DIY Keg Cleaner

[Truman42]

Today's project was to make myself a keg cleaner. I've always been concerned that by simply pouring some PBW into a keg and shaking it up doesn't really clean the inside of the dip tube as well as it should.

I already have my brown pump mounted on a board which I use to clean my plate chiller so the job was half done.
I drilled a hole in a 25 litre pail and mounted a ball valve. From there a hose runs to the pump inlet then out to a reducer which then tuns though some beer line to a liquid quick disconnect.
This is fitted to the outpost of the keg and the keg placed upside down in the pail.
10 litres of PBW or starsan is added and the pump switched on. Solution is then recirculated through the dip tube and out down the inside wall of the keg. I have a strainer on the ball valve to block any particles of crud from going through the loop.

In the pictures I'm cleaning my 9 litre keg but it also works well with corny kegs.

 

[431neb]

With the right fittings the return could be via the gas in post couldn't it ? That'd be neat.

 

[Truman42]

With the right fittings the return could be via the gas in post couldn't it ? That'd be neat.

I considered that, but.... I was concered about particles of crap coming out of the dip tube and possibly getting stuck in the gas post. With the bucket it falls out of the keg to the bottom of the bucket. I have a mesh screen to help stop it being picked up again and pumped back through the keg.

 

[431neb]

Hmm, inline filter? I think I've found my next little project.

Thanks for the inspiration.

 

[manticle]

Not sure I follow. Isn't it common practice to use a smidge of gas to push cleaning solution through the dip tube?

I'm very new to kegging but that's how I do it. Clean, rinse, starsan, beer. Am I missing something?

 

[geneabovill]

Mant, you left out the step where you wring the beer out of the Airlock Kitten into the keg, but you're essentially right other than that.

 

[carniebrew]

I'm new to kegging too, so always looking for suggestions....but what I've been doing is putting my cleaning solution in the keg, closing it up, connecting the gas to the IN post, then using a screwdriver to push the poppet down in the OUT post. That blows the cleaner up the dip tube and into the towel I have covering the screwdriver (and avoids it blowing in my face). I then do the same thing with water when rinsing the keg, and finally starsan.

Perhaps before doing that I should connect the gas to the OUT post to blow any 'chunks' of anything down/out of the dip tube?

 

[manticle]

Never blow chunks.

I have a pluto gun so I use that. Solution can get reused either in the next keg to be cleaned (if I'm cleaning a few at a time) or mash tun or whatever. Half close the pluto to get a pressure spray going to clean harder gunk off cubes, etc.

Clean keg, clean line, clean cube.

 

[Black Devil Dog]

Clean, rinse, starsan, beer. Am I missing something?

Nah, that pretty much covers everything.

I'm new to kegging too, so always looking for suggestions....but what I've been doing is putting my cleaning solution in the keg, closing it up, connecting the gas to the IN post, then using a screwdriver to push the poppet down in the OUT post. That blows the cleaner up the dip tube and into the towel I have covering the screwdriver (and avoids it blowing in my face). I then do the same thing with water when rinsing the keg, and finally starsan.

Perhaps before doing that I should connect the gas to the OUT post to blow any 'chunks' of anything down/out of the dip tube?

If you've got a spare beer quick connect, use that instead, you can aim it away from anyone / anything and run your cleaning solution / boiling water / starsan through it. Works a treat.

 

[431neb]

Not sure I follow. Isn't it common practice to use a smidge of gas to push cleaning solution through the dip tube?I'm very new to kegging but that's how I do it. Clean, rinse, starsan, beer. Am I missing something?

Manticle, your method is one I have used frequently. It's a little annoying in my case for a number of reasons. I can't speak for Truman but something like his keg cleaner would be helpful for me mostly because my gas manifold is maxed out and inaccessible.

 

[Florian]

Good timing Truman, I've been meaning to start a "Show us you DIY keg cleaner" thread a while ago.

I build one quite a few weeks ago which literally cost me nothing as I had all the parts flying around the house (I say flying because lying always sounds like lying).
It's a little different to yours and probably has a bit more grunt to it, but the principle is similar

Too tired to post pics so I'll do it tomorrow if you wanna open up the thread to everyone's ideas?

 

[Truman42]

Often I would fill the keg with hot PBW give it a shake with the lid on then press the poppet and let cleaning solution squirt out the end. This method is probably fine 9 out of 10 times. But my keg cleaner is good for that once every ten cleans where you want to give it a thorough clean.

My kegerator is in the kitchen so I can't really use gas and don't want to waste any on cleaning really anyway.

It cost me stuff all to build as I only had to buy the reducer so it works for me.

 

[manticle]

Not trying to denigrate your build. If it works, it works.

Gas wise, I use a beesdick and a half to clean so that's no issue but everyone's setup is different.

 

[geneabovill]

Not trying to denigrate your build. If it works, it works.

Gas wise, I use a beesdick and a half to clean so that's no issue but everyone's setup is different.

Metric or imperial beesdick?

 

[S.E]

Metric or imperial beesdick?

Is there such thing as metric beesdick?

 

[jaypes]

http://www.discoverlife.org/IM/I_SD/0000/320/Agapostemon_splendens,_male,_genitalia_side,I_SD4.jpg

 

[manticle]

Metric or imperial beesdick?

Orange