[James Lorden]

I have heard (and not verified) that keeping a regulator in the cold box could effect performance.  I have one hole drilled in the side of my fridge to let the primary gas line into the cold box where it attaches to the manifold.  The reason for putting the secondary inside is that I just don't feel like drilling another hole, but it could easily be done if there is a benefit.

Thanks

[tschmidlin]

I haven't heard that, but I'd sure like to know if it's true since my secondary regulators are in the keezer.

[James Lorden]

found this on the morebeer site under the product description for their regulator:

Regulators work best at room temperature. If you must use your regulator in the cold it will take up to 4 hours for the adjustment to register. For example: If you are at 10 PSI and you change the pressure to 12 PSI the regulator will move to 14 or 15 PSI over the next 4 hours. Once you have found the correct pressure the regulator will work perfectly fine but it will take some trial and error to get it adjusted.

[oscarvan]

I didn't need to know that..... now I have to redo the whole thing! Good news is that I will be able to fit another keg in there....

[tschmidlin]

Fantastic then, at least it's an easy fix.  Looks like I'll be moving the regulator to the outside of the keezer and drilling 4 more holes in the collar.  Although it was 34.8F in my garage last week . . .

[Hydro]

Fantastic then, at least it's an easy fix.  Looks like I'll be moving the regulator to the outside of the keezer and drilling 4 more holes in the collar.  Although it was 34.8F in my garage last week . . .

Dang, that is almost as cold as the inside of my keezer and my regulators are inside also.  I would rather not move them.  Oh well let me think about it.

[tschmidlin]

Yeah, that was colder than my keezer was set for

The garage seems to stabilize at 10F over the outside temp when it gets cold out, probably from the furnace, hot water heater, shared wall, etc.

It's actually less work for me than I had planned, since I was going to replace my collar to make room for the bank of secondary regulators.

[noisycricket]

What if you live in the desert, where the kegerator is in a 115 degree garage all summer? 
I just picked up 5 secondary regulators (eventually there will be 5 cornies in this fridge).  I want to do this right the first time.

[oscarvan]

Made an aluminum hanging bracket for the CO2 bottle today. Also drilled 4 holes in the fridge (carefully  ). A 9/16" step drill makes the PERFECT hole for the red CO2 hose, where you have to work to get it through there, a perfect seal. MUCH nicer inside.......The bottle with the manifold was a pain in the butt. taking up way too much room and making it hard to maneuver the bottles, this is much neater. And I have the added benefit of having the regulators at room temperature, I can see them without opening the fridge, and the same goes for changing the bottle.

One of the two long hoses disappearing out of sight has a ball connect on it so I can sit on a stool and force carbonate, again, with the door closed. The other has an in line shutoff and nothing on the end and is for evacuating carboys, growlers etc.

I can now have four on tap and two lagering/conditioning. Much better.

[Thirsty_Monk]

Regulators work best at room temperature. If you must use your regulator in the cold it will take up to 4 hours for the adjustment to register. For example: If you are at 10 PSI and you change the pressure to 12 PSI the regulator will move to 14 or 15 PSI over the next 4 hours. Once you have found the correct pressure the regulator will work perfectly fine but it will take some trial and error to get it adjusted.

I have a similar experience (CO2 in the fridge) but I thought that all regulators are doing this.
Good to know.

[oscarvan]

Follow up. After 48 hours of use with the bottle and regulators outside the fridge I find that they appear to be working more smoothly, and the bottle registers several hundred pounds more pressure.