I was just on the Crankandstein website and noticed they are producing a pretty nice setup for carbonator caps. Price for 4 caps with the filling chuck…$20 !!! And it fits your ball lock gas out fitting. Way to go. I’m going to have to cough up some dough and try these.
http://www.crankandstein.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3&products_id=4
Those look like they’d be pretty convenient.
The Carbonator has the patent on carbonating caps, even ones using schrader valves like those. The owners of the patent have successfully pursued cease and desist action against sellers of CO2 caps in the past. Buy those while you can, they may not be available much longer.
However, it is very easy to install schrader valves on soda pop caps, and very easy to make up a chuck-to-ball lock (or chuck-to-pin lock) connector too. They can’t stop you from DIY if you aren’t selling them.
I did this years ago, maybe even before I had kegs. I still use the caps on a somewhat regular basis.
I also put some quick disconnects on my gas lines so I can swap off the ball lock connector for the chuck super easy.
I don’t remember the price of the tire valves, but you can pick them up at NAPA pretty cheap.
The best thing (which I learned from a post from Denny) is to fill a liter bottle when you’re kegging, blast in some CO2 and toss it in the freezer for 30 minutes. Instant fresh carbonated beer. Maybe I’m impatient, but it’s awesome to sample it so quickly.
I made one for juice bottles that had a larger cap and they worked fine, but the pressure distorted the plastic container shape, so I rarely use it. Instead I have used the Carbonator brand on a couple 2 liter bottles for longer storage and like them, but they are pricey. The crankandstein site has a pretty reasonable deal IMO. I picked up a set.
Thanks for the heads up!
If you make your own, I suggest using the SS schraeder valves. The black rubber ones leave a very strong and distinctive aroma of “Tire Shop.”
On the homemade one I have, I used a brass Schrader valve and soaked it in PBW then Star San and it doesn’t have any bad smell. FWIW…
Be careful to use soda pop bottles for carbonating! They are rated for 200 psi. Plastic bottles that contain still (non-carbonated) beverages are not designed to be pressurized.
If you remove the valve stem of a shrader valve and soak the rubber housing in a santitizer for a day or so you can eliminate the rubber flavor that might be imparted to your beer.
I see ynotbrusum posted the same thing as I typed this last bit.
Prefer the Carbonator brand. I just use my keg connect from the co2 to force carb PET bottles. They need to come out with new models though because the caps and threads have changed in the past 12 months on soda bottles.
They do need to make new ones for the changed threading, yes, but they should keep making the current model as well. I still see a mix of old and new threads on the bottles around here.
Cool idea, it seems to still be that brewing is the mother of invention.