# Who wants an easy way to clean kegs?



## 2much2spend (23/11/14)

I was looking to build this keg cleaner (link) http://thebrewingnetwork.com/Beer-Gadgets/Doc-Tasty-Style-Keg-Cleaner 
But I couldn't find a 240v small sump pump that was under $200 but now I seen a fountain pump at Aldi fire $40 , so now I'm going to build the easy clean keg cleaner.
I've tried this before with a little pond pump from bunnings , it worked but not good enough.

I'll get some more pics up when it's done

This is seriously the easiest way to clean a keg.


----------



## DU99 (23/11/14)

saw those pumps also when i was there


----------



## 2much2spend (23/11/14)

They can do 1700 ltrs/hr @ 2mt head. The last pump was 700 ltrs/hr at 1mtr head so I'm hoping this will do the job.


----------



## bradsbrew (23/11/14)

I didnt think they're that hard to clean. Quick hose out followed by a kettle or 2 of boiling water. 
Job done.


----------



## 2much2spend (23/11/14)

In the link they just hook up the posts and leave it running in percarb with the lid off.

That sounds easier to me!


----------



## TheBigD (23/11/14)

Im with Bradsbrew looks like to much work and money for to little gain. I've never even bothered to pull my posts apart I too just soak with so pink stain remover a couple of boiled kettles run through the posts then some starsan and good to go.


----------



## 2much2spend (23/11/14)

Fair enough. 
The few I did on the small pump worked a treat, they came out so clean. 

I'm just lazy and if I can get something to push a button and then it's clean I'll look in to it.
It did cost about $50-60 to set up
Just wanted to share!☺


----------



## TidalPete (23/11/14)

Some people & their money are easily parted. 

1 -- keg purged
2 -- rinsed with hose (dip tube included)
3 -- sodium perc (100% in my case) added & dip tube bled
4 -- left for 24 hours
5 -- emptied & rinsed (including dip tube)
6 -- Too easy :lol:


----------



## 2much2spend (23/11/14)

TidalPete said:


> Some people & their money are easily parted.
> 
> 1 -- keg purged
> 2 -- rinsed with hose (dip tube included)
> ...


Yeah 24hrs!


----------



## Yob (23/11/14)

I'm a tad different, pure perc in keg, 1l boiling water, shake, put some gas in, run off to second keg, liquid post to liquid post.. I'll generally clean 3 at a time and seriously, takes 5 minutes, hose rinse, quick starsan and on the bench.

An excellent method though, one of the Melbourne brewers recently did a show and tell on one much the same, if I had 10 to clean, would be well worthwhile. 

You should put together a complete parts list and prices, what cleaning solution are you running though it?


----------



## Bribie G (23/11/14)

One of those pumps next to the front door and a switch inside would be a good way of getting rid of Jehovah's Witnesses.


----------



## TidalPete (23/11/14)

2much2spend said:


> Yeah 24hrs!


Your moniker says it all 2M2S. Money man! 
I'm in no hurry.
I upend keg at around 12 hours to be certain everything is satched & nuked.

Too easy!


----------



## Batz (23/11/14)

Little bit of this stuff is the go for kegs

http://www.bunnings.com.au/tricleanium-1kg-all-purpose-cleaner-_p1670019

Even better than pure perc, love this stuff and easy as.

Batz


----------



## TidalPete (23/11/14)

Batz said:


> Little bit of this stuff is the go for kegs
> 
> http://www.bunnings.com.au/tricleanium-1kg-all-purpose-cleaner-_p1670019
> 
> ...


As we wave goodbye to the Barrier Reef & associated world wonders, welcome global warming etc, etc I have to say ---

Sorry Batz. Not for me!


----------



## booargy (23/11/14)

This is mine. mainly so I can pump boiling cleaner and water for sanitizing. I have a caravan sink with the bowl cut out to go on top. Makes washing glass easy as.


----------



## Batz (23/11/14)

TidalPete said:


> As we wave goodbye to the Barrier Reef & associated world wonders, welcome global warming etc, etc I have to say ---
> 
> Sorry Batz. Not for me!



If you live in a city environment and your waste has to go to a treatment plant, then perhaps yes.

Nothing leaves my land, organic or not, everything finds it way to the garden and it's doing very well. I recycle everything from kitchen scraps to brewing left overs.
We are a bit permaculture here, it's not for everyone, but we like it.

You should look up your caustic use Pete, where does that go when your finished? Not the drain I hope as you have told me you use it.

