S30 Gas Cylinder to Cornelius Keg Query

[Fuzzy-felt]

I often take my corny kegs out of the house, and it can be a pain taking a large gas cylinder set-up as well.

From my pressure barrel days I have a couple of Hambleton Bard S30 CO2 cylinders and a little adapter that allows the use of those small cylinders, and wondered if there is a way to use these via the gas in post on my kegs. I don't particularly want a lid with an S30 valves on the top, as I would be limited to using just that lid. I would want to keep it open to using any of my corny kegs without the need to swap the lid over to one with an S30 valve in it. I've also seen those small CO2 chargers that connect to a gas in post, but at over £30 they look to be a real rip-off.

Has anyone any ideas about if what I'm trying to do is possible please?

Regards,
Mark.

[Derek1]

I have one of these which I tried for the first time yesterday, and it worked well. Unfortunately, I don’t think they’re available commercially – I had mine made.
An alternative, though expensive starting from scratch, is to get a couple of Sodastream cylinders, as a connector to a CO2 regulator is available from aquarium suppliers. I also have one of these, so if photos of either/both would help, let me know where to email them to, as I can’t seem to post photos.

[Fuzzy-felt]

Yes, I would appreciate that, thanks.
I'll send you a PM, which should give you my email address, I think.

Regards,
Mark.

[stelongy]

Hi mate im interested in doing this too could you send me the pictures.
Thanks.

[Derek1]

[quote="stelongy"]Hi mate im interested in doing this too could you send me the pictures.
Thanks.[/quote]
Having posted the previous message, I saw Jim's excellent guide on how to include photos in your post, so I'll try to do that ASAP!

[Derek1]

What follows is longwinded, but the main points are as follows:-

• There are no commercially available connectors that I am aware of to connect a Hambleton Bard S30 cylinder to a CO2 regulator
• There is an equivalent commercially available connector to connect a Sodastream cylinder to a CO2 regulator, as mentioned in other threads
• If you need a portable, or small cylinder to provide gas supply to your cornys through a regulator, go for a commercially available Sodastream cylinder/connector solution.

The following is my way of using Hambleton Bard and Sodastream CO2 cylinders to deliver gas to my cornys through a CO2 regulator. I need to do this as my cornys need to sit in a large fridge that I don’t want to drill holes in, as it’s a new fridge, and which I don’t have exclusive use of, so to speak, so sitting a commercial CO2 cylinder outside to deliver the gas isn’t an option.

It doesn’t solve Mark’s issue, which is trying to find a way of connecting an HB cylinder directly to a corny without the use of a regulator or S30 valve.

What I’m doing is expensive, in terms of gas price compared to having a commercial 6kg or so CO2 cylinder sat outside a proper kegerator, but compared with having my cornys sat in the fridge and dragging them out to deliver a squirt of gas as needed from the HB cylinder through the S30 valve, which I fortunately have on each of my cornys, it’s much better, as it’s the same price for the gas, and I can sit the cylinder and regulator in the fridge with the cornys, as there isn’t room in my fridge for a commercial size CO2 cylinder.

My understanding of things is that comparing a Sodastream cylinder, containing 400g of CO2, (£7.50 refill?) an HB cylinder 240g (£5.99 refill?), with the cost of a commercial cylinder containing 6000g CO2 (£20ish plus cylinder rental or deposit) to deliver gas to cornys via a CO2 regulator is an obvious no brainer – you wouldn't think of not going the commercial cylinder route unless you don’t have reasonable access to a commercial cylinder supplier, or, like me, you need to fit your CO2 cylinder in your fridge and a commercial one won’t fit, or, like Mark, you like to take your cornys walkabout occasionally, and don’t want to lug a commercial sized cylinder or regulator, and don’t have S30 valves on your cornys.

The obvious option is to have a Sodastream cylinder connected to a standard CO2 regulator via a commercially available connector:-

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

which I’m sure has been mentioned many times before.

I bought the connector, as we have a Sodastream unit which I could borrow the cylinder from for experimental purposes, and couldn’t find a commercially available equivalent of a connector between an HB S30 cylinder and a CO2 regulator. I thought it would be worth a try for the £15 or so for the connector, and bought a CO2 regulator from eBay for £20, with the intention of buying two Sodastream cylinders if it worked well.

Here it is, connected up:-

http://s1279.photobucket.com/user/derek ... 3.jpg.html

Although it works well when connected, I wasn’t impressed with the hissing and spitting when screwing the cylinder onto the connector that had previously been attached to the regulator, so then wondered if there was any possibility of making an equivalent connector for an HB S30 cylinder – I have three such cylinders, and would rather base my system around something that is supporting the homebrew industry, given that the Sodastream solution is not ideal....

Calling in more favours than I’m happy with, I had the following made:-

http://s1279.photobucket.com/user/derek ... f.jpg.html

This was done by machining off the part of the S30 valve that normally sits within the corny, and braising onto it a screw thread compatible with a CO2 regulator. You can see the braise in the middle of the flange.
Connecting the cylinder to the regulator was far less traumatic than with the Sodastream equivalent – no hissing etc, and, once connected:-

http://s1279.photobucket.com/user/derek ... 1.jpg.html

there seems to be no discernable loss of pressure over a week or so.

HOWEVER

Safety wise, I’d be far happier with a commercial solution that had the connector machined from a piece of brass without the braise, like the Sodastream connector is, albeit in aluminium rather than brass. The braise on my connector, probably unnecessarily, worries me as a potential weak spot in a high pressure system.
Additionally, although my S30 connector connects well and leakfree with the S30 cylinder I’ve tried it with, I have no way of knowing if that will be the case with other S30 cylinders, as I’ve only tried it with one.
Disconnecting the S30 cylinder once it’s attached to the regulator via the connector is a no-no – it needs to be used until the cylinder is empty, which, to be fair, need not be a problem. I’ve disconnected mine three times so far – once with a loud hiss, and twice with an impressive bang which also blew the o ring from inside the S30 valve across the room – interesting fitting it back in, as it looks far too large to fit… overall, not good for the blood pressure, safety, or marital relations if you have to explain the bang convincingly…..

[subfaction]

I was thinking of a similar solution for my new 20litre crusader kegs, it would be great to find a simple (and cheap) way of taking them to parties and giving a little squirt of co2 from a s30 bottle when the pressure drops.
A regulator seems overkill though for what I'm after, is there an alternative?

[Fuzzy-felt]

I wish to thank everyone, especially Derek, for their contribution to this topic.

In the end I have decided to buy a couple of cornelius keg lids with integral S30 valves, and keep a couple of my kegs reserved for being able to don these lids for when I want to take them out and about without the need for a bulky gas cylinder plus regulator set-up.

Thanks again,

Mark.