What's the difference between regulators

[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?

 

[Black n Tan]

I have had a Micromatic regulator for the lat 4 years and I expect I will have it for many more to come. It is high quality and is serviceable if something goes wrong. I set it at pressure and that is where it stays. I recently had a Keg King regulator fail on my party set up even though it wasn't used much. However I see recently that most Aussie retailers that stock Micromatic regs seem to only sell the Premium Plus version which to my understanding is not serviceable. So if you can get the Micromatic Premium Reg and not the Premium Plus: you may need to ask questions to ensure you get the right one.

 

[GalBrew]

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

I disagree with both of those points. I think they all look the same, so from aesthetic point of view who gives a shit about which regulator you get?

As for 'they all bloody work' that is not the case. I've had cheaper ones that have had very slow and hard to find leaks through shitty welds. I've had one that was almost impossible to accurately dial in the pressure you wanted. I've also had one that worked fine for 5 minutes and then died for no particular reason. As soon as I got sick of all that I got a micromatic which has been rock solid in reliability and is very easy/accurate to adjust.

 

[GalBrew]

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?

A micromatic is very smooth compared to the cheaper ones I have used in the past (which are exactly how you describe).

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

Micromatic for me. My previous keg system in another lifetime had it. Buy once cry once.

It didn't creep, held pressure and dropped off pressure well.

My big thing now is going to be getting a dual pressure reg for different dispensing pressures and carbing a keg whilst another is already ok.

 

[Grott]

What are the American Taprite regulators like? Any knowledge.
Cheers

 

[nosco]

Yeah ive been looking at dual outlet Taprite one online. My no name one i have atm is giving me the shites.

 

[tavas]

If you go American it may not fit your gas bottle

 

[nosco]

Its sold in Aus so I think it would be ok.
The ad also says that they are made from brass that has tarnished a bit :unsure:

 

[Grott]

Its sold in Aus so I think it would be ok.
The ad also says that they are made from brass that has tarnished a bit :unsure:

Decided to get it at $36 "tarnished brass" special. Type 30 thread therefore suitable for Aust. bottles (not a good fit for fire extinguisher conversions however 2 nylon washers work). The "tarnish" on the one I got was bugger all, its just an older model with the screw driver adjuster rather than the knob type. As I now use for dispensing only, no big deal.
Cheers

 

[Lethaldog]

I've got a Harris, had it for about 8 years, can't fault it!