Batz


----------



## TidalPete (23/11/14)

Batz said:


> If you live in a city environment and your waste has to go to a treatment plant, then perhaps yes.
> 
> Nothing leaves my land, organic or not, everything finds it way to the garden and it's doing very well. I recycle everything from kitchen scraps to brewing left overs.
> We are a bit permaculture here, it's not for everyone, but we like it.
> ...


Your claims may well be right Batz, I have no way of knowing what you do these days but consider this --- You live on a hill as do lots of other farmers acreage owners.
Have you ever thought about the impacts of leaching?
My cousin & his brothers(all their lives before their retirement) used to own much, much, bigger bits of dirt than yours & would never see reason as to how the leaching of chemicals from their cane farms could impact on the health of the Great Barrier Reef just down the road.
Ignorance is bliss even on a (much) smaller scale AWWK.
My 2-cents for better or for worse.

PS --- You are all bullshit (as usual) Batz & tell porkies to the forum to bignote yourself as I recycle to the council dump in a container what little caustic I ever use which is minimal.
We all know that this post will be deleted any moment don't we dicko & other mods. Well maybe soon anyway? :lol:


----------



## Yob (23/11/14)

gotta be said the PDS on its a bit concerning.. skin/eyes/lungs/etc.. do you use it with a chem suit on mate? 

Think I'll stick to me $1.53k/g Sodium Perc :super: (Thats links a PDS Download PDF for Perc)

That said, I dont know what concentrations you use it or how you treat it either for that matter..


----------



## Batz (23/11/14)

> PS --- You are all bullshit (as usual) Batz & tell porkies to the forum to bignote yourself as I recycle to the council dump in a container what little caustic I ever use which is minimal.
> We all know that this post will be deleted any moment don't we dicko & other mods. Well maybe soon anyway? :lol:


OK I'm over this, my water no mater what is is goes to a worm farm, you will know very soon if somethings a miss.
Yes times have changed since cane farming and leaching thank goodness. I'm glad your caustic (My bullshit) is just that, searched the Sunshine Coast Council web site and could not find a caustic recycle.
Part of my life is getting on with people, I hope you can be one of them.

Life is good, I hope you find it the same.

Batz.... I need to be outa here. Cheers to all my brewer mates.


----------



## TidalPete (23/11/14)

Batz said:


> OK I'm over this, my water no mater what is is goes to a worm farm, you will know very soon if somethings a miss.
> Yes times have changed since cane farming and leaching thank goodness. I'm glad your caustic (My bullshit) is just that, searched the Sunshine Coast Council web site and could not find a caustic recycle.
> Part of my life is getting on with people, I hope you can be one of them.
> 
> ...


The bullshit never ends does it Batz.


----------



## 2much2spend (23/11/14)

Hey I just wanted a thread that everyone could tell me I spend too much. Not about how we care about the environment. If we really wanted to care we wouldn't brew? Come on keep it helpfull


----------



## TidalPete (23/11/14)

2much2spend said:


> Hey I just a thread that everyone could tell me I spend too much. Not about how we care about the environment.* If we really wanted to care we wouldn't brew? *Come on keep it helpfull


Apologies from me for the OT 2M2S. 

You should really have a bit of a think about that bold text above. :beer:

over & out.


----------



## Bomber Watson (23/11/14)

The massive CO2 emissions from our brews are definitely killing baby seals, one baby seal per blump in my blow off tube bottle home thing (do they have a name) is my guestimate......

But I like beer, and baby seals dont do much for me, so they can go get fucked. 

Cheers.


----------



## Bribie G (23/11/14)

Baby seals taste like dugong.


----------



## Bomber Watson (23/11/14)

OMG, I love Dugong. 

Need to go poach me a baby seal.


----------



## Kodos (24/11/14)

I completely break down my kegs after each batch and soak all parts separately, I find too much gunk etc in there to be happy with a quick rinse or splash with cleaner.

Other methods may work for other people, and I'm cool with that.

So I've been planning something similar to this build for a while - well done! IMHO it's money well spent when you consider what people splash cash on in this hobby.


----------



## Batz (24/11/14)

My apologies for the swing away from the original topic as well.

$40.00 for a pump is nothing compared with what we spend on brewing, fancy taps, stainless fermenters, Braumeisters etc. Looks like a nice project 2M2S, good luck with it.

Pete said pure sodium perc. was better for the environment than what I'm using to clean kegs, yes that's 100% correct as well. Next time I go to Brissy I'll stop off and get some.

I'm off for a bit of dugong now as well. 

