Help with a used Soda Fountain...

stevenryals · 06-17-2010, 02:00 AM

Hi Guys..

I'm a brewer.. so.. not much into soda..

I do love a cider (in fact the grahams english cider is a regular brew here!!)

anyway..

I was given a 6 head dispenser.. with pumps, and everything needed to work except one hose is busted.. have to replace that..

but.. i have a few other issues..

1) missing faceplates on the fountain heads.. where do i get them?
2) bent frame under the screen at the bottom screen.. guess i could just hit that a couple of times..
3) THIRD.. and most importantly.. where can i see exactly how these thigns work.. i have no idea.. not a clue.. they used this about 8 months ago.. and it's sat dry since then.. so i have no idea how to make it work..

any advice would help! seriously.. the only think i know to do is..
1) clean the f*** out of it..
2) buy a cleanser bag.. and try to run it through each of the hoses..

other than that.. nada..

i'm not even a novice.. i can't even spell novice.. oh. look.. i just spelled. it.. wow..

anyway..

thanks guys.. now i'm off to rack a schwartzbeir over to secondary..

oh how i love them

**Homercidal** · 06-17-2010, 03:36 PM

I think there are a couple of different types of fountains. Is this one where it mixes a syrup with some water and hit it with CO2?

stevenryals · 06-17-2010, 03:38 PM

it's exactly like this one.. except more banged up..

http://www.acitydiscount.com/pics/md/acitydiscount/md_108264.jpg

**Dwain** · 06-17-2010, 03:40 PM

Call the manufacturer, and ask them. They can likely email you at least some info. You can also Google some info. I got an old Cornelius unit (1940's) and the Cornelius people were very helpful. Luck and let us know what you find out. - Dwain

stevenryals · 06-17-2010, 03:57 PM

Thats another problem.. the tag on the side is worn out.. and all i can see is "UL" (underwriters labratories)...

is there usually a place inside of the dispenser that has manufacture names?

**Homercidal** · 06-17-2010, 06:10 PM

I think they use a bag of soda syrup nowadays, with a hose going to the soda machine. The machine mixes it with water and CO2 during the pour. That's the way it was when I worked at Dairy Queen about 20 years ago (Mmmm... high school girls and ice cream!)

Uh, anyway, they kept the syrup on a rack about 20 feet away and ran the lines down the wall to the dispenser. I never had to touch that, so I'm not exactly sure how it works, but that is the gist I got.

I think I remember having to drive down the street to the gas station and get ice to pour into the top. (one guy owned both places and kept the ice machine at the gas station because they had more room and more soda customers).

Whenever they ran out of syrup they just pulled the hose out of the bag and put it in a new bag. The bags were kept in a box and were stackable.

I'm not sure how you'd make cider work, except I guess you'd probably forego the water mix and just add the CO2 line. I've seen units like this on ebay. You may be able to get a manufacturer name from one of the postings.

**Homercidal** · 06-17-2010, 06:22 PM

You may also want to read This...

**TheCHICompany** · 06-18-2010, 09:38 PM

Used & new soda equipment:
http://www.chicompany.net/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=23

stevenryals · 06-26-2010, 05:21 PM

Ok so I figured out what it is.. it's OLD.. it's a Booth, Inc.. Model: Summit...

Booth has since been bought by Scotsman (in 1987 i think).. so this bad boy has been around

I've got it cleaned up.. it works.. i just have to run my water line.. and buy the syrups..

What i need to know though.. what are the ideal pressures that I need to shoot for going into the pumps? it's about 70psi right now.. that seems high.. but i"m a beer guy.. so.... may not be anywhere near the same..

any help on setup would be great!!

stevenryals · 06-26-2010, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Homercidal

You may also want to read This...

What can be done about that??????