Setting Up The Benchy Glycol
Benchy Glycol | Setting Up The Benchy Glycol
Setting The Temperature
The reservoir temeprature is controlled with the STC-1000 Temperature Controller.
To set the reservoir temperature:
Hold the ‘S’ button until F1 is displayed
Press ‘S’ again which will enter temperature adjustment mode
Then hold ‘S’ and up or down buttons simultaneously to adjust the set point temperature of the reservoir
Once the desired temperature has been entered, press and release the
power key to
save the parameter
NOTE: Refer here for the full STC-1000 Instruction manual
Do not set the Set Point Temperature of the reservoir below 2°C if using water (instead of a glycol solution) in the reservoir (AKA an icebank setup)
Connect The FC Nukataps
Before attaching the Benchy Glycol to your keg first screw your taps onto the two shanks on the front of the Benchy and tighten the shank collar using the included 7 in 1 Facet Tap Wrench/Spanner Tool or a C Spanner
The FC Nukataps need to be quite tight against the shank in order to seal.
Connect the Kegs to the Benchy
After tightening your taps onto the shanks, you can then plumb your kegs in to the Benchy. On the back of the Benchy you will find two 5/8" BSP shanks. Attach suitable fittings to these - we recommend KL06903 duotight - 8mm (5/16”) Female x 5/8” Female Thread. Simply push 8mm OD EVABarrier tubing from your liquid ball lock disconnect or keg coupler into the fittings once installed. We recommend KL06231 5mm x 8mm EVABarrier for this.
Then attach the ball lock disconnect or keg coupler onto your liquid keg post or spear respectively.
Ensure that the EVABarrier hose is cut straight and cleanly with a Stanley knife or KL07689 2 in 1 tube cutter . Then firmly push the EVABarrier hose into the opening of the bulkhead. Make sure that the hose is pushed in to its full depth. Then check for a good connection by gently pulling bank on the hose. If the hose comes out of the push in fitting, reinsert ensuring the hosing is pushed far enough into the fitting. NOTE: Gen 2 and later duotight fittings are marked to show correct insertion depth for EVABarrier tubing.
To remove EVABarrier hose from the push in fitting, simultaneously push the collet in while pulling the EVABarrier hose out of the push in fitting. Once the hose is removed cut the burred end off with a 2 in 1 tube cutter or Stanley knife to produce a clean straight cut.
A KL07672 7 in 1 spanner tool can also be used to remove hosing from the push in fitting. Insert the tubing into the groove in the centre of the spanner and use the spanner to press in on the collet while pulling on the hose.
The other end of the KL06231 5mm x 8mm EVABarrier can then be connected to a liquid disconnect (for Ball Lock Cornelius Kegs) or the liquid Out of an A-Type, D-Type or S-Type Coupler (for commercial or brewery made beer).
Use this line to connect your kegged beer to the Benchy as below:
Connecting Commercial (Brewery Made) to the Benchy
Connecting Ball Lock (Cornelius) Kegs to the Benchy
Dispensing Pressure
The pressure the regulator is set to will differ depending on the ambient temperature of the keg and the carbonation level.
As most kegs that are dispensed through a glycol chiller or similar system are not chilled, the dispensing pressure will normally be higher than the typical dispensing pressure for a short draw, chilled system such as a kegerator. The rule of thumb is that the higher the temperature of the beverage, the higher the CO2 pressure will need to be to ensure the beverage stays adequatley carbonated and does not foam excessively due to CO2 coing out of solution.
For most styles of beer, you should be aiming for a carbonation level of between 2.3-2.8 volumes of carbonation with the average carbonation level being 2.6 volumes (if you are unsure of the carbonation level of the beer i.e. if it is a commercial keg then assume it is at 2.6 volumes of carbonation).
To achieve a specific carbonation level during carbonation or priming refer to the table in the link below and correlate the temperature of the keg with the desired carbonation level.
For example, if dispensing a standard ale at 2.6 volumes at 25°C ambient temperature, the pressure required to dispense would be ~34.7psi. Please note more or less pressure may be required due to other factors such as line length and diameter. It is always best to start at a lower than expected pressure and increase it if necessary.
NOTE: Do not try to fix a slow or fast pour rate by adjusting the dispensing pressure. The dispensing pressure should be adjust to suit the temperature and carbonation level of the keg.
Bubbles or foam in the beverage line between the keg and the Benchy are a good indication that the dispensing pressure is loo low.
Adjusting Line Length
Adjusting the dispensing pressure to control the flow speed will result in your beer either going flat or over carbonated. It is best to adjust the beverage line length and diameter.
If the pour is too fast and is producing a lot of froth then increase the length of the beverage line between the Benchy and the keg. Alternatively if the pour is too slow then decrease the length of the beverage line between the Benchy and the keg.
When adjusting your beverage line length to achieve the perfect pour it is always best to start with a longer length of beverage line as you can always trim a longer length of hose.
The included Flow Control NukaTaps can also be adjusted to increase or decrease the speed of the pour.
For most Benchy setups, KL06231 EVABarrier 5mm ID x 8mm OD x 12m is recommended.
Wider diameter line may be required for very long runs.
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