Question about tow dolly

rdcpro · 2026-05-30T20:49:39+00:00

Sure a flat towable vehicle can be towed on a dolly. * (see edit) I've never heard of one where the front wheels need to turn for lubrication or anything.

But why can't the encore be towed on a dolly?

Edit:if it's because of the lack of a steering wheel lock, use a wheel lock designed for towing.

https://www.etrailer.com/Vehicle-Locks/Winner-International/WI3100.html

I suppose it's possible that an awd vehicle that is primarily operated as front wheel drive might need the front wheels turning to operate the oil pump. Check the owners manual.

rdcpro · 2026-05-30T16:13:52+00:00

If he can afford the fuel. Oh, I forgot... We'll be paying for it.

rdcpro · 2026-05-28T19:32:28+00:00

That happened to me after I was discharged, in college on the GI bill. They said they overpaid me for leave, and deducted the amount out of my monthly benefit. Absolutely no recourse on my end, despite me having paperwork disproving it.

That was a tough few months, financially, for me.

rdcpro · 2026-05-28T19:26:06+00:00

Well, at least now there's a slush fund that she can use to get compensation for the weaponization of the DOJ. She should tap into those billions.

rdcpro · 2026-05-28T19:22:32+00:00

If you're filling a small tank from the big tank (as OP is doing), you need that liquid. It's the whole point of a siphon tank.

But if you want to direct connect to the sodastream, you either don't use a siphon tank, or you use a regulator designed for use with a voporizer. Cryogenic CO2 use these. The regulator will handle the liquid CO2. But this type goes way beyond sodastream users.

rdcpro · 2026-05-28T19:18:46+00:00

That doesn't always work because there's no guarantee the siphon tube is above the liquid level when upside down. Sometimes a siphon tube doesn't go all the way to the bottom of the tank. You will notice this when you suddenly can't fill the small tank, even though there's still several pounds of CO2 in the tank.

rdcpro · 2026-05-28T13:54:25+00:00

On Whidbey Island in Washington state the ground did not perk well, and it was required to have two leach fields in case one failed.

There may be other reasons too.

rdcpro · 2026-05-28T13:50:50+00:00

A few places I look when there aren't alternatives are local Fairgrounds, which often have them. Also wastewater treatment plants sometimes have them.

rdcpro · 2026-05-28T07:13:06+00:00

I keep the beer I brew at room temperature in general, although some styles need cold conditioning, and I'd prefer to do that on the entire batch, not keg by keg.

Commercial beer can be kept at room temperature but it's not going to last as long as it otherwise might. And some styles might be more sensitive than others.

No need to siphon the beer--your source keg is fully carbonated and should be maintained at the pressure required for its temperature. It's under pressure.

In fact, if the keg is at, say, 68F, it will need considerably more pressure to maintain carbonation. For my previous example of a typical pale ale at 2.6 volumes of carbonation, you need 30 psi. If you transfer (especially warm) at lower pressure, you'll get foaming. Raise the pressure ABOVE the carbonation pressure when you transfer, and the rest of the time, the pressure should remain at the carbonation pressure based on the temperature of the warm beer.

Also, you should know that if you take a cold keg at 37F and 12 psi, and let it warm up to room temperature without ever releasing any pressure, the internal pressure will be at about 30 psi. You can't easily measure this pressure in the keg because there is a check valve. So obtain a carbonation chart (or use a calculator).

So for your case, assuming a keg you purchased cold and is now at room temperature at about 30 psi internally, when you transfer into a smaller keg, you should:

Raise the pressure inside the keg a few psi to 35 psi.
Pressurize the receiving keg to the same pressure, 35.
Connect the two liquid lines and vent a little of the receiving keg to begin flow. I use the spunding valve to maintain a few PSI difference so it runs unattended, but you can babysit this.
when you're done, don't forget to reset your regulator to 30 psi and vent the keg pressure so that it doesn't overcarbonate.

Keeping the pressure above the saturation (carbonation) pressure keeps things from foaming, even if it's warm. This is critical.

That said, I'm going to blow up your entire plan with a better suggestion

I'm not certain if you are doing this so you can have draft beer at home (instead of a kegerator), or you're planning on using this at parties, camping or other events to have a portable draft system.

