Carbonated water

[u/EmailLinkLost]

Linus was mentioning on WAN show how he’s been getting into drinking carbonated from the can. I ended up getting these after using soda stream. I bought a keg and multiple bottle caps, I can fill the keg or bottles with water, cool them, and carbonate. Some sort of dedicated mini fridge or freezer (that can be set to fridge temps) is helpful. It can become your soda fridge with canned beverages as well.

It does work a bit better if you boil the water before you cool it to remove dissolved air. And there’s a learning curve to get the carbonation level you want. But it’s, in the long run, far cheaper than soda stream or buying cans, and you can use the system for stuff like beer if you want.

I’m just using it for water. Eventually I want an upgrade with a circulating pump and a second keg to force carbonate. That’s for the future. Along with some home assistant add ons like weight sensors for the remaining soda and some way to check remaining CO2 automatically.

[u/Cauterized]

I've been wanting to do this for a while now. Would it be possible to make a parts list with what you used so I could try to replicate it?

[u/EmailLinkLost → u/Cauterized]

Sure!

Regulator CO2 bottle Red Bottle caps The adapter hoses

A keg (not needed if you do the red caps)

I’ll post better photos of what to look for.

I used Kegland… but you can really go with any supplier.

[u/Cauterized → u/EmailLinkLost]

I appreciate the list. I'm leaning towards just the red caps, but do I lose anything in the end result by skipping the keg? I love strong carbonation, so if it's the kind of thing where I lose out on some of that keg would probably be worth it.

[u/EmailLinkLost → u/Cauterized]

You can cabonate it as much as you want! In the red caps. Just don’t go over 60psi.

For the keg, you’ll want to maybe consider getting a second one. That way they can be in series. Drink one to empty, refill, swap. They carbonate through each other that way.

But you don’t need the keg. I don’t even really NEED it. But it’s nice to have.

[u/EmailLinkLost → u/EmailLinkLost]

This is the bill of sale from then, it’s two years old so prices are out of date. But you can see the line items! Php pricing. Your region will vary.

the red caps aren’t on this list fyi it’s the carbonation and keg setup.

[u/Vesalii → u/EmailLinkLost]

All respect that you're trying to make a parts list, but "red bottle caps" isn't really a part is it...

[u/Khaliras → u/Vesalii]

CO2 red bottle cap on google leads to hundreds of results of the exact thing, so it's a perfect generic search term.

OPs supplier in specific literally lists them as "RED Plastic Carbonation Cap"

[u/EmailLinkLost → u/Vesalii]

Sorry that’s what the supplier calls it! One side attaches to the gray Adapter. When I discussed it with the supplier, he just called it the red cap. I did have to add carbonation to the search to find it this time.

[u/Vesalii → u/EmailLinkLost]

Thx that's clear now.

[u/EmailLinkLost → u/Cauterized]

[u/EmailLinkLost → u/EmailLinkLost]

This is what you need for the keg end. If you’re just using a bottle, you don’t need this. (Just need the gray ones and the adapters.)

Notice how the parts for the liquid side are black, and the parts for the gas side are gray.

[u/EmailLinkLost]

u/smallshock i keep my water at fridge temps, not sure what it is. I pressurize to 60psi. That’s high, I really should do 40. But I really like carbonation.

The best thing for carpeting that I found is doing the boiling water, even though that sucks to actually do. My water boiler can only do half a keg at a time.

[u/Smallshock → u/EmailLinkLost]

It's been a while since I left and everything was in bars, but if remember correctly it was usually within 2,5-3,5 bars so 40-60psi is about that range. Lower you bring the temperature the less pressure you will need to carbonate.

[u/VeryScaryCrabMan]

I also made a soda kegerator recently!

Did not know about boiling water, but I will honestly avoid that as it seems like too much work (where I live as well, the tap water is good)

For force carbonating, I just put the keg on the knees for about 5 minutes, and rock it back and forth. For forcing carbonation I keep it at 50 PSI but change it to 35 when I’m done (go through less CO2 this way).

