Building And Using Garden Sprayer Party Kegs

[jacknohe]

After some inspiration seeing Mike's party kegs at 3G's case swap, I have finally got my version mk I happening.

DSCN3633.JPG

Just add a few metres of beer line and party tap on one post, gas into the other post.

I went with a 4L spray unit. Material type was noted on the unit as HDPE type 2 - the same as my fermentors, so all should be fine and dandy in that regard.

Inventory required (very rough prices... cant recall exact costs without checking the receipt pile!):

$20 Spray unit (HDPE 2)
$5 Chopping board
$10 Silicon baking tray
$8 JG Bulkhead fitting
$10 JG Valve or similar
$5 Beer line
$5 Party tap

DSCN3631.JPG

DSCN3632.JPG


I have not mucked around with the built in relief valve, and a small gas bottle is required to provide serving pressure.

I have tested this for leaks to 80kPa (my maximum serving pressure), inside my esky with the lid on, and out of impact range! (insert kaboom!!!! :lol: ) - and all was ok, no leaks.

My typical serving pressure would be in the 50kPa range.

Raven

I'm about to embark on this. How did you connect the JG elbow on to the spray gun out post? Did you use a piece of hose?

 

[raven19]

I used beer line on both in and out connections - but I have not used this for years, as I now use my 9L kegs. Still have the unit in the shed though.

 

[jacknohe]

I used beer line on both in and out connections - but I have not used this for years, as I now use my 9L kegs. Still have the unit in the shed though.

Ok thanks.

 

[BeardedWonder]

This is a fantastic guide!

I'm about to venture out to get a couple of sprayers today and plan on getting the other bits tomorrow.

I'm wanting to use them as a small, cheap alternative to 9L cornies (at least until I can save up my pocket money!). I don't have the space for a Keggerator just yet, so I'm planning on taking up space in the kitchen fridge.

Has anyone had any success (or alternately failure) with attaching ball-lock posts on the gas-in/liquid-out ports?? I'd like to use QD fittings, just to make the profile of the as compact as possible and to disconnect the gas once the keg is carbed up (having the sprayer, regulator and SodaStream bottle all in the kitchen fridge maaaaay just put The Minister for War and Finance off-side).

Any input would be great.

Cheers,

BW

 

[seamad]

This is a fantastic guide!

I'm about to venture out to get a couple of sprayers today and plan on getting the other bits tomorrow.

I'm wanting to use them as a small, cheap alternative to 9L cornies (at least until I can save up my pocket money!). I don't have the space for a Keggerator just yet, so I'm planning on taking up space in the kitchen fridge.

Has anyone had any success (or alternately failure) with attaching ball-lock posts on the gas-in/liquid-out ports?? I'd like to use QD fittings, just to make the profile of the as compact as possible and to disconnect the gas once the keg is carbed up (having the sprayer, regulator and SodaStream bottle all in the kitchen fridge maaaaay just put The Minister for War and Finance off-side).

Any input would be great.

Cheers,

BW

I've made 2, both with normal corny keg disconnects. Easy to cut a thread into the top chopping board part ( if you have a tap/die set ) for the gas post, the tricky one is the liquid one. The sprayers I got had male threads for the spray attachment, if you are careful you can cut a female thread in that for the disconnect, just make sure you don't perforate the sprayer cause if you do it's rooted.. I filled mine with epoxy as well ( to add some bulk ), but nothing will bond to the sprayer plastic.
The biggest problem I had with mine was getting the main thread on the pump part to seal. Kept adding more and more thread tape and eventually got them sealed. If you have a pool it's handy to check for leaks.

 

[BeardedWonder]

Yeah, that was the post that had me concerned.
I was hoping there was a simple nut-and-o-ring solution, but if wishes were horses we'd all be eating steak.

I'll have a crack at it and see how I go. Good thing the sprayers only cost $10!

Thanks for the heads up Seamad!

 

[Moad]

How long would the beer take to lose carbonation?

I'm planning to build one with co2 bulbs and a bike pump dispenser into a tyre valve. Having no regulator the pump will need to be turned off.

How long will it last like this in the fridge?

If only days what is the point of the co2? Why not just use gravity?

 

[Moad]

Further to the above, if you don't need CO2 - ie you will be consuming the keg in a day, then 6x10mm hose fits PERFECTLY into the liquid out on these sprayers. I simply took the handle out, slid the washer and screw lid onto some 6x10mm hose and stuffed it in (it is extremely snug) far enough so that the hose touched the bottom of the sprayer. I then put a pluto on the other end of the hose.

Put some sodium perc and hot water to clean, gave it a pump with the handle and put it under water...no leaks.

So this will be my day keg, I am building a couple of others with a CO2 valve hoping that it will last a few weeks (for mates who dont drink much) without losing carbonation. If anyone has any experience with the co2 valves please let me know...

edit: video

 

[Not For Horses]

The handles leak though. You gotta replace the main lid/pump setup with a permanent seal even for your day keg.
I had the same thought originally and let a few kegs naturally carb with the pump setup as is only to come back a few weeks later to quite a lot beer in the spare bathroom.

 

[Moad]

thanks mate I thought there would have to be a reason, it was a bit too easy!

 

[Moad]

I left it with pressure overnight upside down and it held fine. I'm going to give it a run

Given that it seals so well I was thinking I'd try and put the valve in the bulkhead somehow (on another sprayer) and keep the beer out in the old liquid out "post". Has anyone done it this way?

 

[Moad]

Well you were right, it leaked... I've got myself the JG fittings and a chopping board but cannot for the life of me get it to seal.

I have added thread tape on the fitting and a silicon washer on both sides but it still has a slow leak. I'm going to try a silicon washer to cover the whole nylon disc the JG fitting goes through and replace the original o-ring from the sprayer.

fingers crossed

 

[Wigarus]

Just thought I'd post here and say thanks to the original brainchilds of these kegs, they go down a real treat.

I mentioned in a couple threads already that I added corny posts to them but I have a lathe so its most likely beyond the average diyer.

I chucked mine in an esky with a tap I got when I bought my kegs second hand that I didn't use on the kegerator.

Also now that I have the liquid out posts on them I can just put the handle back into it and use it as a pressure line cleaner.

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

LOL @ your brewery logo.

Good job!

 

[MastersBrewery]

Yeah I note he aint got young kids, or young daughters anyway

 

[NewtownClown]

Well you were right, it leaked... I've got myself the JG fittings and a chopping board but cannot for the life of me get it to seal.

I have added thread tape on the fitting and a silicon washer on both sides but it still has a slow leak. I'm going to try a silicon washer to cover the whole nylon disc the JG fitting goes through and replace the original o-ring from the sprayer.

fingers crossed

Try a large silicone bung that will wedge in the neck of the sprayer bottle and secured with the green collar. Bore a hole in the bung for the JG fitting.
I have made three of these and gave up on the chopping board seals after the first build and can knock one out using a bung in minutes...

 

[Moad]

got a link mate?

 

[NewtownClown]

got a link mate?

Me? A link to what?

 

[Moad]

Me? A link to what?

a picture of the bung or something, sorry was a little vague.

I'm just not quite sure what you mean... what size is it etc?

 

[[email protected]]

I have been happily using party kegs for a year or so. Here is a link to an ealier post on my adaption.
http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/75746-can-you-ferment-in-a-plastic-milk-bottle/page-2#entry1088302