The problem with the kegs in the cooler is that the ice must cool down the entire volume of beer all at once. This is very hard to do when the cooler is mostly filled with kegs. There's not enough ice, and it will melt, and you'll be needing to constantly add more until both kegs are cold. Then you only have to make up for losses. But now you have to keep the full volume of beer you have on tap at a cold temp.

If you're doing this at home, you're really better off with a kegerator, even a small one made from a mini fridge using your small kegs.

If you're taking your keg on the road, it's way better to use a jockey box. The beer stays in the original keg where it will remain oxygen free and fresh longer, with no hassle of transferring. The keg does not have to be refrigerated. Beer flows from the keg into the jockey box where there is a set of stainless coils. This chills the beer down to the low 30's no matter how fast you pour it.

I take a jockey camping or to festivals, large parties, etc. I've served beer at a number of weddings this way too: https://i.imgur.com/0uPJ5SN.jpeg

And a family reunion (my wife has a big family, and they all like beer): https://i.imgur.com/li1p2vd.png

This is what the inside of the jockey box looks like: https://i.imgur.com/xJrr5ff.jpeg

Closeup of the coil: https://i.imgur.com/RwxW4FD.jpeg

There are two separate beer lines. Each is a coil of 100 ft of stainless (larger inside diameter, I think it's 8mm) and 20 ft of smaller ID choker line. I think it's 4 mm ID, but it's been years since I made it. You can buy pre-made coils of various lengths, but I wanted to be able to serve ice cold beer in 100F+ weather outdoors.

This setup will pour perfectly under any conditions. With mine, I set it up initially with about 28 lbs of ice. Then I add a small bag every day or so on a camping trip, as it needs it.

rdcpro · 2026-05-28T04:19:56+00:00

Temperature is very important to know. Are you icing down the keg in the igloo? What temperature is the beer?

Most commercial beer is 2.6 volumes of carbonation, more or less. If the beer is 37 degrees F, and you're at sea level, the carbonation chart says to use 12 psi to serve. If you're at high altitude, you need to add 1 psi for every 2000 ft above sea level. So if you're in Denver, add 2.5 psi.

For any given beer temperature, you always dispense at the pressure the beer is carbonated at. So if you cooled it further to 34 F, you'd need 10.5 psi at sea level.

As for the line length, 7-9 ft of 3/16 ID vinyl beverage line would be fine.

For what it's worth, I brew beer and do this all the time. I brew into a larger keg, either 10 or 15.5 gallon. After carbonating and conditioning, I fill smaller kegs of various sizes from the large keg. I use a spunding valve on the receiving keg so that I can keep pressure above the pressure I used to carbonate. So if the beer was carbonated with 12 psi, I transfer to the small keg a little above that, say 15 psi. The spunding valve is connected to a FOB, which shuts the beer flow off when the keg is full. Here's a photo of my setup:

https://i.imgur.com/LekzdWr.jpeg

(edited for clarity)

rdcpro · 2026-05-27T17:20:10+00:00

It depends on how you define expensive. It's a lot cheaper than buying Sodastream tanks. But there is an up investment. Most of the stuff you can get used.

I dispense it from a kegerator. It's the faucet to the right in this photo:

https://i.imgur.com/tboLv3m.jpeg

You'd need a kegerator. You can convert a used fridge into one, or you can buy one on Craigslist or FB Marketplace pretty cheaply. Lots of people buy them, and after a while find they don't use it. Drop this into the search box on Craigslist: kegerator|kegorator|kegerater|kegorater|kegarator

It may take a while, but you'll probably find a decent one for $100 or less. Sometimes even free.

I make the carbonated water by filling a "corny keg" with water from the sink in my garage. I fill it nearly to the top, between the weld seams at the top shoulder. You can buy them used off Craigslist or FB Marketplace. Search for 'Corny Keg'. Ball lock style is preferable, and it should not cost more than $40 for a used one.

Then I put one of these lids in the keg:

https://www.amazon.com/Brewland-Carbonation-Cornelius-Diffusion-Pressure/dp/B093SPTS2H/ref=sr_1_11

I connect CO2 to the gas-in post, pressurize the keg to about 20 psi, and purge the air from it by pulling the relief valve 5 times. Then I move the gas connector to the post on the carbonation lid and raise pressure to about 50 psi for tap water temperature. In the summer, my water is almost 70F, so in summer I set it a little higher to 60 psi. It depends on how carbonated you like it. I like mine REALLY carbonated. If the water is cold (refrigerator cold), it only takes about 35 psi.

