Hands on Review: Kegland Digital Gauges!

Kegland’s DuoTight system along with their EVABarrier Tubing are amazing. Check out my extensive hands on review for a deep dive into the system.

Kegland has released a digital gauge option that works with their great inline secondary regulator and BlowTie Spunding Valve.  They have also released a DuoTight version. This is a hands on look at both including upgrades of the inline regulator and BlowTie.

MoreBeer

William’s Brewing

Keg Connection

Gauge Features

  • These gauges both read from 0 to 90 PSI.
  • They features backlight illumination
  • Use easy to source CR2032 batteries
  • Estimated battery life of more than 2 years (using the gauge once daily).
  • Auto off after 15 seconds.
  • The DuoTight version is made for 8mm connections

MoreBeer’s Description sheds some more light on the construction and design of these gauges.

Get instant pressure reads with the back illuminated Digital Mini Pressure Gauge from KegLand. Compatible with 8 mm Duotight fittings and Gray Ball Lock QDs. If you’re using the original BlowTie spunding valve without pressure gauge, you can use a Duotight tee fitting in-line between the ball lock QD and the BlowTie to take pressure readings with the Digital Mini Gauge.

KegLand has developed the world’s most compact mini digital gauge with backlight illumination. This very compact design retains high accuracy while still meeting the desirable small form factor. This meets the growing need as mini keg systems, mini regulators and other more compact keg dispensing solutions are required.

Traditional analogue gauges require a small capillary mechanism where a small pipe expands and unravels under pressure. This in turn drives a mechanical cog to rotate the gauge needle. This age-old technique works quite well especially in large gauges but as this mechanism is manufactured smaller and smaller a tradeoff between accuracy and size becomes the issue. With very small gauges such as a 27mm x 27mm Mini Gauge, it’s difficult to make them better than 10% accuracy due to the physical constraints of the mechanical components.

Hands on Review

KL18388 is the digital gauge (for upgrading Blowtie and more) and KL18081 is the DuoTight digital gauge.KL18388 left, KL18081 rightFeatures – KL18388 left, KL18081 rightKL18388 left, KL18081 rightGauge front view. KL18388 left, KL18081 right.Gauge top view. KL18388 left, KL18081 right.A look at KL18081’s DuoTight 8 mm StemA look at the back of KL18388

Related: What is a Spunding Valve?

Why a Spunding Valve? There are loads of homebrew related applications for a Spunding valve ranging from pressurized fermentation to naturally carbonating to fixing over carbonated beers and lots more.  Check out our resource post on the subject.  It’s arguably the go-to resource on the Internet on the subject

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Upgrading BlowTie v1 to Digital

BlowTie v1 did not have an integrated gauge. It used a tee fitting to connect a keg QD to the PRV.

My BlowTie Hands on Review includes a section on BlowTie v1. To upgrade BlowTie v1, you would use a KL18081 gauge. My build is also upgraded with a Kegland DuoTight Ball Lock QD

Upgrading this assembly is as easy as swapping out the gauge. Since this is a DuoTight connection, no tools are needed.Side view of upgraded assembly

Upgrading BlowTie v2 to Digital

BlowTie v2 added an integrated gauge on some models. KL18388 can be used to upgrade BlowTie v2. Note that there is a v2 version of BlowTie that has no gauge. That version cannot be upgraded using KL18388.  You’d need to add a tee and use KL18081.

Hands on Review: BlowTie Spunding Vavle

Sourcing Kegland BlowTie v2

If you compare the new digital gauge to the analog, there’s no comparison. A rough approximation of PSI verses a 1/10th PSI precision digital readout.Remove screws and pull out the analog gauge.Install KL18388Upgraded BlowTie!

Upgrading Kegland’s Inline Secondary CO2 Regulator

Kegland’s DuoTight Compatible Inline Regulator can be used to control each keg pressure separately, use a spare keg as a CO2 source and more.

Sourcing Kegland DuoTight Inline Secondary CO2 Regulator with Gauge

If you compare the new digital gauge to the analog, there’s no comparison. A rough approximation of PSI verses a 1/10th PSI precision digital readout.Remove screws and pull out the analog gauge.Install KL18388Upgraded DuoTight Inline Regulator

Digital Keg Pressure Gauge

KL18081 + a Kegland DuoTight Ball Lock QD = a keg pressure gauge that can be used to check for leaks and more.  KL18081 can also be used by itself to check DuoTight setups for leaks.

Also available as a complete unit from William’s Brewing. It’s worth noting that this is handy even if you’re not a DuoTight user since it’s an all in one unit. If you choose to upgrade to DuoTight and EVABarrier in the future, these would plug right.

Conclusions

These are outstanding. Classic Kegland… innovative, generally well priced and well thought out. I REALLY like that Kegland made these backwards compatible for owners of compatible equipment. That allows you to quickly swap out analog for digital and realize the benefits without having to re-purchase everything.  The digital readout is much easier to read than analogue and it’s probably more accurate, if for no other reason than these are easier to read.

MoreBeer

William’s Brewing

Keg Connection

Buy DuoTight

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Make sure the components you use are compatible and rated for your intended application.  Contact manufacturer with questions about suitability or a specific application.  Always read and follow manufacturer directions

Thank you to MoreBeer for providing the units used for evaluation in this review.

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One thought on “Hands on Review: Kegland Digital Gauges!”

  1. Adrian G

    I have replaced my 8 inline Kegland regulators with the digital gauges. I do appreciate the increased precision of these gauges. However, I have found the readability of the display to be problematic. When viewed straight on, especially when backlit, the display is excellent. If your point of view is at all not perpendicular to the display, either vertically or horizontally, as is the situation if they are installed in a keezer, the display is completely unreadable, regardless of lighting. This creates a significant limitation. I am hoping that the angled, illuminated mirror I ordered from Amazon will help.

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