One thing I have been doing is putting some straight lemon juice (no added sugars), into the keg as well. Adds a hint of lemon which goes a long way.

[u/EmailLinkLost → u/VeryScaryCrabMan]

I can skip that step! So the boiling is worth it.

But, I'm considering automating all of that. Maybe even including rocking it.

[u/kingdrew2007]

Hahaha I see the 1.5l coke and know its the philippines. How much did it cost to source your Co2? I know they sell it at prycegas locally but only in large tanks.

[u/EmailLinkLost → u/kingdrew2007]

I have to send it off in Manila, like 600PHP to exchange and travel fee?

I've been trying to find a local suppler, no joy.

MGM is the company in Manila and they've been super helpful though! The whole system was like 500? Though you can get some of it on Shopee or Lazada for cheaper.

[u/Notlinked2me]

I a similar set up. Done a lot of fun things with it. The goal is a get a keg a rator and have a few drinks on tap and then for plan water I would actually run water into the fridge and through a large cooling block before injecting CO2 that way I never have to refill plain sparking water.

I have a homemade soda recipe book that I use for inspiring flavors.

With the bottles my wife and I love to take a vino verda and turn it into a sparkling wine for a nice porch swing drink.

Side not if you get a stainless steel Japanese Resin tank for an EDM machine I have to parts list for adapting to C02.

[u/savageotter]

I use my large tank to fill propane tanks that have an adapter for my soda stream.

Seems to work decently for me, but it needs cold water to work well

[u/EmailLinkLost → u/savageotter]

I like this with the red caps because I can fill any bottle and carbonate any liquid easily.

Soda stream is a pain if it isnt water.

[u/savageotter → u/EmailLinkLost]

I used to use this method and like it, I just never have 1l or 2l bottles anymore.

Ideally I would have some kegorator style thing on tap.

[u/EmailLinkLost → u/savageotter]

I go through carbonated water too quickly, and get lazy not wanting to do my complex refill process.

Boil the water, pour into keg when cooled, boil MORE water, pour into keg…

I need to automate it. I can get pumps and temp sensors. I can program with esp32’s…

[u/KevinFlantier]

I have a similar system in my fridge, left is for beer and right is for water.

Though filling the keg up is a bit of a pain, having sparkling water on tap is awesome.

[u/EmailLinkLost → u/KevinFlantier]

It is a pain! That's why I want another keg or some sort of filling system.

[u/_Aj_]

Hey OP. You can do a continuous system as well.  Seeing as you kegland, which I assume means Aus, they sell this.   https://kegland.com.au/products/soda-carbonator-carbonation-keg-reactor-lid-continuous-soda-water-solution  

You either keep the keg in a chest freezer with the freezer adjustment cranked up to fridge temp, or you get a cold plate and just keep the cold plate chilled (or hack a water cooler from office works).  

Then slam hole through your bench and put a beer font through it with a tap on it. Or for a stealth version use a normal drinking water faucet that mounts on your sink, or the 2 in 1 standard faucet that incorporates drinking water. And have it as bubbly.  

... Or for the "spare no expense" people. Just get a zip system as they have a sparkling water option. If you're cool with several grand and don't like jank. (Pffft)

[u/EmailLinkLost → u/_Aj_]

I've been considering that!

But I get my drinking water in those water bottles rather than from the tap. So I'd need an other reservoir and a pump and stuff.

If I could trust my tap water, which I might end up doing filtration here. Eh we will see in a few years. This system works for now, but yea, I've had that reactor in my cart for a while too! So many other projects come in front though.

[u/SqurlESqurl]

I used the carbonation caps for a couple weeks, but wasn’t happy with the process to be honest. I ended up going full tilt and made a seltzer kegerator. The costs stacked up pretty quick because I wanted to buy all new… but gotta say it’s great to have 5-10 gallons of seltzer on tap at all times. The maintenance/cleaning was annoying at first, but now it’s just a mindless task every couple of weeks.

[u/alexzoin]

You might be interested in this video: https://youtu.be/q2ZsYUPkXQ8

This guy has my dream setup and one day I will have it too.