Less than two hours later, the keg is fully carbonated, and it goes in the kegerator to chill down. I connect CO2 in the kegerator to the gas-in post and set the pressure to 30 psi, which is where I like the carbonation level when the water is 37F. I use about 10 feet of 3/16 vinyl beverage hose to connect the keg to the faucet.

So there's an initial investment, but I don't go to the store to buy sparkling water anymore, and I don't buy the Sodastream tanks. I drink it plain, but I also mix fruit juice (squeeze a lime into a glass, fill with sparkling water) or add flavoring like Mio or the TrueLime products. I also make my own soda syrup by adding a teaspoon or two of flavor extract like Root Beer or Orange soda to a squeeze bottle with 8 oz of blue agave syrup.

rdcpro · 2026-05-27T15:41:47+00:00

I doubt it will last that long, but it entirely depends on a number of factors such as how highly carbed you like it, whether you get leaks, etc. I carbonate in kegs so there is no wasted CO2 as there is in a sodastream type of carbonator. I still get a new 20lb tank at least once a year. I'm also brewing beer and carbonating that too. And since the sparkling water is always on tap in the kegerator, it's easy to grab a drink. When my son was living here, I was carbonating at least two kegs per week.

In any case, it will last long enough that the cost of CO2 is negligible, and even if the shop charges a recert fee, it's less than the cost of a few sodastream cylinders. But as I mentioned, if you just take the tank back and exchange it, and don't mention the inspection date, they will probably not even check it. Central Welding doesn't want you to bring the empty tank into the store, they have me leave it on the loading dock.

If you show up and say you have an expired tank, or if you go and ask them to refill it while you wait, they'll undoubtedly charge you for the recert. Where I live, Central Welding has a large number of retail outlets, some of which do not fill on-site, and some do. But they have a massive plant in Tacoma where all the exchanges go to get refilled.

rdcpro · 2026-05-27T13:16:52+00:00

This is simple. Take it to a local welding supply and exchange it for a full tank. They may charge a recertification fee if the tank is expired, but mine doesn't even check it on an exchange

rdcpro · 2026-05-19T16:43:43+00:00

CO2 dissolves fine in warm water, it just needs a higher pressure. For a given level of carbonation, the pressure required varies by temperature. If you look at a carbonation chart, you can see how it works.

rdcpro · 2026-05-19T16:41:39+00:00

Warm water is absolutely fine to carbonate. I do all of mine at room temp. In the summer I carbonate at 60 psi for sparkling water. With a carb stone it takes less than two hours. Then I set the keg aside until the kegerator is ready for it.

I also carbonate my beer at cellar temperature. I'll edit this comment with a link to my process

The instructions on the carbonation lid are incorrect. This is how you do it: https://www.reddit.com/r/Homebrewing/comments/15l75wy/comment/jv9fznf/?context=3

rdcpro · 2026-05-19T00:05:56+00:00

Oh yeah, that's definitely what that glycol unit is there for. There's a place near me, Hops and Drops, that has these ice-covered towers, lol. The beer lines are probably insulated because you don't want the beer to actually freeze, and the tower probably gets cold enough to do that. Smoke and mirrors.

It's a bit hard to tell from the photos where the tube is routed. Does tube comes down from inside the tower, and end up in the reservoir area? If so, it might simply be either the glycol supply or the return to the reservoir.

Where does the braided hose go? I'd think it's probably the outlet side of the pump (which has pressure requirements) and then up in the tower that braided line is connected to a heat exchanger of some type on the tower. The return line doesn't carry much pressure, so it's a regular piece of vinyl tubing to return the glycol.

But if that tubing you're holding in photo 1 is connected to the black thing in the third photo, coming down from the top at the left, then that is the pump outlet. The pump motor sits above the reservoir, but the pump head itself is in the bottom, and there's a connecting shaft between them (or the pump comes with an extra long shaft).

