DIY Beer Line Cleaner

[geniz]

I wanted to make a small beer line cleaner for my kegerator. Up to this point, I have been cleaning my beer lines by using an extra cornelius keg that I fill with cleaner, pressurize, run, empty, rinse, pressurize, run... you get the picture.

I wanted something smaller and lighter that I could pressurize without hooking up to CO2. Something easy that I could use between keg changes. I wanted it to connect to my beer out disconnect so that i could clean that without taking it apart unlike some of the commercial beer line cleaners that hook up to the faucet end.

I had heard of mention of people using pump sprayers but hadn't seen a DIY thread, so I decided to try to make one and share my experience

 

[geniz]

First, I got a 56oz hand pump sprayer from Dome Hepot. It was a Flo-Master Model 56HD.

 

[geniz]

I picked up a Firestone ball lock liquid post assembly from Brewmaster's Warehouse (my LHBS)



The threaded end of the liquid post is 3/8 flare. The threaded end of the pump is 3/8 MIP. I picked up an adapter from Dome Hepot.

 

[geniz]

Now for the assembly:

Put some thread tape around the flare end of the 3/8 coupling. Thread tape is necessary since there is no flare pipe to keep this from leaking, so you are depending only on the threads to make it tight....




Next, screw the liquid post to the coupler...

 

[geniz]

Remove the plastic nozzle from the pump...







And screw the post/coupler to the pump...





Voila it's done!

 

[geniz]

To clean the beer line, Fill the pump with your favorite cleaner. Pressurize the pump by pumping the pump. Connect your beer line to the liquid post....





Open your faucet and cleaner will run through the entire system.

 

[geniz]

This system works well and is a fraction of the cost of a spare cornelius keg or commercial cleaning system. It light weight and easily stored. Its great for running cleaner through a sticky faucet.

Cost of project:

Hand Pump Sprayer: $6.92
Firestone Liquid Post: $9.99
3/8 Flare / 3/8 FIP: $2.34
Had Teflon Tape: $0.00

TOTAL: $19.25

 

[OldManHouston]

This is awesome. I have an empty corny sitting in my kitchen waiting for me to motivate to clean my lines. Eff that. I'm making this ASAP. My only concern is that it doesn't look like the reservoir is very large. I have 4 9ft lengths of beer line. Do you think I could do this with one batch of cleaning solution or would I probably need two or more batches?

Awesome idea man. Guessing this ran about $30 with all the fittings?

 

[OldManHouston]

Ah, you beat me to it ^^

 

[geniz]

4 lines might need a couple of refills. I have only 2 lines and I'm generally cleaning one at a time. You could do a 1 or 2 gallon sprayer, the fitting at the bottle or the wand isn't 3/8, but I'm sure you can figure what's needed to adapt the 3/8 flare for the liquid post.

 

[Flomaster]

*suscribed*

this thread = FTW...

-=Jason=-

 

[geniz]

If you're gonna make this, make sure that you get a Firestone Liquid Post assembly.
I know for certain that a gas post won't work and I'm not sure if a Cornelius liquid post has the same threads.
( I think different "corny" kegs from different manufacturers have different size posts)

Anyways. here is the link to the Firestone liquid post I got from Brewmaster's Warehouse:

http://www.brewmasterswarehouse.com/product/0102273/ball-lock-liquid-post-assembly-firestone

 

[tolip_ck1]

I like this idea, anyone have ideas for a sanke attachment? I have both kind to my tap tower and struggle with cleaning them and not having to take hoses off barbs etc.

 

[KCBrewer]

Very nice, thanks for posting this. That looks much easier than using using a corny and quicker/easier to fill, rinse, store, and no waste of CO2. Right now I do them all at once about once a month using a corny, but this would be handy to have on hand each time a keg kicks to just flush the line real quick, and it's cheap!

 

[BrokenDog]

If you check out the second to newest BYO issue, they had a cheap build that looked promising.

 

[electrichead]

Great idea, thanks for posting this. On my way to Home Depot.

 

[tolip_ck1]

If you check out the second to newest BYO issue, they had a cheap build that looked promising.

Guess i'll have to go pick one of those up!

