Q. What about those mini-bar guns?
A. Those are much the same as my system, except instead of making the
connections to a dispenser with fountain heads, you make the connections
to a control unit under the counter. I have not personally setup one of
these units, but they do come with instructions if you buy them new, and
cost a couple of hundred bucks.Q. What was the most expensive stuff?
A. Believe it or not, the 79 worm clamps I used cost more than a 5
gallon box of soda! That's because they are $0.85 at my local Home Depot.
If you buy them online, you may be able to get them for half as much.
Q. Can I really not use brass or copper on the soda water
connections?
A. Only if you don't want to get poisoned. The compounds produced when
carbonic acid and copper react are toxic, and will induce vomiting,
nausea, and a whole host of unpleasantness you don't even want to know
about. Seek medical attention immediately if you ingested any such thing.
Remember that when CO2 enters water, it becomes carbonic acid. Use
stainless steel fittings to be 100% sure. Also remember that brass is an
alloy of copper and zinc, and the reaction will still take place.
Q. What if I like really strong drinks?
A. Adjust the syrup screw on the fountain head to make the drink
stronger to suit your taste. If the syrup screw is way in already, adjust
the soda screw outward to reduce the water flow. You could probably even
go so far as to get a 2:1 or 3:1 ratio, which would be a mighty strong
drink, for nary the likes of a sailor such as yourself.
Q. What should I use to clean the system with?
A. As a basic solution, you can use bleach and water. I've also found
that Fantastic Orange also works very well. Anything that will clean and
kill bacteria is acceptable.
Q. Should I use water filtration
A. That is up to you. There is no strict requirement for it, but if
your water is coloring the taste of the soda, has lots of chlorine or
chemicals in it, etc then I would recommend filtration. You can go with a
simple cartridge filter for most applications, but for super-pure water
you need a reverse osmosis system.
Q. Can I remove a valve without shutting the system down? What if a
valve leaks?
A. Each fountain head is different, but my model (Dole / Wilshire
Model B) has two little locking clamps at the back that hold the retaining
mechanism down, but they ALSO function as valves for the soda water and
syrup. By twisting those locking clips such that I can remove the valve,
it also cuts off all pressure. Chances are, your system may have something
similar. I recommend getting Hart & Price to send you an exploded diagram
for your valve type and study it.
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