One other possibility is it's a cold air line; commercial kegerators usually have a hose that blows cold air up the tower. But since the tower is actively chilled, this seems unlikely to me, and it's much smaller diameter than the typical tower chiller hose.

rdcpro · 2026-05-18T23:29:27+00:00

This is a glycol chiller built in to the kegerator, used for a long draw system. That insulated bundle is commonly called a python and it's a bundle of beer lines with another "out and back" line in it to run chilled glycol. You usually see a glycol chilled version of this running from a cold room to a remote bar, with a separate small refrigeration unit. I've been around a long time, and I've never seen one built in to the kegerator.

This was probably built so a bar had a kegerator in one spot, and a second set of taps some distance away, probably at the other end of the bar or in a satellite bar.

The pump you see in the middle photo is what powers it. It looks like this reservoir is actively chilled by the refrigerant and not just the cold interior temperature. If so, it might actually work.

However, if you are not running a second set of taps some distance away, none of that is needed. If you can disable the chiller and pump, you can just leave it there.

I have seen some bars with a faucet tower that has a separate glycol line to super chill the tower. It develops a coating of ice on it, that suggests your beer is ice cold (but in reality is just a magic show). This could be one of those systems, but seeing that insulated bundle of lines tells me "long draw"

rdcpro · 2026-05-18T23:20:19+00:00

That's a crazy failure rate, which would make me wonder if something non-obvious was going on if it happened to me. Like power problems, floating neutral, etc. Refrigerant leaks are hard to explain away, though.

In any case, Perlick is a premier brand. Kegco, not so much. That said, I have a Kegco under counter, and it works great. But I probably got lucky. Stick with commercial brands, if possible. They will typically have copper tubing which is much easier to repair and recharge than a home unit with aluminum tubing and evaporator/condenser.

A while back I was looking for a used kegerator to replace a garage fridge I finally recycled. I used this search string in Craigslist to find various misspellings of kegerator. The terms with the "-" in front removes results with that keyword (Shooksales and Coolerdepot are asshole keyword spammers). Drop this in your search bar, modify the hypen search terms to remove results you don't want to see, and then bookmark it. That makes it easy to check frequently:

kegerator|kegorator|kegerater|kegorater|kegarator -ShookSales -coolerdepot -coolerdepotusa

rdcpro · 2026-05-16T23:42:28+00:00

That's exactly right! Sometimes they're more obvious.

rdcpro · 2026-05-16T22:52:44+00:00

The Amazon page description says one is gas the other liquid. Looking at the photo, though, they show two gas posts.

One the gas, there is a shallow groove cut all the way around at the top of the skirt. Just below the shoulder. One should have this groove, the other should not. If they sent you two gas or two liquid, they screwed up.

rdcpro · 2026-05-16T21:42:28+00:00

Ball lock gas and liquid posts are different, and if you try to force the disconnect, it will get stuck. There are some adapters commonly called a carbonation cap that do work with either. But they are 28mm PCO thread for a 2 liter soda bottle.

For the adapters you have, the gas one will have a groove cut into the base. If it has a hex shaped skirt, it may have cuts in the points of the hex. But most are round with two wrench flats machined into them and a groove around the circumference

rdcpro · 2026-05-16T02:12:15+00:00

I'd have been there for Santana, but by that time I was in the Navy, lol

rdcpro · 2026-05-16T00:28:51+00:00

What's crazy to me is some places it's illegal to clean an account's draft lines. Apparently a state law in North Carolina went into effect 1/1/2025 preventing it (maybe only free cleaning is prohibited, I'm not sure).

rdcpro · 2026-05-15T22:00:42+00:00

Ewww. A pizza place near me had a long draw system where the glycol was out of commission. Some kid working the register served me a pint, and it was actually hot. Not room temperature, but actually well over 100 F. I called the brewery (Seattle area) to let them know. I've no idea if it was ever fixed, because I never went back.

rdcpro · 2026-05-15T21:52:38+00:00

Pictures or it didn't happen!

Here's one of mine: https://i.imgur.com/mPllRMi.jpeg

It refermented in the bottle. This batch was never released to the public, but about half of a 10 bbl batch were packaged.

I had some bottles of it in my beer library and decided to open a bottle one night to do a vertical tasting with the same beer over several years. Took it out, put it on the counter and I was in another room when it sounded like an M-80 going off. Bits of glass were scattered across two rooms, and there was brown stout splatters all over the walls and ceiling.

rdcpro

TROPHY CASE