# Beer Engine Rebuild



## Kodos (7/6/11)

Hi all, I've got this beer engine a mate brought back from London for me about a year ago.

While it served me well throughout last winter, in summer I thought it'd be a good idea to strip it down and give it a thorough clean/rebuild.

Only problem is while I started off intending to to do the right thing taking a few pictures as I dismantled it, I got a bit carried away and now am not 100% sure how to put it back together again. (D'OH!)

I think I've pretty much worked it out but figure it's worth tapping into the forum's collective expertise to see if anyone can let me know what I've done right/wrong.

I was able to get in touch with Colin Farrer Brewery Services in the UK who helped identify the make as a Higene/DDG Model BDV Clamp-on Beer Engine. (either a 1/2 or 1/3-pint pull).

I did send my photos to them to see if they can help with the rebuild, but it seems they're pretty busy and have asked me to phone instead of email - which is cool, but it's proving difficult for me to find a compatible time to call the UK.

Which brings me to AHB!

Attached are the pics of my attempted rebuild, with some notes as to what I think goes where. The main thing is how to attach the base of the piston(?- the bit that looks like the filter from a coffee plunger) to the provided nut with the right washers.

I'm yet to seal it all up as per this configuration and give it a test run, and this will be my next step unless someone here can set me on the right path.

Thanks all, happy brewing! 

p.s. sorry for the crappy photos, relying on phone camera at the moment


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## bigfridge (7/6/11)

Kodos said:


> I was able to get in touch with Colin Farrer Brewery Services in the UK who helped identify the make as a Higene/DDG Model BDV Clamp-on Beer Engine. (either a 1/2 or 1/3-pint pull).



Hi, we are the agent for Colin Farrah Brewery Services here in Australia and import their handpumps and all the other bibs 'n bobs that go with them.

I have never had the need to pull one of our units down, but I have just popped the bottom off one of our stock ones to take a look. 




Without taking the piston out you can see that the nut goes against the piston so your washers must go on the topside.

HTH,
Dave


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## Rurik (7/6/11)

When I pulled mine down I was able to get a parts diagram from the manufcture, this made the job simple. 

Rurik


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## bigfridge (7/6/11)

Extra info for those that have asked:


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## spog (7/6/11)

kodos,it's fucked,you will never get it back together,just sent it to me  ....cheers.......spog.......


Kodos said:


> Hi all, I've got this beer engine a mate brought back from London for me about a year ago.
> 
> While it served me well throughout last winter, in summer I thought it'd be a good idea to strip it down and give it a thorough clean/rebuild.
> 
> ...


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## Kodos (8/6/11)

bigfridge said:


> Hi, we are the agent for Colin Farrah Brewery Services here in Australia and import their handpumps and all the other bibs 'n bobs that go with them.
> 
> I have never had the need to pull one of our units down, but I have just popped the bottom off one of our stock ones to take a look.
> 
> ...



Thanks Dave! I'll have a look at the parts again and see if I can work around it that way.

Rurik's suggestion of a parts diagram is a good idea too - not sure how I'll go with the Higene/DDG model though, apparently the company went bust.

And Spog.... I think I'm gonna keep it. Thanks for your concern though!


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## Haggis51 (30/4/13)

Rurik said:


> When I pulled mine down I was able to get a parts diagram from the manufcture, this made the job simple.
> 
> Rurik


Hello Rurik,
I have been searching the net for a solution to my beer engine problem, when I found this website and forum page. I noticed your reply to KODOS in June 2011 and this is the same beer engine that I have. Is there any chance you can e-mail me the parts diagram, or let me know where to find them, as this will probably help me solve my problem? Many thanks,
haggis51


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## Kodos (1/5/13)

Haggis51 said:


> Hello Rurik,
> I have been searching the net for a solution to my beer engine problem, when I found this website and forum page. I noticed your reply to KODOS in June 2011 and this is the same beer engine that I have. Is there any chance you can e-mail me the parts diagram, or let me know where to find them, as this will probably help me solve my problem? Many thanks,
> haggis51


I'd forgotten about this thread! ... If it was for the same model as mine I'd be interested too. Even if not the same it would be interesting to see how another one works...

I ended up putting it back together with the washers on the inside, similar to how big fridge suggested and it seems to work OK, but it takes a bit if effort to both pull it forward and push it back - not sure if that means I put it back together incorrectly or if it's just symptomatic of it being a larger (1/3-1/2 pint pull, as opposed to the 1/4-pint pull engines I've seen elsewhere.)

Haggis, if yours is a Higene/DDG model, it's worth getting in touch with Colin Farrar Brewery Services to see if they can help over the phone. They seem to sell new seal kits for the 1/4-pint Higene/DDG engines so must still do some servicing for them.

And if you get more information, please share here!

I'll probably strip mine down again before it gets cold again, we're rapidly approaching good beer engine weather!


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## Kodos (21/5/13)

Since the thread was revived I thought I'd do a bit more googling to see if anything else had come up on t' interwebs since I started it.

Came across this thread on The HomeBrew Forum which has lots of pics (taken in order of disassembly, which is what I should have done all along :blink: ).

So now I'm ready to pull mine apart again, get some of the frame re-welded to repair a small crack, and get it cranking for winter. A couple of sub-zero mornings here have reminded me that cask ale in canberra doesn't need refrigerating during winter! (it's probably kept *too* cold by CAMRA standards  ).


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## Malted (21/5/13)

Hi-gene Model B diagram and parts list attached. Ignore names and phones numbers as they are not current.

