50l Keg Conversion Concerns.

[Don Runk]

So I'm a stainless worker and from time to time i come across (legal) 50L kegs with buggered spear valves and fittings etc.

I have converted 2 buggered kegs by cutting holes in the tops and welding in 100mm triclovers and then adapting them using ball valves etc. as shown here.



I will in the future buy new caps and change over to ball lock fittings seems to just make sense and would be easier in changing kegs. Money doesn't allow at the moment though.

My concern is how worried should i be about cleaning and sanitizing the threads and ball valves?

I use pure sodium percarbonate @ 30g to 10l water to clean and phosphoric sanitiser @10ml per 5l to sanitise (no rinse)

All chems used are used as per recomendations and i expose all fittings to solutions but have heard one should disassemble clean and san EVERY fitting EVERY time.

I've ran 6 batches through each keg and am starting to be concerned, but stripping everything down and pressure testing everything every time is quite a task.

Am i being paranoid or should i strip everything down every time?

 

[Droughtmaster]

my corneys are flushed with hot water , percarbonate soak overnight, then phosphoric acid (starsan clone) and left till needed never had any probs .
only had black crap driping into me beer b4 i started to pull the taps apart.

i do a complete pull down every 3 brews.

 

[Maheel]

somebody a while back said that some big breweries clean the kegs with the spear "in"

but i guess they would have serious equipment = stream - monitored chems etc

many of us just rinse - then starsan a keg and refill
and only strip them down every now and then

if your storing the kegs cold and refilling quickly i reckon you should get away with a few brews between pulldowns

if your consumption is slow then maybe every fill ?

nice looking work but
are they neato type fittings on beer out gas int ?

 

[Dunkelbrau]

They do clean them with the spear in them from what my old man has told me, he is in kegging at lion.

I'll ask if they pull them apart and how often..

 

[katzke]

So I'm a stainless worker and from time to time i come across (legal) 50L kegs with buggered spear valves and fittings etc.

I have converted 2 buggered kegs by cutting holes in the tops and welding in 100mm triclovers and then adapting them using ball valves etc. as shown here.

.....

My concern is how worried should i be about cleaning and sanitizing the threads and ball valves?

Some real interesting reading over the years about infections in brew equipment and ball valves. Even heated kettles have had infected valves.

On the bright side, you are mostly using clean beer as opposed to dirty grain. I would evaluate the cost of upgrading to a lost 50 liter batch. Same for cleaning time verses cost of loosing that much beer.

Dont forget to clean your beer lines and taps also.

 

[Don Runk]

Thanks everyone,

I will start doing tear downs i think every batch or two but still not convinced that larger brewery do it every batch.

I got hold of some pure caustic and by all reports it will kill everything within reach of any liquid in any system. however very cautious on how to use it. I'm no stranger to dangerous chems... but still.

nice looking work but
are they neato type fittings on beer out gas int ?

Thanks mate! yeah i use nitto (air pressure fittings) for gas and they work perfectly. was worried about not sealing correctly at lower pressures but they are fine. and very cheap. Was going to try and find a stainless version for beer out but think the ball locks might be the go.

 

[Helles]

Ball locks are the way to go Mate

 

[shaunous]

Ball locks are the way to go Mate

Dang, I like that...

 

[Don Runk]

Ball locks are the way to go Mate

You Smart Arse!!!!

Exactly where i'll end up! I think.

F@#k easy conversion no? brilliant system i am in love. but admit the 19l corny's are easier to move around (do you have a trolley also?)

I take it your a good hand with a TIG also? you Purge the triclover onto the the keg? looks welded outside, i've done one keg outside and one inside.

I notice the posts are male going into female sockets. did you weld male threads to the cap then use female to female sockets to connect everything up?

Notice your from vic. where did you get your fittings? Geordi? haven't found matching threads?

KegKing have some fittings i was going to use for my conversion but i'd love to hear your input.

BTW love the pressure relief.

 

[katzke]

Thanks everyone,

I will start doing tear downs i think every batch or two but still not convinced that larger brewery do it every batch.

...

Lots of people question how the big breweries do it.

A few things to remember. They have a dedicated space, special equipment, and proven chemicals for just cleaning kegs. They also have kegs that have been designed to be cleaned.

Once we start changing those kegs, even if done well, they are no longer designed to be cleaned with out removing pieces.