnt fire. It poured half a glass then stopped. I didnt hear the gas inside as per normal and the bottle was soft when I pushed on the sides. Dan Murphy's were all too happy to swap it straight out. I was concerned that it was the tap but the replacement bottle is doing fine.

 

[driftdaddy]

I have just received my co2 cartridges from ezcharges ,the 12 g look identical the 8g apart from being smaller(shorter) have a wider neck

Do you mean that the 8g has a wider neck?

 

[Adr_0]

Gents/ladies,

Has anyone tried maths, or science with the 8g/12g CO2 cartridges and the volumes of CO2? We know that 2 volumes of CO2 in 3.2L of beer = 6.4L of CO2 at atmospheric pressure...

At about 4-5°C, the density of CO2 is 1.95g/L (check webbook.nist.gov/chemistry if you doubt). So:
8g cylinder = 4.1L CO2
12g cylinder = 6.15L CO2

So, if you completely discharge an 8g cylinder into a full 3.2L Tap King container of beer, you are adding 1.3vol of CO2 to the beer.
The 12g will of course be another 1.8vol CO2.

If you are naturally carbing your beers, this should of course be considered... and probably lines up with the gut feel or what people have experienced. Probably perfect for hefeweizens.

I'm guessing that you get a good chunk of pressure drop over the little 1/4" or 3/16" hose going through the bottle, so maybe estimate for another 0.5volCO2 on top? That should give you another 50kPag but of course you'll get inconsistency from the first to the last. I don't have a lot of experience with kegging, but that to me would be the limitation of a non-regulated system.

Yes, no, maybe?

EDIT: I guess the point of the above is that if you take the extra into consideration, you should be able to use a 12g cylinder without a drama. To me, like-for-like always results in less dramas and playing with o-rings or fabricated stuff normally gets you into trouble.

 

[luckyphil61]

Cool... does the 12g fit with the o-ring in place?

yep the 12 fits fine the 8g will not fit