Length of CO2 Line from Cylinder to Dispenser?

[JZH]

Hi, just joined the forum and I hope someone can help me with this question. I am currently planning my home soda dispenser system using a standard Wunderbar gun and Cornelius Iceberg SR/Ambi-Carb connected to a CO2 cylinder and regulator board. All of the equipment (apart from the Wunderbar gun) will be in my garage on the other side of a wall. That's all fairly standard stuff, and I think I've got it worked out:

However, (not shown on the diagram) I also have a Samsung fridge with a sparkling water unit built in (which uses Sodastream cylinders), located about 6m away from where the soda-related stuff will be in the garage. Obviously, there will be soda water on the Wunderbar gun, but my wife would like to be able to continue to use the fridge dispenser (and I don't want to keep re-filling Sodastream cylinders!)

So, I'd like to connect the fridge system to the big CO2 cylinder in the garage (I have the Sodastream adapter for this already), so I'm wondering if it would work? I'm sure it would be fine with a short length of high-pressure hose, but this would be quite a long run (about 20').

How does gaseous CO2 deal with long, un-insulated lines? I could also insulate the line, if need be.

Cheers,

JZH

 

[BeardedBrews]

The gas won't mind a long uninsulated run. No insulation required.

 

[IslandLizard]

I have the Sodastream adapter for this already

Where in the system is that adapter located?

I'm sure it would be fine with a short length of high-pressure hose, but this would be quite a long run (about 20').

Anything after the CO2 tank's regulator is considered low pressure." Regular thick walled (1/8" wall thickness) 3/16" or 1/4" ID vinyl beer beverage line (BevLex 200) or dedicated 5/16" colored vinyl "gas line" will work fine, no need for high pressure hose there. Now between tank and regulator you would need (ultra expensive) high pressure hose or copper line.

 

[JZH]

Ah, this would have to be a high-pressure line, tee'd off the CO2 tank before the regulator board, because the only way I know to intercept the fridge dispenser is to use an adapter in place of the Sodastream tank (thus, pre-regulator). This is the adapter I'm using:

This line can run out through the back of the fridge.

On the other hand, I could also site the tank (and regulator board) close to the fridge and run low-pressure CO2 lines back to the garage. I guess it depends on just how expensive a long length of high-pressure hose would be? Thanks for the input!

Cheers,

JZH

 

[IslandLizard]

run low-pressure CO2 lines back to the garage.

It actually would depend more on how many difference pressures you want to feed to the garage. If it's one or two pressures and many kegs, use one or two lines and one or two manifold in the keg area. If it's several pressures, perhaps use one line and secondary regulators where the kegs are. Secondary regs need to be fed by low pressure, a few psi above the maximum you want to dispense at.

Looking at your Sodastream adapter, that connection must lead into some sort of regulator, right? Maybe you can connect low pressure line past that?

 

[JZH]

The complete Sodastream adapter set-up looks like this (no regulator):

It's just a remote CO2 cylinder adapter, so any pressure regulation must take place within the Sodastream (or in my case, Samsung fridge).

Currently, I'm just doing a one-flavour soda dispenser set-up, so all I need is one pressure for the carbonator and a lower pressure for the syrup pump. But now that you mention it, maybe I ought to allow for a beer tap of some kind? I would never brew my own beer, but I might want to tap a small keg for parties and such...

These kind of 5L kegs are readily available at supermarkets in France. What would I need to use this kind of keg? I have a small refrigerator in the family room already, if the keg needs to be refrigerated.

New diagram:

Thanks for helping me think this through!

Cheers,

JZH

 

[BeardedBrews]

You don't have to supply the soda stream higher pressure than it uses, even if it is designed to take full tank pressure.

Using standard gas line at 60-100 psi would be much easier and more economical.

 

[BeardedBrews]

Regarding your second question on the small kegs. It would still be easier to use a low pressure secondary regulator at the fridge instead of running a high pressure line.

You could run 100psi to the fridge, then put in a tee and one of these for the beer line
https://www.morebeer.com/products/i...niXQPj4EwtQXO1Ht-MChTymUDJy2RvNsaAmCNEALw_wcB

 

[JZH]

You don't have to supply the soda stream higher pressure than it uses, even if it is designed to take full tank pressure.

Using standard gas line at 60-100 psi would be much easier and more economical.

Yes, that would be a better idea. I can use one of the regulators on my existing board to supply 100psi to the Sodastream (I will check the working pressure), and run two low-pressure CO2 lines to the garage from the remaining two regulators.

Alternatively, I could just run one low-pressure (~100psi) line to the garage and split and regulate it down once there. The carbonator I'm using requires 80-90psi and the syrup pump requires 20-80psi.

Cheers,

JZH

 

[JZH]

Okay, what I think I'm going to do is buy a new "soft drinks" primary regulator with an appropriate blow-off valve from Brandels, split its regulated ~100psi output between the fridge and the line to the garage, and re-purpose my existing primary/secondary regulator board as secondary-only. That means no expensive high-pressure lines to deal with, only one MDPE line to run to the garage and the benefit of having a solid, tested primary regulator (rather than one that's been used and stored for several years).

Thanks to all for the very useful input!

Cheers,

JZH