Batz


----------



## Weizguy (24/11/14)

TheBigD said:


> Im with Bradsbrew looks like to much work and money for to little gain. I've never even bothered to pull my posts apart I too just soak with so pink stain remover a couple of boiled kettles run through the posts then some starsan and good to go.


Please be aware that PSR (pink stain remover) is not recommended for stainless and will cause pitting if allowed to sit (especially if used long-term).

This has been a community announcement for the Save The Kegs movement.


----------



## 2much2spend (24/11/14)

Les the Weizguy said:


> Please be aware that PSR (pink stain remover) is not recommended for stainless and will cause pitting if allowed to sit (especially if used long-term).
> 
> This has been a community announcement for the Save The Kegs movement.


Is this stated in the MSDS?


----------



## Camo6 (24/11/14)

Nice project 2m2s. I hit mine with the pressure washer and maybe a soak with pbw but this looks just as easy without copping a faceful of yeasty spray.

Is that a T piece and tap on the shaft to run an extra fountain? I wonder if you could attach some hose and a beer disconnect so you could recirc through the beer tube at the same time.


----------



## Camo6 (24/11/14)

2much2spend said:


> Is this stated in the MSDS?



To my knowledge it's a chlorine based cleaner so I wouldn't be soaking stainless with it.


----------



## Florian (24/11/14)

This is mine which I built earlier this year completely from stuff I had available around the house including a dirty water pump.
Quick disconnect goes into the beer out to give the dip tube a good blast as well.

The pump has some serious grunt and blasts the water through the attached hose right to the top of the keg.

Admittedly I have only used it once so far but have cleaned 10 kegs in that one session.
A few minutes with hot sodium percarbonate solution and another session with star san.


----------



## Pugdog1 (24/11/14)

Not sure what the specs are on everyone's pumps but I have one like this (http://www.bunnings.com.au/ozito-350w-submersible-water-pump_p4816179) except I think I got the $70 model below it. I reckon it would be powerful enough to clean two at once, haven't tested this in anyways just food for thought


----------



## 2much2spend (24/11/14)

Camo6 said:


> Nice project 2m2s. I hit mine with the pressure washer and maybe a soak with pbw but this looks just as easy without copping a faceful of yeasty spray.
> 
> Is that a T piece and tap on the shaft to run an extra fountain? I wonder if you could attach some hose and a beer disconnect so you could recirc through the beer tube at the same time.


The thing even come with a spray head witch should blast the inside good. 

This is my first attempt. I run it threw the beer and gas posts.


----------



## 2much2spend (24/11/14)

Pugdog1 said:


> Not sure what the specs are on everyone's pumps but I have one like this (http://www.bunnings.com.au/ozito-350w-submersible-water-pump_p4816179) except I think I got the $70 model below it. I reckon it would be powerful enough to clean two at once, haven't tested this in anyways just food for thought


I looked at this pump. I thought it was too big but give it a shot! https://m.masters.com.au/product/101136839/flotec-vip-vort-180-6-dirty-water-pump
This looked good but pricey.


----------



## TSMill (24/11/14)

Bomber Watson said:


> OMG, I love Dugong.
> 
> Need to go poach me a baby seal.


Slow roasting is really the only way.


----------



## Pugdog1 (24/11/14)

2much2spend said:


> I looked at this pump. I thought it was too big but give it a shot! https://m.masters.com.au/product/101136839/flotec-vip-vort-180-6-dirty-water-pump
> This looked good but pricey.


Mines a clean water pump I think but would that be an issue?


----------



## TheBigD (24/11/14)

Les the Weizguy said:


> Please be aware that PSR (pink stain remover) is not recommended for stainless and will cause pitting if allowed to sit (especially if used long-term).
> 
> This has been a community announcement for the Save The Kegs movement.


thanks for that I only soak for about and hour max seems to clean up very quick in hot water, might move over to something else though any suggestions?


----------



## Pugdog1 (24/11/14)

Sodium percabonate is what most use I believe? Cheap to if you buy it in bulk 25kg bag


----------



## 2much2spend (24/11/14)

Pugdog1 said:


> Mines a clean water pump I think but would that be an issue?



no ,dirty water means it can pump some solids. ( leaves sludge stuff like that)


----------



## 2much2spend (24/11/14)

Florian said:


> This is mine which I built earlier this year completely from stuff I had available around the house including a dirty water pump.
> Quick disconnect goes into the beer out to give the dip tube a good blast as well.
> 
> The pump has some serious grunt and blasts the water through the attached hose right to the top of the keg.
> ...


impressive!


