Quick Kegging Q - For The Experts!

[Cocko]

So,


I have always force carbed, never had a problem and love the method.. [Ross method]

So, here is the question, not looking for a debate just a simple answer..


IF, I had my gas bottle hooked up to a 'T' piece and one keg was perfectly carbed [Lets call it Barry] and the other was not carbed at all [We will call him Willy]

What will happen?

Will the carbonation from the caberd keg [Barry] bleed off into the flat keg [Willy] and make the perfectly carbed Barry go flat as willy comes up so balance?

Please help!

 

[rotten]

I'll drink from Barry, not Willy please.
NO EXPERT but that makes sense.
Cheers

 

[argon]

Yep the two kegs will equalize in time. But first what will happen is some if the beer from the pressurized keg will go up the gas line and into the second flat keg... Pressure just like fluid wants to equalize itself. How do i know this?? I
M sure you can guess!!

If force carbing, disconnect the other keg. Only connect both kegs together once you've got the right co2 level in the force carb keg. Then burp both kegs and connect at serving pressure.... You'll now be sweet as.

 

[Cocko]

So they sit there in the keg fridge all comfy like..

And Willy is stealing Barrys carbonation yeah? surely it would take days to notice but I guess the simple question is:

Can I share a serving pressure line with a carbed keg and a flat keg without the carbed keg going flat?

 

[rotten]

So they sit there in the keg fridge all comfy like..

And Willy is stealing Barrys carbonation yeah? surely it would take days to notice but I guess the simple question is:

Can I share a serving pressure line with a carbed keg and a flat keg without the carbed keg going flat?

You would probably quicken the flattening process if you will, by attempting that.
IMHO
Cheers

 

[wakkatoo]

Yep the two kegs will equalize in time. But first what will happen is some if the beer from the pressurized keg will go up the gas line and into the second flat keg...

Only if the beer from the pressurized keg is above the gas dip tube. I found this out the hard way and was lucky to not get beer in my reg. Keep the beer below your gas dip tube and life will be sweet.

Oh, to answer the qn - yes, gas and fluids do not like imbalance and will find a way to rectify that. In laymans terms your gassed keg will flatten, your flat keg will gas up until you have two kegs with shite carbonation in both (unless the gas is turned on at the bottle of course, then they'll both carb to the same pressure coming out of that)

 

[Cocko]

In laymans terms your gassed keg will flatten, your flat keg will gas up until you have two kegs with shite carbonation in both (unless the gas is turned on at the bottle of course, then they'll both carb to the same pressure coming out of that)

Thanks! Wakka... What I thought...

Cheers.

Carry on all.

Thanks again!

 

[MHB]

In short maybe

God this is hard to explain without maths!

If the pressure you have your system at is keeping Barry carbed just right, then No

If Barry has more than equilibrium pressure then Yes, but not much or very fast

They will both come into balance whether or not that is at the amount of carbonation you want is all going to be down to the system operating pressure.

And it will all sort itself out in a week or so

MHB

 

[Cocko]

In short maybe

God this is hard to explain without maths!

If the pressure you have your system at is keeping “Barry” carbed just right, then – No

If “Barry” has more than equilibrium pressure then – Yes, but not much or very fast

They will both come into balance – whether or not that is at the amount of carbonation you want is all going to be down to the system operating pressure.

And it will all sort itself out in a week or so

MHB

HAHA! MHB - You will not believe that made perfect sense to me!

Ok, I will tap willy to the gas and see if Barry suffers...

Cheers again all!

 

[MHB]

Disconnect Barry, bring Willy up to system pressure and then reconnect Barry!

Glad it helped Im getting on toward the not making sense to me time of day.

MHB

 

[Cocko]

Sorted.

Once willy is cold - he will be pulled out and shaken to carbed.

Then placed back in the chain and all is well...

Sorry for the posting on simple stuff but it has helped heaps! as always!

Cheers gents!

:icon_chickcheers:

 

[Fents]

its how i have my kegs setup at home.

just be carefull if you have to completley different beers on tap like one stinky APA and one delicate kolsch that the aroma of the APA may get into the other keg.

your probably best of buying a two way valve so you can shut off a keg without disconnecting it.

 

[Bribie G]

The ideal solution is to have fridge space one (or even two) kegs in excess of the number you are serving, and get far enough ahead with the brewing schedule that you can always have a keg carbing up at system pressure. I've never used the Ross method which in my case would be a desperation measure. However I do realise that many keggers only have room for 2 kegs and need to hurry things along as it's good to have an alternative selection on tap.

 

[QldKev]

As already mentioned, as long as you leave the gas on and don't over fill your kegs, all is ok.

I never adjust my regs anymore, I just leave them at serving pressure and put new kegs on at any time.
The new kegs [Willy] connected for 1 week at serving pressure, will also be carb'd up; without any shaking etc.

QldKev

 

[MarkBastard]

When you have a system in balance where the gas pressure from the regulator, lines, and head space of the existing kegs is at the same pressure, and that pressure is in equilibrium with the existing beer itself, and you add a non-carbonated keg, the not carbonated keg will naturally create a lower pressure atmosphere and will draw co2 away from the gas lines, which will in turn draw co2 from the head space of the existing kegs and from the regulator. However it'll only be 15 seconds or so before the regulator has got the whole system back into a sort of equilibrium again and so this shouldn't affect the carbonation levels of your current kegs in any meaningful way.

However, once the new keg starts absorbing co2 into solution it will again be very slowly drawing co2 out of the gas lines which will in turn be coming from your other kegs and from your reg. The reg will then balance the pressure as well.

So you shouldn't have any carbonation issues with your existing keg.

BUT the transfer of co2 from keg headspace to keg headspace can naturally move beer aromas as well which may not be desirable. I haven't ever noticeably had this problem but it does exist in theory.

 

[argon]

^ there you go I think M^B has answered the op perfectly... Well said.

 

[Bribie G]

That's because he's posting sober. Being 8 am. Well we hope so.

 

[MarkBastard]

speak for yerselves!!! *burp*

 

[OzBeer_MD]

It was for these reasons that I purchased and installed a 3 way gas manifold with check valves into my kegerator.

 

[MarkBastard]

I want to buy a manifold too but god damn they cost a lot of coin. I've seen a decent one from America that had john guest fittings and check valves but I can't remember the URL.