wondering

[kahonwes]

Can a syrup dispensor still be used and where does one get the syrup, I'm guess you load it with syrup and then add water and carbonation, someone help, lol

k - laters

[SIGNGUY]

I am not sure as I've been wondering the same.. but I know you can still buy syrup from a distributor... it's called Bag in in a Box and it's what your local mini mart or gas station would buy from vendor to use in there Fountain machines... All that stuff is mixed right there on spot with carbonated water and they can set the mixture levels, that is why Fountain often tastes different than out of the can or bottle. I'd assume could get a CO2 tank and syrup and just figure out how to hook it up to an older dispenser... as far how??? no idea?
If anyone knows... it would be fun to try? '>

[cvb141]

What about the systems that use the cylinders that attach with some type of quick connect fittings. If those are still available, woudn't that be the easiest?
Jerry

[racerx45]

(kahonwes @ Dec. 16 2006,8:32)

QUOTE

Can a syrup dispensor still be used and where does one get the syrup, I'm guess you load it with syrup and then add water and carbonation, someone help, lol

k - laters

Which type or better yet which model are you trying to set up to work?

[CoolCat]

As usual a day late and a dollar short... I've been wondering how to set up old syrup dispensers too.  Unfortunately, I am yet to be the proud owner of one... I'd like to know if some of the old dispensers are easier to work with compared to others... any insights?

[Seven181]

I have set up an old fountain dispenser with what they call pre-mix tanks. You can still get them from most local soft drink bottlers. They come in a 3 gallon or 5 gallon steel tank that you hook up to the machine, with CO2 and away you go! It works great!

Brian

[dapperhandyman]

After much research and a lot bugging people over the phone,I finaly got this thing figured out. You have two typs of fountains. pre-mix and post mix.
The pre mix machines have the silver tanks that you hook up. It gets its name from the fact that the syrup  watter and co2 come to you pre-mixed in the silver tanks. You hook it up and co2 from the big tank push's it out.
You know that you have a pre-mix fountain if there is no place in the back to hook up a watter line.If your local soda factary does not want to fill your tanks,do not be discoraged. (I was told buy 2 different people this could not be done and my machine was useless.) However after much persestance I found out that you could fill your tanks yourself. All you have to do is buy 2 litter bottles and pure them into the tanks. It takes nine 2 litter bottals.
Now you need your co2. If you have the tank you take it to your local welding shop, (yes welding shop) and exchange it for a new tank. This is not expenseve. However make sure you have the proper gauges.
After you hook  everthing up this is what happens,the co2 push's the syrup out of the silver tanks and out the fuintain head and into your cup.
if you need parts such as vinal syrup hose or the crimps and crimping tool, their is a man on ebay that sells a starter kit that has all of that. Also Grainger hardwhere sells it .
Now for the post mix. the post mix comes in the bag and box system.You can purchuse these at sams club cheaper than going to the factery.You have to ask them at the frount desk it is not kept on the floor. If you need the pumps you can get them off of ebay or at grainger hardwhere.
with the post mix it is harder to get set up but cheaper in the long run.You have to have syrup pump to suck out the syrup from the bag , it combines with the watter and co2 in the fountain head. then goes into your cup.
Their are a lot of web site to explain the post mix set up, but sadly none on the pre-mix.
If you would like to contact me I can be reached at, dapper_handyman@netzero.com
hope this helps.

[dapperhandyman]

 in addition to what I said earlier , if you get your co2 tanks filled at the welding shop. ask if thay have filtered co2. The shop that I use carries both fitered ( food grade ) and non-filtered. Such as thay would use for paint ball guns.
Just wanted to clarify what I said earlier.

[Larry]

You can check out this guy.


http://www.geocities.com/timr21/?200810

[dapperhandyman]

 Thanks for the link , the only problem is he does not cover the pre mix machines. Thats what led me to reserch the pre mix set up myself. They kept telling me my machine was usless. I found out they can be used and at cheaper set up cost.

[Larry]

http://www.boneville.net/soda/start.htm

Maybe this site will help.  It's mostly a post mix site but it mentions about a pre mix.  Maybe this person has more knowledge on it.  Email them.

[ussexplorer]

My 2 cents.

I thought of doing the standard soda fountain in the house. Get one of the small 1-3 head units. That website is a great site. I found it a few years ago. I think this is were I got most of my info.

1. C02 tanks can exploed (Best to keep this someplace safe. You can run hoses for the back porch or something.
2. bag of syrup can be hard to get. But you can look around. There is 2 sizes. Don't know what type. But prices from what I read keeps going up.
3. You have ice or no ice. The ice it what cools the soda down in the machine. If not it tastes luke warm. Like a pop that sat out. The reason is the ice in the top of the machine in the hopper cools down the Syrup lines cannot remeber. You can get one with a ice machine on top but now you have to take care of that unit too.

This info is about 5 years old and yes. It would still be great to get like 2 head thing going. One more thing is you can get a keg tap too. There is a few rootbear companies that keg rootbeer. I believe this was talked about on this board.

One more little note. A break mate mahine does all the bigger one does. But they love to hold there value. Maybe one day. But you have a co2 tank, bags of syrup, and if you get luck you can find one with a coinmech. I think we talk about these things on the board too. You can even get a converter to take to your local gas company to fill up your small co2 tanks. Then the syrup can be mesured from bigger bags. At one time I tracked down a company still filling break mate machine bags. AKA generic bags for big bucks.

Later,

Josh

[ussexplorer]

One more thing on the foutain. You can get a non co2 unit. I had my eyes on this. Just uses water and a mix. Like lemonade and fruit juice drinks. Forget who makes them. But no co2.

later,

Josh