Cheap, easy, effective beer line cleaner

[77bawls]

I had to watch that video standing on my head.

 

[Hoppity]

I clean my dip tubes and my lines by using a short run of silicon tubing to jumper the open faucets and pushing my cleanser then sanitizer with gas from keg one to keg two. Gas keg 1, open relief valve on keg two. I usually turn off the gas so I can walk away.

 

[BlurryEyed]

Big thanks to all on this thread. I made my own beer line cleaner from a 264 GPH fountain pump from Harbor Freight ($15) and some 1/2 ID tubing from my local hombrew shop. Super easy and no hand pumping required!

Quick Video:

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HXuO5WnnuA[/ame]

 

[lorne17]

Hey all,

I just got my kegging equipment. I'm super pumped to set it up! But I'm curious about this, do we really need the brass fittings and ball lock post? I noticed some just have a tube hooked to the tap faucet, open the faucet, bring the hose back into the pump source and viola! So, if I do it without fittings, can I just unscrew the ball lock connect each time?

I hope that makes sense.

 

[FoCobrewguy]

I am thinking of making on of these but finding a tee for that top of the nipple so that I could add two post attachments on and clean two lines at once. Anyone see any issues with this idea? Just need to make sure I have a strong enough pump I would guess.

Here is an example of a tee that I am thinking.
Model # LFA-168 Internet # 203473921 Store SKU # 815377
Chat Offline
3/8 in. Lead-Free Brass Flare Tee

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Watts-3-8-in-Lead-Free-Brass-Flare-Tee-LFA-168/203473921

 

[BlurryEyed]

I am thinking of making on of these but finding a tee for that top of the nipple so that I could add two post attachments on and clean two lines at once. Anyone see any issues with this idea? Just need to make sure I have a strong enough pump I would guess.

Here is an example of a tee that I am thinking.
Model # LFA-168 Internet # 203473921 Store SKU # 815377
Chat Offline
3/8 in. Lead-Free Brass Flare Tee

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Watts-3-8-in-Lead-Free-Brass-Flare-Tee-LFA-168/203473921

Should work with a strong enough pump. Worst case scenario, you ditch the T- adapter and go back to cleaning 1 line at a time.

 

[beernutz]

I splurged and bought the $9.99 164 GPH pump at Harbor Freight, plus I paid about $3 for a 3/8" male flare to 1/2" MIP connector. I had a pin lock liquid out, a 1/2" FIP barbed fitting, and vinyl hose so my out of pocket was less than $15--score!

5 minutes after I got home from HF I was cleaning my lines with a 1/2 gallon of BLC solution run though each of my 4 taps for 15 minutes followed by a 15 minute run with clean water. It could not have been any easier because all I had to do was set and forget and the pump did the rest.

I really could tell a difference too after the taps had been cleaned because it had been about a year since their previous cleaning and that one was not as thorough as the one I did today.

Thanks for the idea OP, it works great!

 

[lorne17]

I actually just picked up one of these: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0064OKADS/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

So I think I'm going to get an attachment for a female 3/4" attachment. Then I can pump it the right direction. When I pump it backwards through the tap, it leaks.

I'll let you know how it works. I haven't finished my first keg yet, so haven't heeded to clean it yet!

 

[BlurryEyed]

I splurged and bought the $9.99 164 GPH pump at Harbor Freight, plus I paid about $3 for a 3/8" male flare to 1/2" MIP connector. I had a pin lock liquid out, a 1/2" FIP barbed fitting, and vinyl hose so my out of pocket was less than $15--score!

5 minutes after I got home from HF I was cleaning my lines with a 1/2 gallon of BLC solution run though each of my 4 taps for 15 minutes followed by a 15 minute run with clean water. It could not have been any easier because all I had to do was set and forget and the pump did the rest.

I really could tell a difference too after the taps had been cleaned because it had been about a year since their previous cleaning and that one was not as thorough as the one I did today.

Thanks for the idea OP, it works great!

I like what you did their with the pin lock fitting, makes connecting/disconnecting a cinch. Might have to give that a go now, as I've just been fitting the tubing over my tap.

 

[beernutz]

I like what you did their with the pin lock fitting, makes connecting/disconnecting a cinch. Might have to give that a go now, as I've just been fitting the tubing over my tap.

The pin lock piece wasn't the greatest fit with the 3/8" male flare/1/2" MIP connector but I used some plumbers tape and never had a leak.

You are correct that it could not be any easier to use. I just grab one of my four liquid out lines connected to a keezer tap and hook it up, open the tap, plug in the pump and I'm cleaning. I cleaned 4 taps plus a portable jockey box tap I own while multitasking many other projects and doing yard work.

 

[WNCBrewman]

Subd

 

[djonesax]

I set out to create something exactly like this but ended up with something else. I coincidentally bought the same HF pump for $10 with a coupon. But when I went the LHBS for parts the owner informed me that lines are supposed to be cleaned in reverse and sold me a connector that attached to the shank. I asked why not run it the same direction and let it flow through the tap as well and he said that the tap needs to be taken a part and cleaned anyway.

Some times I will notice black specs in the beer and need to disassemble the tap and clean the crud out. Those of you that have done it the way this thread mentions, does running the cleaner through the tab clean it out good enough not to need to take the tap apart?

David

 

[Carlscan26]

I haven't had any problems with running it like this thread suggests. Remember too that running it backwards you've also had to remove the QD which you'll now want to take apart and clean too. Now hard to do just one more thing and I lack the time what with two kids and a SWMBO.

That being said I do take the faucet apart every few kegs and soak in PBW for a few hours, lightly scrub with a brush etc.

