DIY Beer Line Cleaner

[abandonhope16]

Fudge. Any work around to avoid getting a new post? I'd hate to have to order again and pay the shipping.

 

[NewBrewB]

I tried wrapping like 5 layers of teflon tape and then cranking down the extra post i already had....leaks

I have been putting off ordering the firestone but I guess there is no other way.

 

[wkendbr]

I have made a bunch of these and Yes The Firestone works the best.

Go to http://www.beverageequipmentco.com/Home_Brewers_Kegging_site.htm
See Item # 55542

or
http://www.beverageequipmentco.com/Beer Line Sanitize.htm

Item # 55143

 

[LanceBoyle]

Does it have to be a Firestone post? I tried this with a AEB (Cornelius, Spartan and Super Champion) post and I cant get it to fit onto the coupler.

No, read my post of 2-2-13. I used a Cornelius post and it works fine.

 

[abandonhope16]

No, read my post of 2-2-13. I used a Cornelius post and it works fine.

Cool. Thanks, I think that may work for me. I actually read your post and thought "what is this guy talking about?" I had misread and thought you meant screwing onto the existing threads on the thinner portion; now I understand after re-reading. At least the coupler only cost a couple bucks, better than having to get another post. Thanks again!

 

[BansheeRider]

No more filling a keg just to clean beer lines. I'm glad I found this thread, thanks OP!!

 

[Jmantiki2721]

Works. Great thread! Thanks for posting

 

[nextgenxx]

In use!

 

[NewBrewB]

I finally broke down and ordered a Firestone ball lock bev connector since my extra ones didnt match the recommended brass coupling/connector.

$9 + 6 for shipping then a huge wait for back-order and it still doesnt fit.

Is there another recommended coupling I can use with a standard ball lock connector?

 

[LanceBoyle]

I finally broke down and ordered a Firestone ball lock bev connector since my extra ones didnt match the recommended brass coupling/connector.

$9 + 6 for shipping then a huge wait for back-order and it still doesnt fit.

Is there another recommended coupling I can use with a standard ball lock connector?

Just screw it onto the green plastic, no adapter needed. See my prior post.

 

[STEVESKI]

Well after finally making the plunge to kegging, I'm off to a bad start.

On topic: I bought all the parts necessary for this a while back as I was acquiring all my keg parts and haven't tried assembling until now. I guess I should have searched further because I use pin lock kegs and purchased (obviously) Firestone pin lock liquid out post. Now I realize it doesn't fit. Any way of salvaging this?

Off topic: just decided to clean my keg I bought from Kegconnection and I fill it up with Oxiclean and decide to try turning it upside down. Guess what? It leaks.

 

[DakotaRules]

Off topic: just decided to clean my keg I bought from Kegconnection and I fill it up with Oxiclean and decide to try turning it upside down. Guess what? It leaks.

Try pressurizing the keg slightly. This should seat the lid and O ring, also make sure O ring is lubed.

 

[STEVESKI]

Thanks, I'll give that a try.

 

[icebrew]

As for the pin lock post I didn't use an adapter I just made my own threads by threading the post onto the plastic after removing the parts from the sprayer and trimming the plastic a little. Use a wrench once you start it and you will have a nice tight seal

 

[DPBISME]

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

Ya know why I think I would like this guy?

He is bright enough to know how to put a parts list and the process on his post so others who do not possess his KA-nowledge can build the same thing for themselves...

Hell I don't know a thing about plumbing and adaptors... and would have made tow or three trips to the Home Depot to build this, Now I think I will be able to do so in one trip...

Well, who knew I would need a Firestone post????

 

[STEVESKI]

As for the pin lock post I didn't use an adapter I just made my own threads by threading the post onto the plastic after removing the parts from the sprayer and trimming the plastic a little. Use a wrench once you start it and you will have a nice tight seal

Which piece did you attach it to? One of the green pieces? Or did you remove that and attach it directly to the black piece? And how did you thread it yourself? Just used force?

 

[NathPowe]

This thing is legendary. Read about it before I even started kegging. Whipped one up and it's just so simple and so effective. No messing with CO2. Can't imagine cleaning lines any other way. Also handy for cleaning/sanitizing a BierMuncher Bottle Filler.

Nice work geniz. Thanks for posting.

 

[jaymclean]

No, read my post of 2-2-13. I used a Cornelius post and it works fine.

I used a similar approach for my pin-lock post. I found that sanding the threads down on the sprayer made it easier to screw on the post and create the new threads needed for it. I got it screwed on and it doesn't leak. Thanks for the tips pointing me in the right direction.