----------



## Black Devil Dog (24/11/14)

Lets re-invent the wheel...again.

Whichever non toxic, toxic, reef destroying, ozone depleteing, dugong extincting, cane farmer killing, keg cleaner you use, just make sure you run it through your lines and taps as well. Then everything will be ok.


----------



## manticle (24/11/14)

If people didn't constantly reinvent wheels we'd still make them out of stone rather than titanium. Granite ronals anyone?


----------



## Bomber Watson (24/11/14)

manticle said:


> If people didn't constantly reinvent wheels we'd still make them out of stone rather than titanium. Granite ronals anyone?


Quoted for absolutely no reason other than to help put some thought towards the epicness of this post.


----------



## Batz (24/11/14)

Seems the post has gone south so WTF.


----------



## Black Devil Dog (24/11/14)

manticle said:


> If people didn't constantly reinvent wheels we'd still make them out of stone rather than titanium. Granite ronals anyone?


FYI Titanium comes from stone.


----------



## manticle (24/11/14)

Reinvented stone.


----------



## Bomber Watson (24/11/14)

You cant cobble titanium.....


----------



## MastersBrewery (25/11/14)

Bomber Watson said:


> You cant cobble titanium.....


cheap skate


----------



## Coalminer (25/11/14)

Those Aldi $40 pumps are only rated to 30C max working temp


----------



## Pugdog1 (25/11/14)

Probably not many pumps out there with enough pressure with a higher temp range for cheap


----------



## S.E (25/11/14)

Coalminer said:


> Those Aldi $40 pumps are only rated to 30C max working temp


That’s what I thought and exactly the reason why I abandoned the idea of building something similar with a Bunnings pump and spray ball a few months ago. Interesting if they do in fact handle higher temps though, I may have to re visit the project if so.


----------



## Gosling (25/11/14)

I just learned that I really should flush my dip tube with something more than water from garden hose (I have been using a kitchen fork to press down the poppet and a concurrent squirt from the garden hose) and Yobs method of k2k assuming I'm doing multiple kegs looks the way to go. I don't have access to perc so napisan will have to do.


and today I also learned I can buy pure trisodium phosphate in bunnies for 15 bux a kilo.. :blink: . I am surprised it is legal down under actually, I know phosphate containing detergents are banned in Canada and concentrations are limited in some US states. Or down under are they banned in laundry detergents but industrial cleaners exempt ?


----------



## 2much2spend (25/11/14)

Coalminer said:


> Those Aldi $40 pumps are only rated to 30C max working temp


 yeah but you can still use percarb warm or cold.


----------



## leighaus (27/11/14)

i moved to kegging because cleaning was easy... Lets just remember the bottle suckers for a minute.


----------



## S.E (27/11/14)

2much2spend said:


> yeah but you can still use percarb warm or cold.


But for the pumped keg cleaner to work fast and efficiently you would need it to be around 60c- 70c otherwise might as well just soak them overnight cold?


----------



## Weizguy (15/5/16)

I hooked this setup together tonight, to test my magnetic pump.
I bought a few of these Junior kegs with D-type connector. Kettle's first use too.
Had to drain beer out of the kegs first, so I did it with the aftermarket D-connector with the one way valves removed, and emptied into a keggle, which I will the empty on the garden.
Mixed up about 60 litres of Coles generic percarbonate stain remover into the kettle and heated that while I drained 4 kegs and peeled off a load of stickers and sticky tape.
I connected the adaptor into the keg, and inverted it over the kettle on a couple of pieces of plastic square tube (to hold the keg above the kettle), and fired up the pump, and ran for 10 minutes per keg.





Photo 1 is an overview shot
Photo 2 shows the keg connector and the keg sitting on the square tube that was handy
Photo 3 is a side shot, with the tubing coming up from the pump, over the side of the kettle and up into the Beer Out connector
The hot percarbonate solution then pumps into the dip tube and up into the bottom of the keg across the bottom and down the sides of the keg and down out of the Gas In part of the connector.
The hot cleaning solution then returns to the kettle.
I hope a 10 minute cycle is enough for these kegs, as I do not know their history, but it looks like they made a few trips to a major commercial beer competition.
Will rinse with water and then recirculate some Brewsan sanitiser, which I would have done tonight, if I had enough time.

Will repeat with the other 4 Junior kegs and 3 30 litre kegs (2 X D type and 1 x A-type).
Hope this helps someone. Maybe I can post more photos when I finish the job.


----------

