I want to build a keg washer... Help w/ design

So I am off work for about 8 more weeks and I wanted to design and put together a keg washer while I am out, to be able to wash and sanitize both ball lock and sanke kegs. I am thinking one w/ a 4500 or 5500 watt heating element, a holding tank w/ float switch and a pump, all temp controlled off my system w/ low level cut off. I am looking for the actual design and flow of the washer itself. I will figure out the electrical as that’s not a problem, electrically there isn't much I can't do and as for welding I do that too so putting this together is not really a problem. I have several stainless tanks I can use and I will also buy a pump for this.
I want it to be small compact and fairly easy to store. Any ideas guys? Anybody ever seen a keg washer? I am not even sure what kind of chemicals I would use in a washer?
Anyway let the design ideas rip.
Cheers
JJ

In Randy Mosher's Radical Brewing, he describes a keg washer that he built in the back of the book. I don't have the book with me right now, but I do remember him having the ability to recirculate from the tank as well as have fresh water piped in . Obviously not a lot of info, but he does have at least one picture of it. I'm sure you can get some ideas from it.

Just use oxy clean and a new toilet brush and spend all the money you would of used to build a keg washer on beer.

hammer one said:

Just use oxy clean and a new toilet brush and spend all the money you would of used to build a keg washer on beer.

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Amen. With oxyclean you don't even need the brush.

Ya I know I can just use OXY, and do.... I want #1 to build something and #2 build something I can use to wash and sanitize a bunch of kegs (like 4-6) in a short period of time, so I don't need to take them apart EVERY time. Mind you I am really good about taking them apart and doing the entire thing from gaskets to lube and beyond. But if I have a few kegs that I just killed and I know they are for the most part still sanitary I just want to hook them up to my washer and run them through a cycle. Then fill and call it a day.
Cheers
JJ

I want to do the same thing. It would be a rack that holds the keg upside down and a heated container of cleaner placed under the keg to catch the cleaner. The cleaner is pumped through a spray ball inside the keg. The cleaner can be used on several kegs. I would also have a "y" valve to switch to hot water for the rinse and another container under the keg would catch the hot water from the rinse and go to the sewer drain. A suitable pump can be purchased from St. Patrick's of Texas Brewers Supply

check out Wort-O-Matic. They've got some neat gadgets, including a keg washer.

Sounds like a cool project. I was looking at this, maybe it would give some ideas:
http://www.specific.net/sms911manual.pdf

PT934 said:

Sounds like a cool project. I was looking at this, maybe it would give some ideas:
http://www.specific.net/sms911manual.pdf

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This is kind of what I am thinking about. I will need to do it w/ electric solenoid valves but probably switch them manually; I don't know maybe I will buy one of those $80 PLCs w/ 8 Inputs and 6 outputs that come with the programming software. I am thinking of converting a 5 gal sanke keg into the holding/ heating tank and using a harbor freight dolly or welding cart for the stand.
I didn't know they turned the kegs upside down to wash them? I was thinking they just stood up like 5 kegs and ran a sodium hydroxide solution through them and then blew them out w/ a sanitizing solution and then a Co2 purge. So do they take apart the Sanke kegs to wash and sanitize them?

The system that the Wachusett Brewery uses is similiar to what was listed above, however the steam cleaner, rinse, etc is all foot pedal operated so that the keg cleaner can hold two kegs at once. Obviously you don't need to clean 120 kegs an hour like they do, but thats just a thought. Next time I go down to their brewery, I'll ask the head brewer if I can take a few pictures for you.

NoClueBrewMaster said:

The system that the Wachusett Brewery uses is similiar to what was listed above, however the steam cleaner, rinse, etc is all foot pedal operated so that the keg cleaner can hold two kegs at once. Obviously you don't need to clean 120 kegs an hour like they do, but thats just a thought. Next time I go down to their brewery, I'll ask the head brewer if I can take a few pictures for you.

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ya your right about not needing to clean 120 kegs an hour but I would like to build something that can clean a bunch, streamline ya know, I mean if your gonna build, build big so your never disappointed with the result, right?
Pictures would be killer! They are worth a thousand words LOL
Thanks a bunch
Cheers
JJ

This might be crazy talk but maybe you could take an old dishwashing machine and cut a hole in the top just big enough to insert a keg,top down right in the center. Hook up a spray ball inside that would go up in the keg and your done. It could even heat sanitize.

littlehop said:

This might be crazy talk but maybe you could take an old dishwashing machine and cut a hole in the top just big enough to insert a keg,top down right in the center. Hook up a spray ball inside that would go up in the keg and your done. It could even heat sanitize.

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Your right thats Crazy Talk..... Actually thats NOT to far off of a good idea. Its self contained I think the pump system would need to be upgraded its a little on the LARGE size for what I want but all in all not a bad idea.

Where did you end up on this project?

