What's the difference between regulators

[Cummy]

So I knocked over my gas bottle and busted my regulator. It was a tescuo. As far as I can tell it did what it needed to do. So now I'm in the market for a new one. The prices range from $50 upwards. What do I get for paying extra money? Also, is there a limit to the amount of kegs that can can run off one regulator. I am building a 6 keg keezer. Thanks.

Please, I ask if you recommend the most expensive regulator on the market you can provide some sort of justification. As much as I think a Ferrari is a great car, to get from A -B, a Holden does the same job.

 

[Camo6]

A Ferrari is hand built in Italy. A Holden is built to a budget on a production line in Korea. Sometimes you do get what you pay for.

The same applies to regulators. My Micromatic is robustly built and has worked well for several years. It's no Ferrari but it's not a Great Wall either. I'd recommend them. I'd probably also look into a BOC or CIGWeld if I need a replacement down the track.

Just remember, the price between budget and decent regs is probably fifty odd bucks. About the same cost as a refill when a cheap reg empties your bottle on the floor. Cheaper again when you blame your leak on a keg or fitting and lose another bottle full.

Buy right. Buy once.

 

[MHB]

Well I would have said a BMW... But fair to say you get what you pay for.
I have a twin TESUCO and am very happy with it, have had better and worse, probably the one I liked best was the BOC Thermodyne Regulator looks like its out of production now.
One think worth remembering about TESUCO is that parts are available, I don't know what you broke but odds on you can fix it.
Mark

 

[Cummy]

Cheers guys. I get that usually the more you spend the better the product, however one cannot always buy the best product of everything. Money I save on one thing is money I can spend on another. I can't afford the ducks nuts in kegs, taps regulators and fermenters. i just figure there are some areas that are more important/beneficial than others.

 

[Crusty]

Cheers guys. I get that usually the more you spend the better the product, however one cannot always buy the best product of everything. Money I save on one thing is money I can spend on another. I can't afford the ducks nuts in kegs, taps regulators and fermenters. i just figure there are some areas that are more important/beneficial than others.

Of course you buy what you can afford but surely with all the extra savings you are making on not buying beer, you could get yourself a decent regulator.
Micro Matic all the way. I've had three different brands & nothing was as reliable & trouble free as the MM. No creeping at all & well built.

 

[droid]

I have 2. One is micro-matic and one is keg king. They both work well but the micro-matic has a shut off gate valve thing where the tubing attaches. The keg king has no gate valve

I find having the valve reassuring in terms of limiting co2 loss

 

[earle]

I have a micromatic and a harris, and rate the harris as better.

 

[Crusty]

I have a micromatic and a harris, and rate the harris as better.

What Harris one have you got earle, model?

 

[Cummy]

Of course you buy what you can afford but surely with all the extra savings you are making on not buying beer, you could get yourself a decent regulator.
Micro Matic all the way. I've had three different brands & nothing was as reliable & trouble free as the MM. No creeping at all & well built.

I have finally realised I'm not saving a cent from not having to buy beer. Not complaining, but finally aware of my new Hobbies hidden costs and shiny obsessions

 

[earle]

What Harris one have you got earle, model?

****, its a 601 but I actually meant to say the micromatic is better. Dangers of drinking and posting.

 

[manticle]

I have a micromatic and it's pretty good.

However if you were happy with the model you had and can't replace parts, why not just buy another? It wasn't a fault with the reg that led to its demise.

 

[Rocker1986]

Micromatic here too. I've only had mine for just under a year but it hasn't missed a beat. I imagine you could run any number of kegs you wanted to off one regulator? All it's doing is maintaining a pressure level.

 

[Benn]

I've got a dual outlet (with valves) $40 ish cheapie from eBay, my mate has 2 of the same type. 1 year old and no complaints as yet.

 

[Kev R]

what broke when it fell over? usually its the neck that snaps off and you can remove the broken bit with a eazy out and screw a new one in.

 

[woodwormm]

what he said..

if you just broke the gauge, it's about 5 bucks on ebay for a new gauge.

of my half dozen regs over the last 10 years (5 still in service) i think the keg king multi gas with the big knob is one of the best. i've had from 20 buck ebays to 100 buck micromatic, my micromatic always crept, didn't like it. my fave is an ancient Downey i inherited with my first keg. it's had a couple replacement gauges and probably drunk more beer than is good for it, but still works great.

 

[peteru]

My only experience is with a Keg King MK III. It just works. You turn knob to desired pressure and that is it.

So, on a related note, I would be interested in what makes a regulator a bad one. What goes wrong when it does?

 

[GalBrew]

I'm very happy with my micromatic. I've had a couple of other regulators in the past and the micromatic is far better.

 

[Autopilot]

My micromatic has been super reliable.

 

[Reman]

Keg King Mk III here, no issues so far. My only wish is better resolution down low on the low pressure gauge.

 

[pcmfisher]

I have two Tesucos. Neither are worth two knobs of goat ****. They both creep, one worse than the other.

I have heard no bad reports about the Keg King MK3.

 

[gap]

I have a Tesuco double regulator for at least 3 years without any issues.

 

[tavas]

2 X Micromatic here. Both work really well and no creeping issues.

 

[Zorco]

I have a micromatic and a harris, and rate the harris as better.

A lot of the replies speak briefly of reliability or some such.

This is by no means to pick on earle, but the quantification / qualification detail is craved here.

Why? Build quality? Creepage, gauge resolution? Sex appeal?

I hold some similarity of query with the OP that a reg is a reg....and any reg will carb your beer and dispense your beer.

Like a bath towel. They all bloody work, some of them are expensive and some of them look good.

Equally keen to learn more

 

[manticle]

Ever dried yourself with organic Nepalese hand woven yak towel?

 

[Zorco]

Ever dried yourself with organic Nepalese hand woven yak towel?

Manty strikes again

Onya mate.... Thanks for being here.

 

[earle]

A lot of the replies speak briefly of reliability or some such.

This is by no means to pick on earle, but the quantification / qualification detail is craved here.

Why? Build quality? Creepage, gauge resolution? Sex appeal?

I hold some similarity of query with the OP that a reg is a reg....and any reg will carb your beer and dispense your beer.

Like a bath towel. They all bloody work, some of them are expensive and some of them look good.

Equally keen to learn more

But a couple of posts down I corrected this post and said that I meant to say that I rated the micromatic better. Definitely the sex appeal.

Both serve me well but I find the micromatic easier to set, and the pressure release valve is part of the reason for that.

Keen on some of those towels as well

 

[Zorco]

Where do you buy them Manticle? I sense a bulk buy coming on!!!

 

[earle]

Where do you buy them Manticle? I sense a bulk buy coming on!!!

C'mon Yob - organic Nepalese hand woven yak towel bulk buy - you know you want to

 

[manticle]

Where do you buy them Manticle? I sense a bulk buy coming on!!!

There's a little shop in Cygnet.

 

[Zorco]

I find my cheap regulator very difficult to adjust pressure down once set higher. Nothing feels linear. Generally I need to depressurise the whole reg to establish the desired pressure.

Yes, yes I know the diaphragm pressure release on the screw but that's not what I mean. On my cheap reg the adjustment is always rough and exponentially harder as I adjust to higher pressures. Hard for hand strength.

I imagine these micromatic Harris regs being smooth to adjust pressure and easy to correct up or down even from carbonation pressures to the silky smooth dispensing pressures.

Are the expensive regs better that way?