DIY Beer Line Cleaner

[HoppyMaltPoet]

Just wanted to chime in. I saw this thread the day before yesterday and went out and bought the pieces at Home Depot. I already had a spare firestone liquid out post so I just needed the sprayer and fitting. So this cost me just under 10 bucks. A much more cost effective method then the 60+ dollars to purchase one at my LHBS. I have yet to use it but I am about to finish off a keg and will test it out then. If it works as has been stated (I am sure it will), many thanks to you friend. You saved me some hard earned cash.

 

[TheBroonery]

Here's a pic to update my earlier post. 1/4" MFL piece on the end, which is what my pin-lock disconnects use to connect to the beer line.

 

[Bigscience]

Here's a pic to update my earlier post. 1/4" MFL piece on the end, which is what my pin-lock disconnects use to connect to the beer line.

The only down side to this would be that you're not cleaning or sanitizing the disconnect (which you could to separately). BUT, you could use it as a party pump if you were going to kill a keg in one sitting. Cheaper than the little CO2 cartridges. I may have to make one just for that purpose.

 

[TheBroonery]

I can spray it with StarSan Solution to sanitize it (Home Depot spray bottle in the background).

Instead of using this to pumping air into kegs, I'd get a brass schrader valve and the necessary fittings to connect it to a corny keg post, then connect a bicycle pump to the schrader (tire stem) valve.

 

[HoppyMaltPoet]

I just tried this out ... and I have to say it worked like a charm. Many thanks!

 

[Aschecte]

Absolutlly Awesome thanks for the great DIY post this is going into my DIY list !!!!

 

[geniz]

Glad to hear you like it.

 

[nebben]

This was so cheap to build. It works great, and doesn't leak to boot!

Thanks for the write-up!

 

[h22lude]

I just bought everything the OP did. The 3/8 flare x 3/8 FIP fits perfectly on the pump. My ball lock beer out post does not fit on the adapter however. I can probably get a 1/4 turn and that is it. From the website http://www.dresselbrew.com/Keg_Info.htm I have the type a Firestone so I don't know why it wouldn't work but I guess I'll have to buy the BM one for it to work.

 

[polo_check]

I had this problem. My initial guess is that's not a Firestone post. If you have a Cornelius brand keg see if your post fits on the keg. If it does then it's not a firestone post. Take your fitting and go to your LHBS and find one that fits.

 

[h22lude]

I had this problem. My initial guess is that's not a Firestone post. If you have a Cornelius brand keg see if your post fits on the keg. If it does then it's not a firestone post. Take your fitting and go to your LHBS and find one that fits.

Yeah my only thought it I have a corny post from that site I should have a firestone. Ill probably go to my lhbs today and see what they have. Stupid different size threads!

 

[goofuss69]

So I don't brew yet. I did build a kegerator. I am looking for the same type of idea to clean my beer line. Any ideas how I could use something like this to do that? Thanks

 

[h22lude]

So I don't brew yet. I did build a kegerator. I am looking for the same type of idea to clean my beer line. Any ideas how I could use something like this to do that? Thanks

Yeah....build what the OP posted hahahaha

 

[jerkstore]

thanks for this post, just picked up the exact parts list.

 

[ndhoffma]

Just built the cleaner - worked great. Much easier than using a keg filled with cleaner to fix the lines.

 

[njnear76]

Nice. This is going to save me a lot of time.

 

[carrolte]

so, I recall somewhere someone asked and I quote "why not just use a pump?"

To which I will reply: because it will shoot grease into your lines, keg, and connections that you have plumed into it and you will be so damned pissed you will need to HAHB but you wont be able to relax.

 

[emjay]

so, I recall somewhere someone asked and I quote "why not just use a pump?"

To which I will reply: because it will shoot grease into your lines, keg, and connections that you have plumed into it and you will be so damned pissed you will need to HAHB but you wont be able to relax.

What kind of pump are you talking about that this is even an issue?

 

[day_trippr]

What kind of pump are you talking about that this is even an issue?

I'm going to guess it's an oil pump from a '56 Ford F100 panel truck. Seriously...

Cheers!

 

[FSR402]

I'm going to guess it's an oil pump from a '56 Ford F100 panel truck. Seriously...

Cheers!

Actually I tried this with a cheap (plastic) bike pump. I used it to pressurize a keg full of cleaner/starsan to pump thru my taps. Figured that would save me CO2. Well it pumped a light coat of grease into the keg. The pump had grease inside it that did not come out until the 4th or 5th time I used it.

 

[Bsquared]

When using PBW or any other Caustic (basic) solution, it is best not to use CO2 to pressurize your vessel to push you cleaning solution through. CO2 will dissolve in to solution to form carbonic acid and neutralize your cleaning solution.

 

[h22lude]

So I ordered the wrong post. I ordered a Firestone gas post by mistake. I must have been tired because I knew I need a liquid post. Anyway, I tried to thread it onto the connector just to see if the size was right and it didn't fit at all. Are the inner sizes different between gas and liquid? I know the disconnect sizes are different and the actual post is but I figured the inner thread would be the same from gas to liquid on a Firestone.

I'll be returning the gas post for a refund and I'll have to order a liquid post.

 

[day_trippr]

The bad luck is it was a Firestone keg - which does sport different post threads. This page has some good info on keg bits, definitely worth bookmarking...

Cheers!

 

[bob1852]

OP - thanks for this thread!

Took the sprayer into the LHBS to make sure the liquid post fit. It did.

The LHBS was extremely interested in this build and may start selling them (compared to the "commercial" ~$60 things they currently stock, but don't sell much of).

They liked the idea so much they didn't charge me for the post.

 

[geniz]

OP - thanks for this thread!

Took the sprayer into the LHBS to make sure the liquid post fit. It did.

The LHBS was extremely interested in this build and may start selling them (compared to the "commercial" ~$60 things they currently stock, but don't sell much of).

They liked the idea so much they didn't charge me for the post.

Excellent. If I thought I could make enough of a profit, or was more ambitious, I'd think of making them to sell too. ;-)

 

[bob1852]

Yeah, probably pretty hard to make a profit on something so simple.

 

[The_Dog_42]

I built one of these and it's awesome. Super easy to build as well (I actually put mine together in the car while my wife was driving). I'd be surprised if anyone from this site would buy one commercially but I wouldn't be surprised if someone new to kegging, who relies exclusively on the LHBS, buys one.

 

[Skrimpy]

This thing RULES. I'm making one this weekend.

 

[Armen_Tamzarian]

Awesome thread. With all the cleaning and maintenance that goes into brewing, I slack at line cleaning...These ideas can definitely help me address that.

 

[Skrimpy]

Awesome thread. With all the cleaning and maintenance that goes into brewing, I slack at line cleaning...These ideas can definitely help me address that.

There's another thread on using pumps to make bottle/carboy washing easier. I think Lonnie Mac has a YouTube demonstrating his setup for cleaning corneys too. Its pretty slick and doesn't use up co2 either.