Old Boots Aluminium Kegs - does a King Keg lid fit?

[gobuchul]

Hi

I'm new here and would really appreciate some help.

I managed to get hold of a couple of old Boots aluminum barrels off Ebay. Only a tenner for both.

From what I have read on various forums, they seem to be quite highly regarded.

However, I would like to be able to inject CO2 and I cannot find a clear answer to what is compatible with the original valve or which is the best way to modify?

The lid is about 4" in diameter I was wondering if a King Keg type lid would fit?

I don't have a Home Brew shop very close to me and will probably be ordering online so I can't really "try before I buy".

Is it possible to simply drill a hole in the lid and fit an injection valve? Is it hard to get it to seal?

I have attached links to the photos of the lid and valves. The tall one is definitely a pressure relief valve and the injection valve has a removable adapter that I guess used an obsolete Boots CO2 bulb holder.

Hope you can help!

http://s17.postimg.org/ahgsn6iyn/overview.jpg

http://s17.postimg.org/uz1qytv27/co2.jpg

http://s17.postimg.org/fhe8v4olb/prv.jpg

http://s17.postimg.org/mi28nwqdb/prv2.jpg

[Dave S]

No idea what that fitting is, but it looks like there is room to drill a hole elsewhere on the lid to take a S30 valve. It's very easy to do.

[Wezzel]

It would be good if you could drill a couple of holes in the lid and fit an S30 valve and a pressure gauge.

[Hairybiker]

I've got one, had it since the early 80's '-]
You CAN screw in an S30 valve into the socket you remove the injector from, use one that has a decent length of screw on the underside. One from a 2" top is ideal.
My issue these days is leaks, I have had the S30 in there since the late 90's, and was starting to get a leak round the seal. Still looking at how to reseal it.

[Jim]

That tall aluminium thing is a combined pressure release valve and sparklets [EDIT- I meant Sodastream] CO2 bottle adapter. There is a brass fitting with a nozzle that screws onto the gas bottle and fits against the small rubber o ring at the top of the adapter. When you press the nozzle of the bottle adapter against it, CO2 is released into the keg.

I believe they've changed the design of the sparklets [EDIT- I meant Sodastream] CO2 bottle now, so it may not fit the new one.

Those valves are crap anyway, and very prone to leaks.

[Hairybiker]

What I meant was REMOVE the alu bit TOTALLY, then the S30 valve screws in there.

[johnmac]

"That tall aluminium thing is a combined pressure release valve and sparklets CO2 bottle adapter."

With all due respect to Jim, I believe he's wrong! I bought all this kit new in the 80's. The keg came with just a plastic male threaded bung in the cap and if you wanted the facility to inject gas, you had two options: 1, the aluminium thing in the photo's above, which is a combined safety valve and sodastream injector valve; 2, a black plastic 'T' shaped gadget which screws into the same hole and takes Sparklets bulbs.

EDIT: I agree with Jim on the basis that when he said 'Sparklets', he meant 'Sodastream'.

"What I meant was REMOVE the alu bit TOTALLY, then the S30 valve screws in there." I don't think this is correct either. Sorry...

[johnmac]

Here's the box the aluminium thing comes in. The fitting above is a brass gadget to allow a Sodastream bottle to put gas into the aluminium injector valve.


Here's the 'aluminium injector' next to a Hambleton Bard Injector. Though the threads are similar, they are different. But even if they were the same size and you screwed the HB valve into the Boots barrel, it would then be upside down and unusable.



gobuchul, I'm sorry to tell you that the aluminium injector/safety valve is highly likely to leak gas, which is a shame because the barrel itself will be great.

[Jim]

Yes I did mean sodastream. I blame advancing senility for the error!

[motco]

I accidentally found this thread during a search for an answer to a pressing problem. For many years I have used the Sodastream 290g (or 35 litre) CO2 cylinders to inject gas into my King Kegs. Now the 290g cylinders are obsolete and I am on my last one, I need an adapter that will fit the newer ones with the square threads. Nobody makes one as far as I can see. This is the old one:



What are members with this problem doing to address the problem? Sparklets bulbs are a poor substitute due to cost.

[Piscator]

Hi motco - the aquarium guys use soda stream bottles to improve plant growth and use adapters for the new threads.

http://www.co2supermarket.co.uk/sodastream-adapter.html

I think your old adapter will screw onto the new one - but don't quote me, you'll need to check thread sizes etc

Cheers
Steve

[Haydnexport]

ive bought a sodastream adaptor that can go into a standard welding regulator, handy for going to mates house without lugging a big co2 bottle around too. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271557061467? ... EBIDX%3AIT

[motco]

Thanks chaps! I think the welding cylinder is the way forward in the medium term, but for the moment I need an adapter adapter if you get my drift. Steve, the aquarium one looks promising but I'm not sure that the sliding plunger part in the old adapter would operate through the new part. The new part looks as if it might permanently depress the cylinder valve. I shall contact the supplier and try to find out. Again, thanks chaps!

[Piscator]

Think you might be right about the new adapter - seem to remember a thread where someone removed the pin on the new one and extended the pin on the old one.

Cheers
Steve