View attachment BDV Parts Diagram.pdf


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## Kodos (21/5/13)

Sweet! Thanks!


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## Danwood (17/3/15)

Useful information here, blokes...thanks.

Mum and Dad brought a Hi Gene 'B' pump over with them from UK. They also have another 3 pumps (2x Angrams and another Hi Gene) they're going to freight over when they return in a few weeks.

Unfortunately, this one is cracked and is sucking air into the chamber. Hopefully, it's an easy fix.

The end product will be a 2 x Perlick and 2 x Engine 275L timber-clad keezer. 

Glaciers move quicker than my projects, but it's slowly coming together.


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## wide eyed and legless (17/3/15)

Have you got the check valve for it?


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## Danwood (17/3/15)

Ummm...dunno??

Where's that on the pump ? In the middle of the glass chamber...the no-return piece? All I have is in the pictures. 

I looked at Malted's pdf of parts but that's a bit faded and hard to read.


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## wide eyed and legless (18/3/15)

You will need one, Grain and Grape sell them but they are cheaper off eBay UK, Yes it is a non return valve I can't for the life of me understand why they are so expensive.
Also I have a feeling someone had a crack in a nylon part of their pump and they got one turned up pretty cheap.


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## Yob (18/3/15)

Danwood said:


> Useful information here, blokes...thanks.
> Mum and Dad brought a Hi Gene 'B' pump over with them from UK. They also have another 3 pumps (2x Angrams and another Hi Gene) they're going to freight over when they return in a few weeks.
> Unfortunately, this one is cracked and is sucking air into the chamber. Hopefully, it's an easy fix.
> The end product will be a 2 x Perlick and 2 x Engine 275L timber-clad keezer.
> Glaciers move quicker than my projects, but it's slowly coming together.


Sweet, you'll have one spare then Dan?

DIBS!!!


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## Kodos (18/3/15)

My HiGene pump has a non-return valve built in, so maybe wait until you get it working to know for sure. The key thing is it stops the engine from pushing beer back down to the cask as you push the handle back.

Other check valves can be used to put a little bit of pressure on the keg to help push it up from the cellar, or if the cask is positioned above the beer engine. They can be helpful, but are not always necessary.

The photos of your engine look quite different to mine, so there are probably some design differences. Get in there and have a play - just make sure that if you start to take it apart, do it carefully and take photos of every step and every part so you know how to put it back together again (unlike my original method!)

By breaking them down you'll be able to give the parts a good clean, they'll probably need it if they're that old.


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## Danwood (18/3/15)

Yes, mine does look different to a lot I've seen.

Mine has no silicone pipe, as in the PDF above, just stainless straight through. And the inlet hose barb is right at the bottom, not around the back as in the PDF.

It didn't seem to let anything flow backwards when I was flushing it through with hot pbw or running beer through, so I think the one way valve is ok.

I've emailed NNL Brewing about the parts... gaskets, drip tray, full length spout and that cracked white plastic part.

Mine is stamped 1979 and Ser. no. is 2610....older or newer that yours Kudos ?

Yes, Jesse... you were going to get first refusal when they landed  .

It'll be fastest gun first for any other units that might be available. I'm not even sure I'll part with any others yet, so I don't want to raise any hopes.

I'll post pics when I split the pump down.

Cheers


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## Danwood (20/3/15)

Exiting times ! Stripped my engine down last night. 

Surprisingly, the seals look fine, all except the one the hose barb screws up to. Looks like it's been over tightened. 
I'll replace that one, but I've just given the rest a soak in hot pbw (along with everything else), and a smear of keg lube.
The cracked plastic part obviously needs replacing, but for now I'm going to give it a run with keg lube and Teflon tape wrap to keep the seal (hopefully).

The pics are of the whole pump in exploded view and a separate one of the top assembly, where the spout connects to the top of the chamber.
(The glass section is turned through 90° just to save space in the shot)


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## wide eyed and legless (20/3/15)

The check valve will stop the beer from continuing to dribble through the pump also to stop beer running from the pump back into the cask.
See if you can get hold of a copy of CAMRA's Guide to Cellarmanship they are old and may be out of print but you should be able to get a second hand one, better than flying blind.


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## Kodos (20/3/15)

The built in valve (the spring and what looks like a stainless ball to the left of the pic) will stop the beer running back out of the pump chamber.

I gather not all beer engines have these.

You'll only need an extra check valve if you are applying CO2 pressure to the beer (which some people do instead of using a demand valve/cask breathe), or if the keg is sitting above the beer engine.

I've not needed one with my setup. There are many different options shared in the "show us your beer engine" thread. 

Looks great! Have fun with it!!


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## Danwood (20/3/15)

I just got online to say " I forgot to mention the heavy ball bearing was the no-return valve"...so thanks for that Kodos, you beat me to it.

The bearing lifts as you draw the handle and the spring then pushes it back against an 'o' ring (plus gravity is helping) on the return.

The engines detailed in the pdf earlier won't have this function. They draw from the rear and not the bottom, so gravity would be a hindrance. 

I'm planning to use my regular cornies and leave the pressure release up while on a session. When I'm finished, I'll purge the keg with CO2 again.


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## malt and barley blues (22/3/15)

There is plenty of information on line about setting up a beer engine, especially on the English sites and also on AHB this one influenced me into getting a beer engine, and never looked back.

http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/33000-demand-valve-for-beer-engine/


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