Kegging

[Mike Neilson]

Looking at doing a keg set up, Is it cheaper and easyer to go with the brew craft setup or designing your own set up, and getting the bits from the likes of Craft brewer, etc?
Whats your thoughts?

[Barry]

You'll be able to test the gas side with nothing in the keg. To test the beer side obviously you'll need something. enough to cover the dip tube so that water comes out the tap.

[vdog]

You can test just the regulator etc without connecting it to the keg at all - put the pressure up a bit to be sure you'll see something (say 35psi, which is as high as you'd generally go to force carb anyway). I'd do that first, then connect to the keg with a bit of water in the bottom as Barry says and check for keg leaks.

[JackoNZ]

swt, thanks fellas. Just need to get my tank now. Looks like Wards is the place to buy one in Wellington, although prices from Kenny's and Tank Test Ltd look a lot cheaper, but that may go up once you factor in delivery I guess.

[Sparky]

Jacko - I fill my kegs with water to about 5-10mm below the Inlet line. That way I need only a small quantity of gas to check for leaks. As mentioned earlier , soapy water helps show any leaks.

[Matt]

Hey guys
Just a heads up re a good/cheap place to pick up CO2 regs, 'Haish' from this board put me on to a place in New Plymouth (Duroweld) that does the regs for $65 inc GST and although these have a flow gauge as the second gauge the guys will calibrate this and put the psi increments on the gauge for ya. I got mine for $73 shipped to my door, the guy to conatct is [e-mail] and be sure to tell him you want it calibrated for pressure.

[JackoNZ]

Just organising a couple of picnic taps from Craftbrewer but confused to what exactly I need. Ross reckons the bronco faucet and hose wont fit onto a MFL disconnect but I could just get the faucet and some valpar line and then a swivel + MFL disconnect. Is that right? Do you need anything else where the line joins the faucet, clamp etc?

[James P]

You need (just my opinion):

This : http://www.craftbrewer.com.au/shop/details.asp?PID=730

That: http://www.craftbrewer.com.au/shop/details.asp?PID=744

Some of this: http://www.craftbrewer.com.au/shop/details.asp?PID=828

One of these: http://www.craftbrewer.com.au/shop/details.asp?PID=871

And maybe one of these: http://www.craftbrewer.com.au/shop/details.asp?PID=713, but I prefer screw on hose clamps.

:)

[JackoNZ]

Legend! That's exactly what I had except the clamp. Cheers

[James P]

You could just go to bunning and buy a pack of them (hose clamps) for about $5, those clamps need a specific crimping tool to be effective. Having said that, my hose no longer has a clamp as I couldn't find it....

[MrC]

Spot on James.

I have the disconnect with a barb for my picnic taps:
This http://www.craftbrewer.com.au/shop/details.asp?PID=729
and this http://www.craftbrewer.com.au/shop/details.asp?PID=711

I don't use clips on my hoses and haven't had any problems. I don't have the taps connected while carbing at high pressure, only when serving.

[JackoNZ]

Thanks blokes, probably put my order in today and then it's just finding a co2 tank left. Oh and brew some beer, but I'll sort that out this weekend!

Another sanity check! Do most regulators fit most tanks? I have my eye on a tank that looks suitable but not sure if my reg will fit. I can't get to it physically to check. Worth the risk?

[vdog]

I'm pretty sure even if it doesn't fit you can get a replacement tank nut fitted to it, which shouldn't cost you much. The ones we generally get here use the same fittings as the Aus standard, if that helps.