$10 Tap line cleaning system.

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Brewmoor

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I needed to clean my taps tonight and decided to stop by lowes and see what I could get. I am sure this is not a new concept but I figured I would share.

$8 garden sprayer
$2 adapter
Free: Spare parts laying around. Including ball lock poppet, brass barb, and brass tube. You could make it with one adapter and barb if buying new.


IMG_08711.JPG
 
Nice. I have a similar set up, but not with a poppet.
Mine just has a barbed FPT on the end of the hose (and a double ended MPT depending what I attach it to).
I like the poppet, because it "shuts off" when you disconnect (I guess I could put on and inline valve).
 
Nice. I have a similar set up, but not with a poppet.
Mine just has a barbed FPT on the end of the hose (and a double ended MPT depending what I attach it to).
I like the poppet, because it "shuts off" when you disconnect (I guess I could put on and inline valve).

The poppet is nice becuase I don't have to disconnect any tubing just attach and open up the tap handle. It works pretty slick.
 
Sweeeet! I absolutely hate my cheapo commercial one I bought. Leaks all over, always and that beer line cleaner stuff, you don't want shooting around. I have a bunch of faucets, so it's always a chore. I'm on my way to Lowes. What size thread fits the bottom of the liquid post?
 
Sweeeet! I absolutely hate my cheapo commercial one I bought. Leaks all over, always and that beer line cleaner stuff, you don't want shooting around. I have a bunch of faucets, so it's always a chore. I'm on my way to Lowes. What size thread fits the bottom of the liquid post?

Ok that is the catch. You need to find a 3/8 compression fitting. The side the tubing usually slides into is the side you want. Take the nipple and nut off and the post will screw onto it. It is a weird size. I don't actually think it is the right size either, but with a healthy amount of thread tape and a wrench it works great and seals tight.

I used a 3/8 female to 3/8 tubing compression adapter. I took my post in with me and spent like 30 minutes trying every combination I could until I found something that worked. Then just get a hose barb that matches the other side of the adapter and you should be set. Mine is a bit different only because I had those other parts laying around.
 
That's a good setup for sure. I've been using a two liter PET bottle with a carbonator cap. I fill the bottle with hot tap water and Oxyclean or PBW and attach a gas connector to the beer line. Then it's a simple matter to charge the PET bottle with CO2, invert the bottle and run the solution through the line and tap. I use a second PET bottle with rinse water to do the same. Previously, I was using a 3 gallon corny keg much like you are doing with the tank sprayer, but found then it dawned on me that I could use the carbonator cap in much the same way.
 
Brewmoor
Great info. And than you for the parts list, I know finding anything that remotely fits the post at a hardware store is difficult.
When cleaning the lines is this easy, it encourages you to clean more often.
cheers
 
That's a good setup for sure. I've been using a two liter PET bottle with a carbonator cap. I fill the bottle with hot tap water and Oxyclean or PBW and attach a gas connector to the beer line. Then it's a simple matter to charge the PET bottle with CO2, invert the bottle and run the solution through the line and tap. I use a second PET bottle with rinse water to do the same. Previously, I was using a 3 gallon corny keg much like you are doing with the tank sprayer, but found then it dawned on me that I could use the carbonator cap in much the same way.

I like this idea as well, but how do you get the Carbonator cap, designed as a gas in post, to fit, since the bev out and gas in use different sized posts?
 
I like this idea as well, but how do you get the Carbonator cap, designed as a gas in post, to fit, since the bev out and gas in use different sized posts?

The gray gas connector fits the carbonator cap as you mentioned. I use the flare fitting type of connectors, so it's a simple matter to switch out the black connector on the beer line with the gray gas-in connector. All of my beer lines are equipped with flare fittings on both ends. This makes everything interchangeable. It's also handy for making a jumper line for racking from one keg to another using two of the black liquid connectors. The black liquid-out connectors can be easily disassembled for a thorough soak and cleaning too.
 
The gray gas connector fits the carbonator cap as you mentioned. I use the flare fitting type of connectors, so it's a simple matter to switch out the black connector on the beer line with the gray gas-in connector. All of my beer lines are equipped with flare fittings on both ends. This makes everything interchangeable. It's also handy for making a jumper line for racking from one keg to another using two of the black liquid connectors. The black liquid-out connectors can be easily disassembled for a thorough soak and cleaning too.

Aha, makes sense!
 
For the original design, you can use a barb fitting with a male connector on the other end that almost fits the keg post. A little JB Weld and you're set without all the extra hardware. Of course, it means you can't re-purpose the keg post after that....
 
Will the poppet work with this configuration? Maybe a better way to ask the question is will the post hold pressure or do you have to wait until it is all connected to pressurize?

What is the cleaner of choice and what do you do to rinse after that?
 
I have been just running starsan through it but I only have two beers through my system so far. Both were pale. My tap system is brand new.

The post holds pressure. I pumped it up as hard as I could and no leaks. It was very nice to use. Very easy with no mess.
 
Brewmoor
You will find that Starsan is good for flushing the lines but beer line cleaner does magic on the beer stone and gunk that accumulates on the walls of the lines and in the nooks and crannies of the faucets. Especially between the faucet and the shank.
 
