DIY Beer Line Cleaner

SSBrew - 728
Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Huaco said:
I have since moved to using an empty keg. I mix up some LLC and push it through each line with an air compressor that I have a secondary (inline) regulator. You need LLC moving through the lines for 5 minutes. This works tremendously well. I place an old fermentor bucket under the tap and push on some old silicone hose leaving the other end draped into the bucket. (That end is never pressurized so no risk of leaks) I run the LLC through my taps, then rinse the keg with fresh water and do the same as above but with fresh, rinse water.
Click to expand...

Hey Huaco, I know this is an old post but I would love to see a pic of how you attached your air compressor to your keg to pressurize it. I want to do the same thing.

John
 
jcav said:
Hey Huaco, I know this is an old post but I would love to see a pic of how you attached your air compressor to your keg to pressurize it. I want to do the same thing.

John
Click to expand...

I'll get a picture of it asap. It's at my buddy's shop and I'm not sure when I'll be there next.
basics are as follows.

Quick Connect
41nfngmEWmL._SY355_.jpg


Barbed adapter
511rhwY7X%2BL._SL1238_.jpg


red beverage gas hose assembly
51zHRcmA96L._SL1200_.jpg


With one of these regulators spliced inline.
41zZz%2BiNgQL.jpg


You'll need one 1/4 NPTxBarb adapters for each side of the regulator as well.
511rhwY7X%2BL._SL1238_.jpg


clamps for each connection...
This can be VERY cheap if you already have stuff on hand. I was given the regulator by a friend. I had the red gas line and clamps. I think I purchased the brass barbs and clamps...
 
Last edited by a moderator:
jcav said:
Excellent, thanks for getting back to me so fast!

John
Click to expand...

Sure... no problem. I will add that I only have to set my inline regulator to about 5 psi in order to get a nice flow. This rig also works very well for pressure testing empty kegs to find trouble spots and leaks.
 
Huaco said:
Sure... no problem. I will add that I only have to set my inline regulator to about 5 psi in order to get a nice flow. This rig also works very well for pressure testing empty kegs to find trouble spots and leaks.
Click to expand...

Your the man! I ordered some fittings and the regulator. I had the other stuff lying around so I saved a little. I really appreciate your help and links to the items!:mug:

John
 
Cool... hope you get as good use as I have out of mine. I suppose I should post a separate thread on this little thing... Don't want to thread-jack this thread.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
FWIW, I used a corny post and the A-176 adapter posted originally. Just had to file down the threads a *little* before it would fit, maybe 5 mins work tops.
 
Has anyone tried hooking this up with a 1/4" flare and then just taking the quick-disconnect off the line and connecting the cleaner directly to the barb swivel? I tried looking through the old posts and some others had mentioned it as an idea, but I hadn't heard any results.
 
DrumForHire said:
Has anyone tried hooking this up with a 1/4" flare and then just taking the quick-disconnect off the line and connecting the cleaner directly to the barb swivel? I tried looking through the old posts and some others had mentioned it as an idea, but I hadn't heard any results.
Click to expand...

Why would you want to do that? :confused:

Cheers!
 
I was thinking it would mean one less piece to worry about getting. It might be easier to have the post so you can just clip the quick-disconnect on, but it is an extra piece that may not be needed. Plus, my local shop has posts on backorder and I'm impatient.
 
Thanks DayTrippr. I went to HD with my post, off an original Pepsi Cornelius keg, and the 176 doesn't fit. I checked some others parts, and thought I had one, but no luck. That same post fits a new Chinese keg too.
 
Why don't people just clean their lines when they clean their keg? Just fill keg with cleaning solution and run it through the lines.
 
Okay, I found answers on pages 39 and 49. With a little trimming of the small plastic tip, a corny post will thread onto the smooth green plastic part of the sprayer. It will require a wrench to cut threads into the smooth plastic with the steel post. Watch that the poppet is pressed in if needed. This is a great solution for someone who has an old post lying around.
 
SupervisingChildren said:
Since most of these pertain to ball lock posts, any information on what is necessary to make one that works with a pin lock setup?
Click to expand...

I just forced the pin lick post right onto the plastic. The threads on the post cut into the plastic and made corresponding threads in the plastic. No need for a special adapter or anything.

Im sure the same would work for ball locks too.
 
Is scent free oxi-clean good instead of BLC and if so, what mixture/ratio?
 
Jiffster said:
Is scent free oxi-clean good instead of BLC and if so, what mixture/ratio?
Click to expand...

From what I gather oxiclean is not recommended for cleaning draft lines as it isn't as potent as BLC.

BLC is caustic and a more potent cleaner. Previous threads indicate that after using BLC solution on lines formerly cleaned with Oxiclean, a ton of crap came out.

I'd stick with BLC

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=44471
 
Hey All...newbie that decided to join to learn from more experienced Home Brewers....

I am trying to follow the thread to make my own cleaning kit and have a 1 gallon pump sprayer at home that I purchased specifically to make this rig. I am having a difficult time trying to figure out what exactly I need because I do not have the ball lock or whatever on my beer line hose. My beer line hose has a threaded nut (that I believe is 7/8) that goes directly in my coupler? Here is a link of what my setup consists of:

Beer line:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004SKXW12/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

End of beer line attaches directly to keg coupler:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HSI8JP0/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I apologize up front for the novice questions but I really would like to get a cleaning system set up versus taking every piece apart.

Thanks for any assistance you can provide....
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Similar threads

Clint Yeastwood
Beer Line Cleaner?
Replies
10
Views
664
OleBrewing
OleBrewing
R
Question regarding cleaning tap and beer lines
Replies
14
Views
2K
alex pablate
alex pablate
T
Splitting Trunk Line Glycol
Replies
1
Views
325
Torero97
T
Thegundog
Draftec Blue Tint on Lines
Replies
0
Views
364
Thegundog
Thegundog
M
1/4" beer line with oxebar keg in regular fridge - Length/foam issues
2
Replies
69
Views
1K
Matheos
M
InkBird 300

Latest posts

Back
Top