New Keg Setup Advice Needed

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BlackRat

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Hi everyone,

I have recently purchased a new fridge and as a result, have decided to convert the now redundant fridge into a keg-orator.

Knowing that this may have been on the cards, I have already purchased 3 x perlick flow control taps and 1 x perlick creamer tap - for stout. Although i am yet to test it, im sure i can get 4 kegs inside the fridge.

I have read various blogs/posts on how to convert the fridge to a keg-orator, but i cant really find as much information as i want about what should go inside the keg-orator when the taps are on the front.

I am looking to make a cheap keg-orator, but also something that i wont have to fix every month and that does it's job, which is to serve me beer!

So far, my list of items to purchase looks like this:
4 x Kegs - Ball lock (thinner than pin lock)
Gas disconnects
Liquid disconnects
Co2 cylinder - 2.3 or 4.3Kg? For 3 beers on tap?
Regulator - Tesuco (single or double?) with reverse flow.
Gas manifold - 4 port
beer line
Shanks - once i measure the thickness of my door.

Questions:
- Can you put the Co2 inside the fridge? What (if any) affect does this have?
- Do i need reverse flow controllers?
- Since i have flow control on 3 of the taps, i read that the length of tube is not an issue. What does this mean for the creamer tap?
- Do i NEED a dual reg? I know they are handy, is there a way you can prime and serve at the same time without it?
- Even though the reg has reverse flow, should i have check valves on each keg as well? gas or beer line? or both?
- Do i need the 4 port manifold, or will some JG 3 way splitters do?
- Have i missed anything?

As always, any answers or suggestions will be very much appreciated.

Cheers,
BlackRat.
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Questions:
- Can you put the Co2 inside the fridge? What (if any) affect does this have? Yes, but better I believe to leave outside the fridge.
- Do i need reverse flow controllers? Tesuco has inbuilt check valves so not needed.
- Since i have flow control on 3 of the taps, i read that the length of tube is not an issue. What does this mean for the creamer tap? Not sure.
- Do i NEED a dual reg? I know they are handy, is there a way you can prime and serve at the same time without it? Get one. Much more handy.
- Even though the reg has reverse flow, should i have check valves on each keg as well? gas or beer line? or both? No, not necessary.
- Do i need the 4 port manifold, or will some JG 3 way splitters do? I'd go the splitters.
- Have i missed anything?


-
 
The tesucos get good press here, apart from that, Harris 802s have built in nrv's too. Also, an in line nrv isn't that expensive if you get a cheap enough regulator (I used a welding reg on my rig for a while before another brewer took it off me, I had 3 more sitting around at the time... Solid bit of kit and costs bugger all. Just another option, that is all. Roughly calibrate and mark on dial glass and you're set. Prolly 20 bucks for a used welding regulator. 15-20 for an nrv depending where you get it.

I use plastic t-piece barbs to split my gas line downstream of the nrv. Of course I don't get to keep them kegs at different pressures :S oh well, I like the level I carb them to, just disconnect after carbing and use a flow control tap ;)
 
- Can you put the Co2 inside the fridge? What (if any) affect does this have?
Condensation and moisture can have a negative impact on the bottle and reg, but it's still something many people do.

- Do i need reverse flow controllers?
- Do i NEED a dual reg? I know they are handy, is there a way you can prime and serve at the same time without it?
- Even though the reg has reverse flow, should i have check valves on each keg as well? gas or beer line? or both?

If the regulator has a built-in check valve, that will protect the reg, which is the main reason for them, you don't need a dual reg but they are more useful (and costly).
Individual check-valves will stop back-flow between the kegs, which can (and will happen) if you have different kegs at different pressures without a check-valve (for example if you force-carbed one keg and had the others at serving pressure, with individual check valves you could do this with 1 reg, by disconcerting/reconnecting as required).

Most manifolds have an option to include the check valve for each outlet, so pay just a few $ more and get one of those, or inline valves for each keg.

- Since i have flow control on 3 of the taps, i read that the length of tube is not an issue. What does this mean for the creamer tap?
Most people without flow control taps provide flow-control via the length of the beer-line, so you might need to run the line for that tap a few meters long - check the balancing spreadsheet.

- Do i need the 4 port manifold, or will some JG 3 way splitters do?
Splitters will work, but when you factor in the cost of inline check valves the cost works out to be about the same.

- Have i missed anything?
There are two different types of disconnects, one type have barbs that you push the hose onto (for a fixed connection) the others have a thread that a JG fitting can screw onto, then the hose pushed into the JG fitting making the setup a little more flexible (but more expensive to setup).
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OT sorry OP.

Just wondering if anyone has used http://towercooler.com before?

Those manifolds look a nice price as does the keg seals and shipping is only $28.75.

I'll be needing a manifold amongst other things for my new keezer - let me know if your interested in putting an order in.
 
Just wondering if anyone has used http://towercooler.com before?

Those manifolds look a nice price as does the keg seals and shipping is only $28.75.
It's the same guy who runs both stir-plate.com and kegkits.com.
I have purchased stuff from kegkits.com and things mostly went well, emails responded to fairly promptly, stuff delivered without issue, good price and postage costs.
However some (cheap) o-rings I ordered were mislabeled on the website and I was not offered a replacement (and emails stopped soon after that). While I'd have no problem ordering from him again, I think he has a bit of a 'history' that you could find if you looked for it.
 
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