The GovReg® is a secondary beer regulator that can be used for beer, coffee, carbonated water, soda and other beverage applications. This regulator is unique because it is much smaller than your typical beer regulator, but works as well or better than a traditional secondary regulator. This regulator will work with CO2 and nitrogen (as well as other gasses).
So what is a secondary regulator? All beer or carbonated beverage systems use a regular take high pressure gas from a CO2 cylinder and bring it down to a workable pressure. To do this you need a primary regulator like this:
Secondary Regulators have traditionally been joined together and can each have a different pressure. So if you have different styles of beer or a mix of beer, mixed drinks, carbonated water, soda or other beverages can set a secondary to the needs of each beverage you are serving. An example of this would be a secondary regulator with 6 different bodies like this:
This example shows a CMB secondary 6 body regulator bank. These work well, but they are fairly expensive and take up a lot of room. Each of these needs a line run to the beer kegs and the pressure set. Now, let's look at how you would do this with GovRegs: First, before we start, let me share a video with you that shows the difference between traditional regulators and the GovReg® secondary regulator, please click on the link below:
The GovReg® Secondary Regulator | Product Showcase (Click Here)
To set up 6 different pressures to 6 different kegs with GovRegs you actually put the GovRegs at the end of the lines and set each one to the desired pressure. You can do this with splitters or by using a 6 way air distributor which will give you the ability to turn CO2 on and off going to the secondaries. You then connect GovReg® secondary regulators to each port via a gas hose and set the pressure using a GovReg® pressure adjuster. Sounds complicated? It is not! See the video link below to see a Keezer being cleaned up and set up with GovReg® regulators:
Converting My Keezer Using GovReg® Secondary Regulators | DIY Project (Click Here)
Adjusting the GovReg® secondary regulator: So the GovReg can be adjusted anywhere from 4PSI to 45PSI. Keep in mind that you always want to supply at least 10 PSI more than the highest pressure you are using on the GovReg® from your primary, you can set your primary at 55PSI and this will allow full range on all of your GovReg® regulators. Want to see this in action? Click on the video link below:
Adjusting the GovReg® Inline Secondary Regulator | How To Video (Click Here)
Cost Comparison between traditional and GovReg® secondary regulators: Although GovReg® secondary regulators are much less expensive than traditional secondaries, you do need some additional pieces to make them work. I am not including hose or couplers/disconnects because these will be the same in both systems and cost depends on the type of keg you are connecting to. Let’s take our example above, using a 6 body secondary system and see what they would cost for each system:
Traditional Secondary Setup:
- 6 Body CMB Secondary regulator bank with 5/16 barb swivel nuts - $382.89
- GovReg® Secondary Setup:
- 6 - GovReg® Secondary Regulators: $34.95 each x 6 =$209.70
- GovReg® Adjusting Tool: $59.95
Total cost = $269.65
Keep in mind that you may also need a 6 way air distributor, depending on how you want to set up your system. This would add an additional $64.95 (making the GovReg® setup above $334.60)
Want to save even more money? If you don’t need 6 different pressures you can also get air distributors with a GovReg® supplying pressure (click here to see all examples). An example would be if you needed three different pressures between the 6 kegs. Let's say you are running 4 beers at 11PSI, 2 taps with carbonated water and a soda at 35 PSI plus a mixed drink at 4 PSI. Here is a cost breakdown:
- 3 Way Air Manifold - $35.95 (this would be hooked to primary and supply same pressure to the GovReg regulators downstream)
- 4 way Air Manifold with GovReg® on inlet - $82.95 (GovReg® supplies pressure to 4 beers)
- 2 GovReg® regulators -$34.95 x2=$69.90
- GovReg® Adjusting Tool: $59.95
Total cost: $248.75
Those are some examples of setups, but if you are struggling with what you need for your particular situation you can always reach out to us at Kegconnection for assistance with building the perfect system for you. Just email us at help@kegconnection.comor call us at 325-356-5204.
One other advantage of the GovReg® is that, once they are set to pressure, they stay true to that pressure very well. They have few moving parts, no fragile gauges to bend or break, and are extremely reliable. If you do ever have an issue, take a look at our troubleshooting guide that also includes a video on disassembling and reassembling a GovReg®.
In conclusion, the GovReg® secondary regulator is a great way to supply multiple pressures to your beverage dispensing system. They are very compact, less expensive than a traditional secondary system, stay on pressure better (no creeping up, as sometimes happens with traditional regulators), and they are extremely reliable. You also have the advantage of Kegconnection’s esteemed support and customer service! Cheers.