Keg line/tap cleaner DIY

[Cube]

I know this has been posted before some time ago however I thought I'd post to maybe referesh someones motivation that thought good idea but stuck it into the 'to hard basket'. Hell I neally did after running all around town trying to find adapters to fit the keg out post onto the oddball thread these sprayers have. I went to enzed, Hydraulink and two other adapter places with no luck.

Turns out the next size up to my sprayer pictured has a different thread and diameter to these smaller ones I settled for. At first I got the larger one thinking it would hold more = pump more fluid. I found out by unscrewing all the ends off the ones at Bunnings and comparing them. This smaller one all you need to do is unscrew the existing nozzel, remove the white washer out of the nozzel and place it into the beer post out under the poppet. Maybe taking one ring off the poppet spring with pliers.

The threads are not quite the same but a little thread tape and carefull screwing on it's all good to go. Works as advertised. Pull trigger and off you go cleaning lines with starsan, nappysan etc. Remove the disconnect and the stream stops even under pressure.

End of the day you could screw the post out on without the poppet in it but that would make taking out of the little seal and spring in the disconnect necessary as there is nothing to depress it when coupled to the beer out post. I didn't want that as the stream just comes out regardless of the disconnect on or off and that also needed the disconnect internal spring and seal removed for it to work that way.

Sprayer was under $6 and the beer out post was $14 I think so $20 gets a keg line cleaner.

 

[treefiddy]

Another option is the $2 spray bottle. All you need to do is unscrew the end and the beer line fits right in.

 

[Smokomark]

Another option is the $2 spray bottle. All you need to do is unscrew the end and the beer line fits right in.

Got a picture of the type of spray bottle?

Cheers,
Mark

 

[itmechanic]

Surely its easier to just part fill a keg with cleaner, sanitiser, whatever you want to use to clean, hook it up and run it through like beer? For the price of co2 is it really worth the trouble?

 

[Cube]

The whole idea with this setup is so there is no need to remove disconnects or muck around with your setup. Just attach beer out line onto the bottle and clean disconnect, lines and taps all in one process.

Sure a $2 bottle can work with frustration and if you like pumping a trigger for 10 minutes trying to get enough fluid through to achieve what you are actually doing while stretching up to the taps to pull on them. Been there done that for 20 seconds. Waste of time to be honest.

 

[NewtownClown]

Surely its easier to just part fill a keg with cleaner, sanitiser, whatever you want to use to clean, hook it up and run it through like beer? For the price of co2 is it really worth the trouble?

+1
What I always do and am doing so right now, for a poker game tonight.

 

[Black n Tan]

For me, I think this would come in handy. For instance when my kegs are full and the lines need a clean, then this would be very useful.
I attempted to make one some weeks ago but it leaked. I will now move to the larger pressure bottle with hose and have the disconnect connected to the hose. The hose will come in handy as it will reach in side my keezer.

 

[andy@67]

G'day Cube,
I have exactly the same set up to clean my lines, works an absolute treat. Although I think I removed the white grommet altogether.
I was thinking that something like this would work as a party keg. Oxidisation would not be an issue as the intent would be to consume the beer in one sitting.
Cheers,

Andrew.

 

[TSMill]

Accidentally missed the cup putting one of these together, works a treat.

 

[irwazza]

Cube, so what size sprayer was the better option? And is it just a Cornelius liquid post you used?

Cheers

 

[Cube]

1 litre and a off the shelf new beer out post from a brew shop. You may have to add a small metal washer or two behind the poppet spring to give it strength in there as mine started to 'bed in' being plastic. It's perfect now.

 

[Sully]

Mine is made up with a 5l pump sprayer from Bunnings. Instead of putting the tube on the lever, use a 1/2" barb, a short bit of 13mm clear tube, a 13mm to 19mm adapter. There is a pvc tube joiner for the clear 19mm tube that goes on the end of that. To clean I reverse flush into a keg by sticking the setup on my tap, pump it up, run 2.5L of cleaning solution per tap, sit an hour then flush with clean water. Will post picture later when I get home from work - a picture paints a thousand words ;-) . Total cost approx $20.

 

[irwazza]

1 litre and a off the shelf new beer out post from a brew shop. You may have to add a small metal washer or two behind the poppet spring to give it strength in there as mine started to 'bed in' being plastic. It's perfect now.

Thanks for that, do you know if the beer out post is Cornelius or Firestone? They both have different threads

Cheers

 

[Cube]

Corny I think. The thread on the sprayer is plastic so just put pressure on the post whilst doing it up to keep it square and it will 'cut' a new thread as mine did. Not much differance however being steel the post wins

My kegs have damn brewcraft or some such stickers slapped over the markings.

 

[irwazza]

Perfect, I got the 2 litre version of the sprayer and screwed a Cornelius liquid post straight on, works perfectly. Cheers for your help

 

[Cube]

No probs. Spread the word as it is worth the small effort