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Soda Stream Adaptor

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No worries Tony, should be ready this week.
I'll let you know

Hoops
 
Just FYI - I dispensed 4 18L kegs over Easter on 1 SS cylinder, with gas left over. This plus the rig was put together in a hurry so I'd be surprised if there weren't some minor leaks in the system. I'm impressed with the Sodastream concept!
 
Nice work. Good to hear.
Was that a steel cylinder (250g) or a new Ali one(330g)?
 
It was a new alloy one, Hoops. I guess luck has been on my side lately, I managed to liberate 6 of them from K-Mart for $11 each before the memo must have gone out :p
 
OK I've got another 4 adaptors ready to go.
as you can see 2 are the normal ones and 2 have been recessed specifically for the Harris 601 regulator.

Hoops

Recessed_SS_adaptors.JPG
 
Hey Hoops - reckon you could get one made to go directly into the 601 without the shank? I'd still like to do this and it seems like you're the man.
 
like this one?


post-8-1087730810.jpg



probably not too hard but would need to know the exact thread size of the shank/port in the 601 reg to be able to cut the right thread.

Anyone in Brisbane got a 601 reg I could have a look at?
 
Yep, just like that.

The 601 thread is an odd one, and the machining on the end is critical as it is not a tapered thread so the seal is made by the mating of the ends.

The 601 is a neat reg, and with a couple of smaller gauges on it it would make a very sexy sodastream rig.

If you don't have any luck locally, I can send you mine to work from Hoops.
 
I will speak to GMK and see who he has sent regs to that are nearby. Hopefully I can work something out that way.

Hoops
 
Guys, - a few quick questions.

What is the overall height of the newer soda stream CO2 cylinders?

Do they have to been upright when dispensing? or can they be laid horizontal?

cheerio.
 
Fammer,
to the top of the thread - 35.8
to the bottom of the thread - 34.1 cm
5.1cm diameter

compared to the old ones, 33.1cm to the top of the thread.

And yes it would be advisable to use them only in the upright position so you get your co2 from the gas layer. On its side (unless it was only 1/3 full) you would get liquid which I understand could (would) damage the regulator.

Hope it helps, Darryl
 
Good work Darryl, I couldn't find my tape measure :(
 
Hey Hoops,

We've ordered two new 601's from GMK, so hopefully they should be on their way soon - one of us will happily bring one out for you to play with!

Matt
 
Thanks Matt. Maybe an excuse to meet up at the Micro at Bulimba one weekend?

Hoops
 
i will be sending them in the next couple of days - just need to make sure they both fit into a 3 kg express post bag...
 
Hoops: Sounds awesome - happy to catch up at Bulimba any time. They did have a brewers lunch advertised, but a rang them and its cancelled as they had the wrong date/day cobo advertised! Next one is in May

GMK: Thats great, we're looking forward to getting them and starting to play with our soon to be keg setups!

Matt
 
Just on the horizontal/vertical issue - my SS bottles (alloy) contain only gas, no liquid, so I can't see why you couldn't use them on their side. Don't know if this would change depending on temp or any other conditions, but my guess is there's not enough pressure to liquefy the CO2.
 
Wortgames,

I'll have to disagree with you there, a sodastream cylinder when filled with nothing but gas will only hold about 60grams of gas or so.

Calculating quickly P1V1=P2V2, and new soda stream cylinder has a nominal capacity of .46L and holds 330g (176 litres at 1 atomsphere pressure) of gas.

1atm x 176L = P2 x 0.46L
Pressure inside teh bottle = P2 = 382 atm = 38 Megapascals = 5600 psi (if we assume it remains as a gas)

However above 850psi (5800kpa) the CO2 will form a liquid. So there has to be liquid in a full soda stream bottle.

The pressure in the cylinder will always read a constant pressure as when the pressure rises above 850psi the gas turns to a liquid, thus dropping the pressure. It balances out so that you end up with a mix of gas an liquid in the cylinder. If you draw off any gas, thus dropping the pressure, more gas boils off to create gas to maintain the pressure at that magic 850psi. When you run out of liquid the pressure will drop as you remove any gas. For a big 9kg cylinder there may still be enough gas pressure to dispense a keg, but with small cylinders if will not last long at all. Rougly speaking, 850psi x .46L = 26L at 15psi (dispensing pressure) so you might just get a single keg dispensed out of a "gas only" soda stream bottle.

So the quick check is... if you have a constant pressure while carbonating/dispensing, you have liquid CO2 in the bottle.

That "constant" pressure of around 850psi is right for 20 degrees C. As temperature rises so will the gas pressure, until about 31 degrees C when any liquid WILL become gas (technically the gas and liquid states become indistinguishable). This results in a big increase in pressure (exact pressure will depend on the mass of gas inside).

In paintball systems this can result in burst safety valves which is a lot better than exploding a cylinder. 330g of CO2 takes up 0.206L, so soda stream cylinders are filled to about 45% capacity which compares to 68% for paintballing. By filling the soda stream bottles to less that 1/2 capacity it increases the safety margin in case the bottles do get left inside a hot car. Without doing the numbers I'm not sure if it would be possible in theory to explode a new soda stream bottle if it were allowed to get to say 50 degrees inside a hot car, but given that the cylinders are evidently rated to 250bar (3600psi) I dont think it would be likely. Could be a fun experiment though - just stand WAY back.

Having done the calculations now it looks like even on it's side the soda stream bottle would likely have the outlet above the liquid layer, even when "full" (aka 45%). So maybe it is something people can get away with. Personally I'd be looking to have the cylinder on a 45 degree angle, just to keep it well away from that potentially disasterous 'upside-down' regulator damaging position.

Anyway too much thinking, and my scottish amber ale calls.

Darryl
 
Good on you Darryl, I have to respect your maths over my method of deduction - which was to shake it and see if it sloshed (it didn't, really).

I stand corrected! :huh:

BTW - I reckon the SS cylinders have a safety release - there is a suspicious looking hole going right through the neck, my guess is that there's a burst point in the centre (if not a proper valve).
 

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