[erockrph]

When I bought my kegging setup I cheaped out and didn't get a multiple-connection manifold because I thought I could get by without one. I didn't take into consideration that I would be filling all 4 of my new kegs within a few days of each other. I really don't want to wait a month to carb them all up one-by-one. To further complicate things, I'm going out of town for a while so I won't be able to top them up with more CO2 once or twice a day (which is how I was planning on handling multiple kegs without a manifold).

My thought was to over-pressurize the kegs a bit before I leave (to maybe 20 PSI or so). Hopefully that will keep the carbonation process moving along over the 5 days I'm gone, without having to worry about overcarbing too much. Does that sound reasonable? Any other suggestions?

[yso191]

I have not had success doing this.  Here is what happens with me: I put 20+ lbs of CO2 pressure in the corny, the beer absorbs it, the head pressure drops, the seal on the lid fails just enough for the CO2 to escape and I come back to flat beer and have to start over again.

I've tried it a couple of times.  One either has to keep constant pressure on it or hit it with CO2 multiple times a day.

[HoosierBrew]

I have not had success doing this.  Here is what happens with me: I put 20+ lbs of CO2 pressure in the corny, the beer absorbs it, the head pressure drops, the seal on the lid fails just enough for the CO2 to escape and I come back to flat beer and have to start over again.

I've tried it a couple of times.  One either has to keep constant pressure on it or hit it with CO2 multiple times a day.

+1.  Same here. You could use the shake method on each (not venting head pressure) before you go, and be able to come home to carbed beer.

EDIT - I don't generally use the shake method, and when I do I don't wait too long to serve, so I think there might still be enough pressure to keep the lids seated, depending on how long you're gone. But I don't know for sure. I think the best option though is to add priming sugar to the kegs. It'll carb and keep the lid sealed if you add head pressure.

[bengelbrau]

I use a three port manifold, with one line going to a refrigerator. This line is split into two lines using a tee. Another line goes to a temp controlled freezer, with this line split into three. With gas QDs at the termini, I can use whichever line I want. One caution... do NOT fill your keg too close to the bottom of the gas-in dip tube. Changes in pressure, such as connecting another keg, will back wash beer or foam into your gas line. This is not a good thing. The third line is free for use in bottling, pressurizing kegs, transfers, etc. I may split this one into two, so I can use one of the lines for the beer gun without having to remove the QD.

[mugwort]

My thought was to over-pressurize the kegs a bit before I leave (to maybe 20 PSI or so). Hopefully that will keep the carbonation process moving along over the 5 days I'm gone, without having to worry about overcarbing too much. Does that sound reasonable? Any other suggestions?

Double that.  I crank in about 42 psi to my carbing kegs a couple times a day and they're ready in 3 days.  Haven't encountered a problem with over-carbonation.

[klickitat jim]

I have not had success doing this.  Here is what happens with me: I put 20+ lbs of CO2 pressure in the corny, the beer absorbs it, the head pressure drops, the seal on the lid fails just enough for the CO2 to escape and I come back to flat beer and have to start over again.

I've tried it a couple of times.  One either has to keep constant pressure on it or hit it with CO2 multiple times a day.

Use keg lube? My kegs hold for months. In fact ive bought used ones that were last used God knows when, and they have a quart of pepsi and plenty of co2 pressure still in them.

[oly]

I have not had success doing this.  Here is what happens with me: I put 20+ lbs of CO2 pressure in the corny, the beer absorbs it, the head pressure drops, the seal on the lid fails just enough for the CO2 to escape and I come back to flat beer and have to start over again.

I've tried it a couple of times.  One either has to keep constant pressure on it or hit it with CO2 multiple times a day.

Use keg lube? My kegs hold for months. In fact ive bought used ones that were last used God knows when, and they have a quart of pepsi and plenty of co2 pressure still in them.

quart of carbed pepsi in a pressurized corny = tons of pressurized head space and nowhere for the CO2 to go, so it stays pressurized.  They're talking about the opposite: keg full of uncarbed beer with tiny headspace. You put some 20lbs on that 2-3 inches of headspace, it absorbs quickly and pressure drops as they said.

To erock, if you have some time before you go, you might pick up some extra gas line, some barbed Ts, hose clamps and QDs. You can put in 3 Ts, have 4 lines. It's the cheapo manifold and works great.

[HoosierBrew]

I have not had success doing this.  Here is what happens with me: I put 20+ lbs of CO2 pressure in the corny, the beer absorbs it, the head pressure drops, the seal on the lid fails just enough for the CO2 to escape and I come back to flat beer and have to start over again.

I've tried it a couple of times.  One either has to keep constant pressure on it or hit it with CO2 multiple times a day.

Use keg lube? My kegs hold for months. In fact ive bought used ones that were last used God knows when, and they have a quart of pepsi and plenty of co2 pressure still in them.

My kegs seal great, no issues there. I use keg lube every time. It's when you fill a keg and use a shot of CO2 to try to keep a seal instead of keeping under constant pressure that the beer (especially if it's cold) can absorb what is your head pressure, and after a few days you don't have pressure to seal the lid anymore. When I pump Starsan out of my clean kegs, I leave pressure in the keg until I fill it next time and never lose pressure. But an empty keg doesn't have flat beer inside waiting to absorb the CO2.

[klickitat jim]

It appears that I may have not fully understood what you guys were talking about. My bad