CO2 Regulator Filling With Beer? - Cornelius Keg Setup

[ChrisA]

Hi all!

I have been successfully using my corny keg setup for about a year now but could do with some advice.

I use a Sodastream bottle instead of the conventional pub bottle and always swap to a new bottle each time I start a new keg. I am fine with the cost (£8 per swap) however I was wondering if anyone knew what would happen if I was to use it until it completely ran out as there is always a little left in there.

I was under the impression that as the pressure begins to drop from the bottle it would cause the beer to be drawn into the regulator?

After doing a bit of googling I believe I need a regulator with a “check valve” to stop this happening is this correct?

I have included a couple of photos of my rig below but as you will see the eBay listing doesn't mention anything about there being a check valve installed?

My regulator (well kind of... this is the photo of the one pictured in the eBay listing however the knob on the one i received looks slightly different. You get the idea though)



eBay item: 180889659970
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/180889659970? ... 26_rdc%3D1

My setup. (Since this photo was taken the masking tape has been replaced by 4 x velcro strips)



Is there a valve I can add to my existing setup to stop this happening and allow me to use 100% of each bottle without risking a pressure drop in the keg causing the lid to collapse, potentially spoiling the beer if I don’t pick up on it quick enough?

If anyone could help me out I would be really grateful.

Cheers Chris

[GrowlingDogBeer]

As long as the beer in the keg is below the level of the gas in pipe then you won't get beer going back into the gas pipe.

£8.00 per keg. My most recent cylinder cost about £20.00 and I must have got through about 30 kegs with that.

[IPA]

Fit one of these to each of your cornie gas connects.
http://www.toutpourlabiere.com/containe ... -neuf.html
You can then have your gas stored lower than the beer.
They are non return valves and I am sure that they are available in England

edit Here is an English link
https://www.hopandgrape.co.uk/beer/beer ... elius.html

They are considerably more expensive than here in France.

[simon12]

The gas in does not have a dip tube like the beer out so could only take gas from the top even if the pressure somehow reversed. I don't think there is a problem.

[paulg]

fit a check valve as linked by IPA,
you should not get beer in the regulator but if you overfill the corny or it foams up it is possible.The check valve is cheaper then ruining the regulator

[Andy]

The gas in does not have a dip tube like the beer out so could only take gas from the top even if the pressure somehow reversed. I don't think there is a problem.

There is a tube its just very short. The key here is not to fill the cornie so the beer level reaches the gas-in dip tube. Worth fitting a check valve on the gas-in line as a fallback.

[IPA]

The gas in does not have a dip tube like the beer out so could only take gas from the top even if the pressure somehow reversed. I don't think there is a problem.

As explained to me by my local supplier there could be a problem if the cornie falls over best to be safe and fit a non return valve

[simon12]

I think its a risk I would be prepared to take. If the cylinder runs out of gas what are the chances that the pressure would get higher in the corny than the cylinder at all, OK slight risk of further fermentation but even then it would take some pressure to push beer all he way back down the gas line as far as the regulator. If it fell over and ran out of gas theres a tiny chance but they don't generally just fall over and the greater risk would be breaking the regulator by falling on it. Its up to you but A risk I would take.

[Andy]

It's happened to me before when I overfilled a cornie. If you connect the cornie gas-in up to the regulator with the regulator gas supply turned off and zero residual pressure in the regulator then pretty much any pressure in the cornie will cause the beer to flow back into the reg.

I learnt my lesson Never overfil a cornie !

[ChrisA]

I was hoping the check valve was going to be fairly cheap but when they charging around £14 delivered and a new regulator would only be another tenner I think I will take the risk and try not to over fill it.

Thanks for all your advice guys!

Chris

[Wonkydonkey]

Without reading the whole lot again, I'd just use the last cylinder to pump as much as the reg would allow me (~4 bar) and let the beer absorb it and I may even help it by giving it a shake. Then once you it think it's ready stick on your new reg before serving. But If you can wiegh the reg and hose before then you may see how much you use/the beer absorbed. then you will know for the next beer brewed and if you have enough gas in the old cylinder etc.