My recovery has kept me from doing to too much. I built a hose adapter that screws onto my sink in the brewery and attaches to the "OUT" side of the keg. I can put several kegs in line. I open the top, drop in a bit of oxy, turn on the hot water and walk away whey fill with water and transfer the oxy from 1 keg to another. I then just do a gravity drain into my clothes washer (to save the water) and then rinse the same way, a few times.
It’s painless
JJ

Unless I need to take a keg a part to replace parts or clean hops out of the popet I don't.
I rinse them out then I fill with HOT water and Oxi-clean, let sit over night, hook it up to my CO2 and pump some thru the out post. Then I drain, rinse a few times with hot water then hook back up to the CO2 and run some hot water thru the out post. Drain and put in some Starsan, roll it around to coat the inside then useing the CO2 again I pump some starsan out the post. Drain and then it's ready to fill.
Sounds like a lot but really it's not. Most time is spent waiting for the Oxi-clean to do it's job.

Jay,
I would think you could convert an electric pressure washer. Use the low pressure, chemical setting to apply starsan or other sanitizer, and bump up to high pressure rinse.

You're much more talented in engineering, design and build than me, but that was my first reaction to this idea.

Regards

Hugh_Jass said:

Jay,
I would think you could convert an electric pressure washer. Use the low pressure, chemical setting to apply starsan or other sanitizer, and bump up to high pressure rinse.

You're much more talented in engineering, design and build than me, but that was my first reaction to this idea.

Regards

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Ya know that is a great idea. I will keep my eyes open for a cheepee, maybe at a garage sale or something.
Thanks
JJ

Contemplating purchasing one of the plastic double laundry sinks and installing tee's and valves on the drain openings. Pipe the side outlet of tee to a strainer and then to pump which pushes solution through 6" SS pipe heater chamber then up through bottom of sink to QD for cleaning spear. Would probably use a 1500 W LD element and Love controller for heating, march AC-5-MD pump to circulate cleaner. Probably end up building systems for both sides as one for cleaning and other for sanitizing, and an alternate manifold to clean and sanitize a case of bottles at a time.

Here's one I built.

Keg Washer

Seen this type of setup. The hose/pump goes on the out (diptube) side. You won't waste any solution and it will get everything clean.

If you want to clean more cornies, put it in a bathtub and split the hoses.

As for heating the solution, use a heater element/love controller combo.

slimer said:

Seen this type of setup. The hose/pump goes on the out (diptube) side. You won't waste any solution and it will get everything clean.

If you want to clean more cornies, put it in a bathtub and split the hoses.

As for heating the solution, use a heater element/love controller combo.

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I suppose you could just put the pump in the corny too right?

What sump pump would fit in a corny?

An aquarium pump would work I guess.

slimer said:

What sump pump would fit in a corny?

An aquarium pump would work I guess.

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not really, I have a 1/16hp sump pump for mine and it's not really enough. The long beer out diptube really takes a lot of power to push. I want to step up and double the pump power but I don't want to spend the exrta cash.

If you buy one of the little giant pumps, the pump itself ends up heating the water up in the 170 range. Doc on the brewing network and some others have done this. No need for a heating element, just fill with hot water and oxi clean and watch as the pump causes the temp to rise.

I used a keggle I had laying around. I opend the top as much as possible drilled two holes near the bottom welded a standard ss coupler in one and a ss T coupler in the other. On the inside I used ~6 ss threaded pipe connected to the T fitting with an 90 deg elbow on the end which ended up at the center of the keggle. I have different attachments (lengths of ss pipe) that I can screw into the elbow. I attched a barbed fitting to the top of the T and connected a spray hose like you have at your sink. Using a march pump I suck the water mixed with Oxyclean out the standard coupler and back in thru the T. All I do is put my keg in upside down over the attachment with holes thru it, I have enough pressure to wash the inside and use the hose to wash the outside. And I have different attachments so I can use it as a bottle washer. I also have sitting on a burner so I get the cleaning solution nice and hot.

I work in a company, this company are mainly produce beer filling and canning machine as well as keg washer. I have some information abut keg washer. myabe it will have some help for you, Pls sent mail to me ([email protected]), I will snet the introduction to you.

Emily

I'm opening a small nano in Fort Wayne, IN and need to build a keg washer. I'm starting with a 3 BBL with 3 ferms and a bright from Stout Tanks. I was wondering if you have a complete set of plans for this keg washer build. I haven't been through all the threads as there's a bunch so possible you released them already. I'm asking because I'm short of time and plans would really help to expedite this. I just got state approval and I'm doing all the renovation to the building. We plan on opening in August once we are approved on the Brewer's Notice Fed application. Thanks in advance.

Dogslobberbrewery said:

I'm opening a small nano in Fort Wayne, IN and need to build a keg washer. I'm starting with a 3 BBL with 3 ferms and a bright from Stout Tanks. I was wondering if you have a complete set of plans for this keg washer build. I haven't been through all the threads as there's a bunch so possible you released them already. I'm asking because I'm short of time and plans would really help to expedite this. I just got state approval and I'm doing all the renovation to the building. We plan on opening in August once we are approved on the Brewer's Notice Fed application. Thanks in advance.

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Search out the posts by "marcb", I believe it is, who has built a pretty bitchin' keg washer for his brewery.

Stealthcruiser said:

Search out the posts by "marcb", I believe it is, who has built a pretty bitchin' keg washer for his brewery.

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TOTALLY agree! Marc NAILED it!

Cheers
Jay