My Carboy/Keg Cleaner

Here are some pics of my newly built carboy/keg cleaner. All parts were found at the Home Depot except for two swivel nuts and the keg connections. Hot water and PBW run through the PVC and through the lines into the keg connections with the use of the submersible pump.

Not one comment? Does this look stupid or something? It has made cleaning so much better!

have you successfully used it?

Oh yah. I have cleaned a carboy and 4 kegs with it. I bought the kegs used and they smelled like soda. After 20 minutes of using the cleaner...no smell. It is the best thing I have ever built.

There was a write up on this same exact setup on wortomatic.com

Its very cool... I clean my kegs the old fashion way but this is certainly one of the ways I should be doing it...

How much did the pump cost?

I think it was $45 on amazon.com. I now use it for the cleaner and recirculating ice water during wort cooling. Well worth it.

Good build. I made one very similar to it. I set mine in a bucket and run through hot PBW. I have cleaned about 15 kegs and a couple of carboys. For the kegs it works great. On carboys it pumps fluid in faster than it can drain out so I have to shut off the pump periodically to allow the carboy to drain.

I have something similar, use a sump pump from harbor freight, works like a champ. Thinking about adding the Tee like you have to clean the In and Out posts, currently I just take the posts off and throw them in the bucket.

Good build. I made one very similar to it. I set mine in a bucket and run through hot PBW. I have cleaned about 15 kegs and a couple of carboys. For the kegs it works great. On carboys it pumps fluid in faster than it can drain out so I have to shut off the pump periodically to allow the carboy to drain.

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Do you think that's because air can't get in (at least not easily) while the liquid is draining out? Have you tried, for example, putting a racking cane in the carboy so air can get in without disturbing the draining?

Nice Brewme, it sure makes things easier... I actually don't mind cleaning kegs/carboys now that I've built my own washer.

ibrewit said:

...On carboys it pumps fluid in faster than it can drain out so I have to shut off the pump periodically to allow the carboy to drain.

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I had the same problem until I changed the nozzle from 3/4" PVC to 1/2" copper. Now I can let the pump run and the carboy doesn't fill up because there's more room for drainage.



Video and build info here: Keg and Carboy Washer



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I made a keg cleaner using similar pump. But what I have found is that if I am cleaning one keg it's easier to just fill with hot water & oxyclean and let it sit. I don't think the recirculating accomplished anything for me. I don't use carboys anymore but I can see the advantage of less handling those slippery devils. If I was going to clean many kegs then daisy chaining them together would be a time saver.

Nice build - that's half the fun of the hobby!

samc said:

I made a keg cleaner using similar pump. But what I have found is that if I am cleaning one keg it's easier to just fill with hot water & oxyclean and let it sit. I don't think the recirculating accomplished anything for me.

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It seems to me that this requires fewer than 5 gallons of hot water & oxyclean...?

I also made something similar. Mine is 100% PVC, and also has two valves. One valve goes to the keg QDs, and the other to the main stem (i.e., I can control with the valve how much water is going up into a carboy). Pump was cheap from harbor freight. Finding the PVC fittings was by far the most difficult part...

This milk crate idea is genius, way better than the modified bucket I was going to do.

Brewme said:

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Looks good! I keep debating as to whether I should just buy a Mark II washer or build my own. It's more so the time factor of finding all the right parts at Home Depot and then assembling everything vs. just ordering that one online and not having to spend a few hours setting everything up.

What was your total cost out the door including all parts?