 

[geniz]

I had to clean some cornies this morning. So I used this to pump cleaner through the beer out and cleaned the dip tube without taking it apart. I just made a short length of hose with beer out QDs on each side. Attached one side to the pump, the other to the out post on the keg, pumped the cleaner through, no futzing with taking posts and poppets off the cornie. I will have to take everything apart eventually, but this method should give me more uses before the poppets start sticking and leaking.

 

[geniz]

I also can use it to run StarSan through my Blickmann Beer Gun before bottling!

 

[starsailor]

That's awesome! I just made something similar, but attaches to the swivel nut after the QD is removed. Just used it for the first time yesterday and it's great. I'll take some pics and share the design when I get a chance. Beer already tastes better!

 

[geniz]

That's awesome! I just made something similar, but attaches to the swivel nut after the QD is removed. Just used it for the first time yesterday and it's great. I'll take some pics and share the design when I get a chance. Beer already tastes better!

Looking forward to the pics

 

[Atl300zx]

Great thread and idea!

Brewmasterswarehouse is also my LHBS. Where are you located and are you part of a HB club?

 

[geniz]

Great thread and idea!

Brewmasterswarehouse is also my LHBS. Where are you located and are you part of a HB club?

I'm in Marietta. Not in a club but would like to join one. Are you in one in the area?

 

[Atl300zx]

I'm in Marietta. Not in a club but would like to join one. Are you in one in the area?

Im also in marietta. Im not in a club either. Just looking for more lolcal brewers to share and learn from

 

[pericles]

Beautiful idea! This is going on my to-do list.

 

[Shackled]

Going to add this to my list of stuff to get as well.

Up in Kennesaw here as well. Only brew club I know of in the area is INHBC.org

 

[starrfish]

subscribed (I need to install a ball lock post on something else) but this interesting as well!

Thanks

 

[Bsquared]

I built one of these a while back too, but used a 1/4 male flare fitting alone. I only use 1/4 Flare disconnects (ball and pin) so I can connect directly to the line and don't have to have different adapters. I like to take my disconnects apart and give them a good soak after running a keg through them.

Cheap and easy line cleaner.

 

[samc]

Nicely done. I've always wanted to make one of those, but honestly when a keg kicks I have to clean it and I just pump that through the lines.

 

[tolip_ck1]

Finished mine,

I had an extra ball valve, so I attached that to a quick disconnect and now I can do both sankey keg attachments and corneys.

 

[br1dge]

Im also in marietta. Im not in a club either. Just looking for more lolcal brewers to share and learn from

Great idea. I will be making mine soon. Im here in Roswell. Not a member of a club either but get together with a few buddies in the area to brew. Glad to see others in the area.

 

[bigzippo]

Very ingenuitive. Is there a downside to just letting the line sit in a bucket of cleaner though?

 

[tolip_ck1]

Very ingenuitive. Is there a downside to just letting the line sit in a bucket of cleaner though?

Not sure I understand the question?

 

[OldManHouston]

Very ingenuitive. Is there a downside to just letting the line sit in a bucket of cleaner though?

Not a downside. Just might be more work on disassembly plus having to clean the faucet separately. Running cleaner through the system cleans all beer touching surfaces in one step.

 

[geniz]

Great idea. I will be making mine soon. Im here in Roswell. Not a member of a club either but get together with a few buddies in the area to brew. Glad to see others in the area.

All of us in the area need to get together

 

[fuzzybee]

I need to swing by BMW / HD this weekend as well and pick this stuff up. Thanks, geniz!

I'd be up for a Marietta brew day, as well.

 

[Loptr]

About a year ago I built one very similare to the OP.

It is great total cost was maybe $12.

 

[37OliveStBrews]

I just bought the pieces for this kit while walking through HD. I figured I would cannibalize a liquid out post from a keg that is just lying around brining this gem of a DIY project under 10 bucks. Thank you for the pictures and the posts. So tired of using an empty keg to clean my lines every few kegs. awesome.

 

[alowell]

Did anyone have trouble fitting the adapter into the firestone post? I don't know if it is a ball lock vs. pin lock thing. I bought the same brass adapter from home depot and a 3 pin lock firestone post, and I am having trouble with them fitting. The 3/8" adapter seems too small for the pin lock firestone post. Any thoughts?

 

[hlumbard]

added to the list!