Ok that is the catch. You need to find a 3/8 compression fitting. The side the tubing usually slides into is the side you want. Take the nipple and nut off and the post will screw onto it. It is a weird size. I don't actually think it is the right size either, but with a healthy amount of thread tape and a wrench it works great and seals tight.

I used a 3/8 female to 3/8 tubing compression adapter. I took my post in with me and spent like 30 minutes trying every combination I could until I found something that worked. Then just get a hose barb that matches the other side of the adapter and you should be set. Mine is a bit different only because I had those other parts laying around.

This is great! I just made one with the 3/8" compression x 3/8" female adapter and a 3/8" MPT x 1/4" barb. It did need about 15-20 wraps of teflon tape to seal between the keg post fitting and the 3/8 compression side, but that worked fine. Note again that you do not use the compression ferrule and nut, just take them off, wrap the heck out of the exposed male end with teflon tape, and attach the keg liquid post.

So, to recap for anyone who wants to do this:

A-(BxC)-(DxE)-F

A: liquid keg post female
B: 3/8 compression (nut and ferrule removed and 15-20 wraps teflon tape) male
C: 3/8 female NPT
D: 3/8 male NPT
E: 1/4 barb
F: garden sprayer hose
 
So, do you fill one with PBW solution, one with straight water for rinsing, and another with starsan?

Or do you swap out the contents of the sprayer each time?


I guess I'm confused as to how your process changes using this vs using just a corny keg.
 
weirdboy
Typically you would run cleaner through each line to be cleaned, and then let it sit for 10-15 minutes or longer depending on the strength of the cleaner and the buildup of beerstone etc. Then come back with a starsan or water rinse for each tap.

The major differences between this and a corny keg are that
1) it uses one less keg, and is smaller to store, carry, mix.
2) has it's own pump so no co2 wasted
 
Excellent! My lines are overdue for a cleaning - I've just been pumping some starsan through them between kegs. I'll be snagging the parts for this for sure. (In fact, already have the sprayer, just needed to figure out how to attach the liquid post!)
 
Easier than I thought. Turns out that the corny post I had lurking around threaded onto a 3/8" flare fitting perfectly. (Well, like Brewmoor said, needed a fair whack of teflon tape!) So a 3/8" flare to 1/4" MPT plus a barb and an oetiker clamp = handy dandy line cleaner.

Thanks for the idea, Brewmoor - well in!
 
How do you guys get your poppets to work? With the 3/8 compression fitting screwed tightly into the post there isn't enough room for the poppet to catch on anything so it kinda of just rattles around? Does this make sense?
 
that looks awesome. I was thinking of using my compressor but this looks even better. would this work on a standard meister? would it attach at the tap or at the faucet?
 
I'll share mine. I didn't want to tie up a keg with BLC and wanted to conserve co2 and BLC.

$10 sprayer from HD (in paint dept)
Watts A-110 compression union fitting
liquid-out from my LHBS
generous amount of pipe thread tape.

Compression fitting right over the sprayer tube, screwed on to union.

sprayer-connector.jpg


Here's the sprayer's box if anyone wants to try to make one.

sprayer-box.jpg
 
Hmmm, I like this, just need to get a poppet.....I think I will add a inline "T" with a shutoff valve out to a standard beer line wing nut/tail piece so that I can just disconnect my sankey tap and clean that line as well. Should have all of the other parts in the draft supply box.
 
could someone tell me what part i would need to hook up to a standard sanke beer line? I have looked all over for a male adapter but no such luck. Either I am a complete moron (please dont answer) or they just dont make that type of connector :(
 
could someone tell me what part i would need to hook up to a standard sanke beer line? I have looked all over for a male adapter but no such luck. Either I am a complete moron (please dont answer) or they just dont make that type of connector :(

I just disconnect the line from the Sanke tap and screw on a beverage out disconnect and clean them that way. I then disassemble the Sanke head and soak it overnight in PBW or Oxiclean.
 
I'll share mine. I didn't want to tie up a keg with BLC and wanted to conserve co2 and BLC.

$10 sprayer from HD (in paint dept)
Watts A-110 compression union fitting
liquid-out from my LHBS
generous amount of pipe thread tape.

Compression fitting right over the sprayer tube, screwed on to union.

sprayer-connector.jpg


Here's the sprayer's box if anyone wants to try to make one.

sprayer-box.jpg

That awesome! Did you use a poppet?
 
hmm, for the sake of simplicity in my system, I think I may just get another liquid out connector for a corney, and hook it on a short jumper going to a tailpiece for a standard sanke tap. When running a commercial keg, I would just hook the line up with a ball lock connector. I have to run a low profile sanke coupler, which means that I have to tap the keg and then put it in the fridge. With this setup, I could pull the ball lock off without untaping the keg, and switch to another product. Then I could clean all of my beverage lines directly off of the pump sprayer.
 
I just disconnect the line from the Sanke tap and screw on a beverage out disconnect and clean them that way. I then disassemble the Sanke head and soak it overnight in PBW or Oxiclean.

shooter...i dont have a beverage out connect. Do you happen to know what size i might be looking for??
 
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