 

[djonesax]

I haven't had any problems with running it like this thread suggests. Remember too that running it backwards you've also had to remove the QD which you'll now want to take apart and clean too. Now hard to do just one more thing and I lack the time what with two kids and a SWMBO.

That being said I do take the faucet apart every few kegs and soak in PBW for a few hours, lightly scrub with a brush etc.

Thanks. About the QD, I figured out that all I had to do was take a screw driver and loosen the top a couple rotations and it flowed back through pretty well. If I am going to have to take the taps apart anyway, I may as well just keep doing it the way I am.

Thanks for the response.

David

 

[Carlscan26]

Thanks. About the QD, I figured out that all I had to do was take a screw driver and loosen the top a couple rotations and it flowed back through pretty well. If I am going to have to take the taps apart anyway, I may as well just keep doing it the way I am.



Thanks for the response.



David

When you loosen it does it flow out both sides or just the screw side?

 

[djonesax]

When you loosen it does it flow out both sides or just the screw side?

Just the screw side since Im just loosening it and not disassembling it, but the entire QD is soaking in the cleaning solution. I could stick an extra post on the end or use and empty keg versus a bucket but Im not too worried worried about it.

I am interested to know if the method in this post effectively cleans the inside of the tap with out disassembly. Next time I clean them I may just buy an extra QD post and try it.

Thanks,

David

 

[Carlscan26]

Just the screw side since Im just loosening it and not disassembling it, but the entire QD is soaking in the cleaning solution. I could stick an extra post on the end or use and empty keg versus a bucket but Im not too worried worried about it.



I am interested to know if the method in this post effectively cleans the inside of the tap with out disassembly. Next time I clean them I may just buy an extra QD post and try it.



Thanks,



David

I don't always take mine apart and I haven't had a problem yet. Good luck!

 

[Puddlethumper]

I've been using this method since I started kegging (a year or so) and have never taken my taps apart. But now you all have got me thinking that maybe I should.

Will take them apart next time I clean the lines just to see if there's a build-up of crud in there that I've been missing!

I read somewhere that Perlicks never need to be disassembled. Is that true?

 

[jackers252]

I have my kegs in the basement, tap tower on a cabinet upstairs. Total line run is about 12 feet straight up. Any pump advice for that?

 

[lorne17]

Hello there,

I am installing a new island in my kitchen (which will house our bar stuff) and would love to be able to put 1-2 beer lines from my basement below to upstairs. I am guessing it'll be somewhere in the ball park of 12'-15'. Is there anyone who has done something similar? My keezer is a small chest freezer (can hold 3 five gallon kegs) and I'd have the lines coming out the top of the island. So I need to think of how to insulate it. I'm open to ideas. The only idea I have is to have PVC run from Keezer to upstairs that is insulated on the outside. This way I can run 2 lines in it without having issues being caught in the pvc and insulation. It's basically an insulated conduit.

Questions I have:

• Do you foresee any issues with this?
• How do you keep the lines cold?
• Is there any waste from the beer being in the line and getting a bit warm for the few days before pouring another one?
• Has anyone had issues with installing this type of setup?
• How do you suggest I clean the lines? Currently I use a pump and pump water through it, but in a loop so I can let it run for awhile.
• What am I missing? I'm sure there's something.

Is this an endeavor that I shouldn't mess with? I'm concerned I'll have more issues and wasted beer than it's worth? Should I just buck up and work off that beer by walking downstairs to pour a pint?

Thanks for the help!
Lorne

 

[DrunkleJon]

Hello there,

I am installing a new island in my kitchen (which will house our bar stuff) and would love to be able to put 1-2 beer lines from my basement below to upstairs. I am guessing it'll be somewhere in the ball park of 12'-15'. Is there anyone who has done something similar? My keezer is a small chest freezer (can hold 3 five gallon kegs) and I'd have the lines coming out the top of the island. So I need to think of how to insulate it. I'm open to ideas. The only idea I have is to have PVC run from Keezer to upstairs that is insulated on the outside. This way I can run 2 lines in it without having issues being caught in the pvc and insulation. It's basically an insulated conduit.

Questions I have:

• Do you foresee any issues with this?
• How do you keep the lines cold?
  Generally for long runs outside the kegerator/keezer people run a glycol line alongside the beer lines in an insulated conduit. On shorter runs forced air from within should be sufficient.
• Is there any waste from the beer being in the line and getting a bit warm for the few days before pouring another one?
  Warm temps will do two things to beer in the lines. Firstly it will change how CO2 dissolves in solution which would probably on a vertical rise lead to a gas pocket at the tap. Secondly it will speed aging of the beer a little.
• Has anyone had issues with installing this type of setup?
• How do you suggest I clean the lines? Currently I use a pump and pump water through it, but in a loop so I can let it run for awhile.
  Hot water/PBW/Sanitizer using gravity from tap to a large rubbermade tub at the keezer?
• What am I missing? I'm sure there's something.

Is this an endeavor that I shouldn't mess with? I'm concerned I'll have more issues and wasted beer than it's worth? Should I just buck up and work off that beer by walking downstairs to pour a pint?

Thanks for the help!
Lorne

You may also need to increase serving pressure (often beergas is used to keep you from incrementally overcarbonating your beer in the keg) to compensate for gravity and the vertical rise to the tap. Otherwise your beer may not come out or will do so at a trickle.

 

[camiller]

For what it is worth I picked up one of these: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Carbonation-Cap-With-5-16-Barb-/301776800045?rmvSB=true (link from homebrewfinds) with a project like this in mind.