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Mixed gas regulators for beer gas/nitro stouts

Started by cruiscinlan, December 09, 2015, 06:36:32 PM

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cruiscinlan


Following the great regulator buy of 2015 I had thought my worries were over.  However as the proud new owner of a mixed gas tank I find myself in need of a mixed gas regulator.

I have contacted a couple of suppliers regarding getting mixed gas regulators that can handle the higher pressures for mixed gas tanks and am awaiting replies.

50:50 CO2/Nitrogen is filled to 135bar compared to the regular 50bar for CO2 tanks.

Now some here could be using CO2 regs with an adapter with no problems, but although I have nae wife, nor bairns, n'ivver ae bonny lass to wreck my head about it I've also no expendable shed to house said tank so I'm going to go for the rated equipment for the job.


Are there folks here who would be interested in going in on a mixed reg buy with me?

Shanna

Would the regulators be able to handle 75%/25% No2/Co2 mix? If yes provisionally I would be interedted but before I commit would you be able to provide some idea of the price?

Many thanks,

Shanna
Cornie keg group buy organiser, storeman & distribution point
Hops Group buy packer
Regulator & Taps distribution point
Stainless Steel Fermenter Group Buy Organiser
South Dublin Brewers member

cruiscinlan

Quote from: Shanna on December 09, 2015, 08:01:12 PM
Would the regulators be able to handle 75%/25% No2/Co2 mix? If yes provisionally I would be interedted but before I commit would you be able to provide some idea of the price?

Once the regulator could handle the high pressure of mixed gases I do not think the proportion of the mix would matter. I would check this however.

Regarding pricing I'm waiting to hear back from the suppliers. Cheapest I have found so far is a two gauge reg from a German supplier for €72 plus post.

Hopefully we could beat that especially given the pricing of the ODL products from the group buy.

Leann ull

For sale regularly second hand for 50 in good nick, 30-40 otherwise, in pub use they need to be calibrated every 12 months for us 3-4 years
Cara sold some recently the last of which I'm only delivering tomorrow

cruiscinlan

Quote from: CH on December 09, 2015, 08:41:57 PM
For sale regularly second hand for 50 in good nick, 30-40 otherwise, in pub use they need to be calibrated every 12 months for us 3-4 years

No sign of any for that price on adverts.ie or donedeal.  Cheapest I've found is £30 on ebay UK however those are Norgren regs that have no gauge, they're used with system gauges and secondary regs have to be bought for them to bring your gas down to a useable pressure. 

The homebar guy linked in the buy and sell thread had one for €100 collected from Waterford, Brew Crew is €90 for secondhand ones as well.  For those prices I prefer to buy new. 

Leann ull

For pub gas tanks you want one of these and pressure is set at 32/33psi I believe and controlled at tap


Will_D

The standard BOC gold regs usually only have only a bottle contents gauge fitted ( Green starts at 220 bar and falling).

Under the red plastic seal in CHs picture is an allen grub screw that sets the presure. The Guino/Heino engineers use a digital pressure gauge to set the dispense pressue depending on the length of the python. There is no magic set pressure.

If you are lucky enough to obtain one of these then you can set the pressure to suit your python.

What I here you say "My trouser snake is no way a python" then I am sorry but you need to consult another forum for help!
Remember: The Nationals are just round the corner - time to get brewing

Leann ull

I stand corrected the ones Declan sold were supplied to the industry standard 37 like this one
http://www.adverts.ie/crazy-random-stuff/mixed-gas-regulator-for-beer-cider-factory-refurbished/4922540
Only adjust middle of reg using allen key if you have pressure gauge and can calibrate!

cruiscinlan

Quote from: Will_D on December 09, 2015, 10:52:45 PM
The standard BOC gold regs usually only have only a bottle contents gauge fitted ( Green starts at 220 bar and falling).

Under the red plastic seal in CHs picture is an allen grub screw that sets the presure. The Guino/Heino engineers use a digital pressure gauge to set the dispense pressue depending on the length of the python. There is no magic set pressure.

If you are lucky enough to obtain one of these then you can set the pressure to suit your python.

There isn't much of an issue getting those style regulators, however most do not come with a contents gauge or output gauge so are of little use to us:





Leann ull

Well thats how the rest of us using mixed gas are serving it ;), admittedly we all have restrictors on our taps and thats the first reg I've seen without a fill gauge.
I'm not totally sure but there may be a min or optimal pressure to get max performance from stout through the pin plate in the head of a stout tap and any surge is controlled with restrictor valve




cruiscinlan

Quote from: CH on December 10, 2015, 12:09:46 AM
Well thats how the rest of us using mixed gas are serving it ;), admittedly we all have restrictors on our taps and thats the first reg I've seen without a fill gauge.
I'm not totally sure but there may be a min or optimal pressure to get max performance from stout through the pin plate in the head of a stout tap and any surge is controlled with restrictor valve


How do you manage carbonation through it then without the ability to set a pressure? Or do you carbonate separately and use the mixed gas to dispense only?

Mixed gas reg here for £48 from the UK. Further investigations underway:
http://www.ewlonline.co.uk/odl-mixed-gas-single-stage-primary-regulator-c-w-hose

Leann ull

Using mixed gas is an expensive way to carb as the No2 isnt absorbed so 50 or 75 depending on the mix is wasted, carb on Co2 and serve with No2

auralabuse

Head over to eBay, type in argon regulator, then also get a female half or quarter inch bsp with barb, (depends on the output of the reg) and your sorted for a fraction of the price

cruiscinlan

Quote from: auralabuse on December 10, 2015, 10:50:04 AM
Head over to eBay, type in argon regulator, then also get a female half or quarter inch bsp with barb, (depends on the output of the reg) and your sorted for a fraction of the price

I thought that would work, however those regs don't have a safety valve and also the output gauge is in cfm or lpm (cubic feet per min/litres per min).

Quote from: CH on December 10, 2015, 10:50:04 AM
Using mixed gas is an expensive way to carb as the No2 isnt absorbed so 50 or 75 depending on the mix is wasted, carb on Co2 and serve with No2

Or I could just prime in the keg as in bottling.  In any event I have to work with what I have as I've no way of getting out to Bray for a CO2 tank.

auralabuse

Yeah, I carbonate with co2 only and push stout with nitro then so the readout isn't so important for me