Seltzer bottles

[mp]

mp, that setup looks way cooler than the one I ended up with earlier this weekend.

I got a soda stream, it will live in the kitchen until the stock bottle runs out.  at which point I will go with bypassing the tank.

I got a local Bed,Bath,and Bold-markups 20% off coupon, which made it about neutral with the online price with a fairly permissive return policy in case I run into any trouble before mods.  I think it ended up near $80.

It certainly does not have the pizzazz of a nice seltzer bottle, but having extra cold quantity is handy.

I was seriously thinking of going the way you did but then I would have needed to get the Dr. CO2 setup which would have been more expensive as they want $100 after you already bought a SodaStream machine.  If you do not go to the replacement then you are paying dearly for the cost of the Sodastream carbonation.

This way you do a bypass by avoidance right up front.  The only thing is that I would need to mod the setup for the Schraeder Tire valves on the bottle caps and a tire chuck at the end of the hose for carbonation. This would prove to be a very handy addition to the setup in terms of having 10 bottles fully carbonated before you would need to do more.

After you filled your second set of 180 liters of water you are way ahead in cost saving over buying Soda water at the conventional places like the grocery store.

 

[ecc]

how many carbonator caps does that kit come with?  it's really tempting cuz I know it will last longer then a soda siphon.

The kit came with two PET carbonation bottles and storage caps, and one co2 cylinder.  You chill the water in the PET bottles, take the cap off, screw it onto the machine and pulse co2 into it 3 or 4 times until you hear the pressure relief valve buzz.  Unload it off the machine, put the storage cap on, done. 

So far it works as well as the seltzer bottle, with the exception that I can't wave the PET bottles around the kitchen and get the same respect I could with a freshly charged seltzer bottle.

[mp]

how many carbonator caps does that kit come with?  it's really tempting cuz I know it will last longer then a soda siphon.

The kit came with two PET carbonation bottles and storage caps, and one co2 cylinder.  You chill the water in the PET bottles, take the cap off, screw it onto the machine and pulse co2 into it 3 or 4 times until you hear the pressure relief valve buzz.  Unload it off the machine, put the storage cap on, done. 

So far it works as well as the seltzer bottle, with the exception that I can't wave the PET bottles around the kitchen and get the same respect I could with a freshly charged seltzer bottle.

You'll certainly get a lot of respect when the coin doesn't go flying out of your pocket as it would if you were buying bottles of pop at the store.

 

[ScareYourPassenger]

They never see it that way. It starts with I can roast some beans and save ome cash to 2 espresso machines, 3 grinders and a commercial roaster.

[mp]

They never see it that way. It starts with I can roast some beans and save ome cash to 2 espresso machines, 3 grinders and a commercial roaster.

Then it becomes an obsession.

I started with a Gaggia Carrezza, then bought a pid'd machine from Auber, and now with the Isomac Tea ll HX I'm not looking for anything else. The La Cimbali junior I think will be the last espresso grinder I will ever need. I'm still trying the green stash I accumulated years ago.

One day I have in mind of taking apart the Auber espresso (as past the PID the machine is a POS) machine apart and then PID the Carrezza. Not ever having done something like that it scares me.

 

[mp]

I did some further mulling over and decided to contact the folks at the KegConnection to see if they would consider modifying the kit to have an air chuck instead of the ball connection for the CO2.  The following is the response from them.

Monday, March 5, 2012 5:29:40 PM
Mike,

If you would like it with a Schraeder valve, we can do that for you.
This would be a custom order and you will have to call it in or e-mail the order to us.
Ben is our sales manager and you can e-mail him direct at ben@kegconnection.com or call him at 512-749-8101

Cheers,
 ;-)
Nanette
KegConnection, LLC
help@kegconnection.com


On 3/4/2012 2:43 AM, MP wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I like your Soda Carbonation kit with the 5 lb CO2 tank.
>
> http://stores.kegconnection.com/Detail.bok?no=247
>
> Have you ever considered offering the 5 lb CO2 version of the kit with a tire chuck at the end for carbonating instead of the ball attachment? This would make it possible to modify 2 liter bottle caps with Schraeder valves so that you can achieve similar results for muich less cost of the carbonator cap.
>
> Thank you in advance.


Looks like these guys are willing to work with you to get you what you want. I figure this kit would be the bomb. You just need to buy as many schraeder tire valves as you need for the amount of bottles you want to carbonate.  That would be very convenient for when you are planning a party.

 

[juker]

 You just need to buy as many schraeder tire valves as you need for the amount of bottles you want to carbonate.  That would be very convenient for when you are planning a party.

 

mp

Why would you need multiple shraeder or ball valves?

You use carbonator device (cup including) only during carbonation process. Then you unscrew your PET bottle with carbonated water from carbonator (carbonator cup) and use a normal PET bottle cup for storage.

Looks like you are applying siphon bottle concept to carbonated drinks delivered in PET bottles.

Siphon bottle uses excess pressure to push water out of the bottle. It is not required for carbonation*.

What is required is COLD water. The colder the water the more CO2 is absorbed. When water warms up it releases CO2 – that’s why you get pressure release opening PET bottle and bubbling effect in your glass.

*explanation is oversimplified for illustration purposes

[mp]

I'm thinking of when you buy a PET bottle with soda in it at the store ... once you open it you loose a lot of fizz ... no?

The carbonator cap is like around $20.00. On eBay you can get 10 Schraeder valves for about $16 delivered. You can carbonate 10 bottles and (not have to switch caps) for less than the cost of 1 carbonator.

On your Soda Stream are you injecting a bottle and then putting a cap on it?

 

[juker]

On your Soda Stream are you injecting a bottle and then putting a cap on it?

That is correct. And the carbonation kit you are after is intended to be used the same way - ask the supplier...

Instead multiple cups I would try to modify the cup with some sort of extension tube that would deliver CO2 to the center of water mass (like sodastream set up). Your carbonator kit delivers gas above the water and requires vigorous shaking of the bottle for CO2 absorption.

[mp]

That is correct. And the carbonation kit you are after is intended to be used the same way - ask the supplier...

Instead multiple cups I would try to modify the cup with some sort of extension tube that would deliver CO2 to the center of water mass (like sodastream set up). Your carbonator kit delivers gas above the water and requires vigorous shaking of the bottle for CO2 absorption.

Thank you Juker ... valuable input.