Cleaning festy kegerator lines

[MattSR]

Hi guys,

So to cut a long story short, I ended up with beer sitting in my kegerator lines for probably 18 months, maybe 2 years.

The lines are now feral and I am just wondering how I should go about fixing it up. Would a soak with PBW or some Sodium Hydroxide solution then flush with water do the trick? Or do I need to pull the thing apart and replace the lines (this will be a bitch as I have no idea how I will pull the font apart)

Pics attached of the nastiness lol

 

[MattSR]

 

[bevan]

Best option I’d say would be to replace them. Not what you want to hear, though more experienced brewers might have a good cleaning option.

 

[Bonenose]

Looking at that I would replace, that looks nasty.

In saying that nothing to lose by trying a clean first.

 

[MHB]

Yer, take them out coil them neatly and conduct a sacrificial burning to appease the brewing Gods - then go and buy some decent line, that KK (whatever) crap cant be saved (personally I wouldn't put beer through it even new).

I'm sure someone will have made a YouTube video on how to take the font apart, somewhere I have a ring spanner with a slot cut through it so it goes over the line - makes life a lot easier.
Like this only home made (makita rule)

Try Flexmaster 2 or similar proper beer line with a nylon internal and polyethylene outer (most good HBS's sell it)
Mark

PS
Just went and had a look
m

 

[MattSR]

Yep, I will just replace it with some Valpar Flexmaster II that I have coiled up in the shed.

On another point, the ball lock fittings and be pulled apart and cleaned inside out, so I will try and save those.

Craftbrewer seems to sell a spanner that fits (I think it's made by Keg King)

Cheers,
Matt

 

[peterlonz]

I can't see how a "trial clean" can do anything other than provide some useful info.
I do agree 100% that the quickest easiest & most reliable method is to simply to replace.
But if you have the time & inclination:
Run at least 5 litres of near boiling water through all lines.
Mix up a strong BWB mix, maybe 2 litres, & raise it's temp to about 70 C. Run this repeatedly through your lines & allow an overnight stand with this in place.
When you drain check the results, pass 5 10 litres of cold flushing water.
Finally if things look clean pass some cold water & do the smell & taste test.
Remember you can see the crap in the flexible lines but how bad is the crap accumulation in the keg? You may have to dismantle one keg at least to find out.

 

[mashmaniac]

I can't see how a "trial clean" can do anything other than provide some useful info.
I do agree 100% that the quickest easiest & most reliable method is to simply to replace.
But if you have the time & inclination:
Run at least 5 litres of near boiling water through all lines.
Mix up a strong BWB mix, maybe 2 litres, & raise it's temp to about 70 C. Run this repeatedly through your lines & allow an overnight stand with this in place.
When you drain check the results, pass 5 10 litres of cold flushing water.
Finally if things look clean pass some cold water & do the smell & taste test.
Remember you can see the crap in the flexible lines but how bad is the crap accumulation in the keg? You may have to dismantle one keg at least to find out.

I'm pretty sure what you've said would get them pretty clean. But would you risk a couple of kegs of beer on it? MHB as usual has it nailed.