Baglorious
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 16, 2019
- Messages
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Looking for a bit of help before I go and drop more $$$.
Spike and Blichmann both offer CIP balls (for around $50) that are designed to work with the common brew pumps... 7gpm. (I have a Blichmann Riptide pump.)
Here's the Blichmann:
https://www.blichmannengineering.com/cip-spray-ball.html
Spike's seems very similar... but I don't want it in a 1.5" triclamp fitting. (The Blichmann has perfect hardware for my application.)
Previously, I purchased this CIP ball from Amazon last year after reading about it on this forum (with Keg washer builds):
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0152FG7UE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I am running it on a standard submersible pump from Menard's... 25gpm. (The $50ish Barracuda pump.) It is awesome for cleaning vessels over a bucket, using the submersible pump, a la "Mark's Keg Washer" on steroids. The spray is fast rotating and powerful.
HOWEVER... I now have a couple of inherited Sanke keg fermenters. My submersible pump won't work for cleaning those fermenters. I need to draw the water through the output valve of the fermenter, and pump it through the TC ball inverted (in a 4" triclamp plate) on the top of the fermenter.
So, back to a "non submersible" pump... like the Blichmann riptide I own.
I am wondering if the Blichmann (or spike) CIP ball is really better than the cheapo that I own (which works great at a higher pressure).
My riptide will spin the CIP ball I own... but the discharge is pretty weak. More of a gentle sprinkling than a spray, and the spray radius doesn't appear enough to be effective. It won't reach the upper sides of the fermenter, and doesn't spray with any force.
Anyone have/use the Blichmann CIP ball with the Riptide? Have thoughts on whether it would be effective in an inverted, top mounted configuration to clean a Sanke keg sized fermenter?
I don't want to spend $50 on a new CIP ball to see it perform exactly like the one I own.
My alternative is to find a more powerful non-submersible pump. (Which would cost more... but would get the job done for sure.)
Thanks for any advice.
Spike and Blichmann both offer CIP balls (for around $50) that are designed to work with the common brew pumps... 7gpm. (I have a Blichmann Riptide pump.)
Here's the Blichmann:
https://www.blichmannengineering.com/cip-spray-ball.html
Spike's seems very similar... but I don't want it in a 1.5" triclamp fitting. (The Blichmann has perfect hardware for my application.)
Previously, I purchased this CIP ball from Amazon last year after reading about it on this forum (with Keg washer builds):
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0152FG7UE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I am running it on a standard submersible pump from Menard's... 25gpm. (The $50ish Barracuda pump.) It is awesome for cleaning vessels over a bucket, using the submersible pump, a la "Mark's Keg Washer" on steroids. The spray is fast rotating and powerful.
HOWEVER... I now have a couple of inherited Sanke keg fermenters. My submersible pump won't work for cleaning those fermenters. I need to draw the water through the output valve of the fermenter, and pump it through the TC ball inverted (in a 4" triclamp plate) on the top of the fermenter.
So, back to a "non submersible" pump... like the Blichmann riptide I own.
I am wondering if the Blichmann (or spike) CIP ball is really better than the cheapo that I own (which works great at a higher pressure).
My riptide will spin the CIP ball I own... but the discharge is pretty weak. More of a gentle sprinkling than a spray, and the spray radius doesn't appear enough to be effective. It won't reach the upper sides of the fermenter, and doesn't spray with any force.
Anyone have/use the Blichmann CIP ball with the Riptide? Have thoughts on whether it would be effective in an inverted, top mounted configuration to clean a Sanke keg sized fermenter?
I don't want to spend $50 on a new CIP ball to see it perform exactly like the one I own.
My alternative is to find a more powerful non-submersible pump. (Which would cost more... but would get the job done for sure.)
Thanks for any advice.