Kegerator Regulators

The kegerator regulator provides a sure laugh for those who are listening to your otherwise boring tale of how you built or how you maintain your kegerator. Aside from rhyming, it performs the simple function of displaying and lowering the pressure on the output side of the regulator. A dual gauge regulator gives you a warning shortly before your CO2 is about to run out, though it doesn't show much until it is too late. We recommend getting a changeover valve that automatically switches to a new CO2 tank when one runs out.

Make It a Double
The regulator is mounted between the CO2 tank and the keg itself. Most offered these days are dual gauge regulators, though you really aren't interested in the pressure inside the CO2 tank. This pressure will always be quite high until the contents are mostly gas, at which point it was time to order a new tank a couple of weeks ago. Many people building their own kegerator are doing so on a budget with the intent to save some money in the long run; if you find a cheap, single gauge regulator, go with it. However, single gauge regulators cost about the same as double gauge regulators if they are both new, so if you are buying all new parts and not hunting for bargains, get the double.

For about 20 more bucks you can buy a double gauge regulator that feeds two kegs from the same CO2 tank. Clearly this is designed for serious home brewers and party hosts that can go through two kegs of beer before they go flat. If this is you, it may be a great advantage, as an extra CO2 tank for a second keg will take up valuable fridge space.

Your preferred pressure will depend on what kind of beer you are dispensing, but the outside (single regulator) gauge should measure from 0 to 60 psi. If you have a double gauge regulator, the inside of the tank will need a gauge from 0 to 3000 psi.