 

[NewBrewB]

I just made one of these with a corny keg liquid post. Turns out, it's pretty easy. There are 2 green pieces on the nozzle. Take off the first one and pull out the clear plastic piece. Then you can screw the post directly on to what's left. You will be making your own threads with the post and will need a wrench to force it on. The fit is good. To hold the poppit in position, you'll need to use a hack saw to cut off a piece of the green protruding part that the first green part (that you took off) screws into. I took off about a quarter inch. It depends on how far you screw the post down, so maybe saw off a little bit at a time to get it right. Works great, you don't need a coupling or washers. Just $7 for the Flow-Master 56HD and the cost of the post.

Just used LanceBoyle's idea and it worked like a champ. I took some mid-process photos to perhaps better illustrate the steps he describes above. I'm really glad I didn't throw away the 'extra' green piece when I first brought it home because that is essential for this method. Good luck everyone!

Note: I had two extra bev out posts in my bucket of random beer parts. One was too big to thread onto the green part. The other fit perfectly. It is so annoying that this is not based on some type of industry standard but just beware. It has to be a tight fit or this will not work. Wish I could tell you which type of post was the one that worked but they were just loose in my bucket. Note the difference in model between the first picture and the last one.

 

[jackorain]

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.

Hi,
I know this is old but maybe you'll see it. I tried putting a Firestone liquid post on the 3/8 flare but it just doesn't fit. Subsequent research shows a 3/8 MFL to be 9/16-18 and a Firestone liquid post to be 5/8-18 or 3/4-18 (John Wood 85 older models). But a Firestone gas post is 9/16-18. Did you use a gas post or is my research incorrect?

Thanks
Jack

 

[geniz]

Hi,
I know this is old but maybe you'll see it. I tried putting a Firestone liquid post on the 3/8 flare but it just doesn't fit. Subsequent research shows a 3/8 MFL to be 9/16-18 and a Firestone liquid post to be 5/8-18 or 3/4-18 (John Wood 85 older models). But a Firestone gas post is 9/16-18. Did you use a gas post or is my research incorrect?

Thanks
Jack

I used a liquid Firestone post from BMW. Picked it out of the bin myself. It fit my sprayer. No fiddling, no jamming. Others recently have had problems fitting firestones onto that model sprayer, others haven't. This makes me wonder if the sprayer hasn't changed over the last couple of years??

 

[day_trippr]

Pretty sure he's referring to the fit between post and brass adapter. I had no problems threading a "Firestone" liquid post onto the A-176.

Also, fwiw, I had to replace the sprayer this winter as mine fell from a high shelf and the white plastic down-tube snapped off at the threads at the cap end. The new pump was identical to the old one...

Cheers!

 

[geniz]

Pretty sure he's referring to the fit between post and brass adapter. I had no problems threading a "Firestone" liquid post onto the A-176.

Also, fwiw, I had to replace the sprayer this winter as mine fell from a high shelf and the white plastic down-tube snapped off at the threads at the cap end. The new pump was identical to the old one...

Cheers!

Cool. I was thinking of picking up a new sprayer to see what the problem was. It's good to know the sprayer hasn't changed.

 

[geniz]

Ok

Re-read Jackorain's post. He's talking about the fit between the adaptor and the Firestone. My Firestone fit the adaptor without a problem.
Perhaps take the adaptor to your LHBS and try liquid posts on it. The Firestone I got from BMW threaded onto the adaptor without a problem

Sorry abt the confusion on my last post

 

[evandena]

What's the consensus best way to hook up a pin lock post? After almost melting my fingers off with BLC while threading/unthreading flared fittings on to my pump, I learned that I really need a way to hook the posts up.

 

[renegade]

I made one of these line cleaners this past weekend using a used firestone post I bought from Adventures in Homebrewing. Cleaned my lines last night, works great!

 

[jackorain]

Ok

Re-read Jackorain's post. He's talking about the fit between the adaptor and the Firestone. My Firestone fit the adaptor without a problem.
Perhaps take the adaptor to your LHBS and try liquid posts on it. The Firestone I got from BMW threaded onto the adaptor without a problem

Sorry abt the confusion on my last post

You are correct, that is what I am talking about. I am going to take my post to Home Depot and see what I can figure out. Just haven't got to it yet.

 

[Snagg30341]

Ok please help. Just put mine together. Ordered firestone out and my liquid plug won't attach to the fitting post.

 

[jcaudill]

Lots of Teflon tape and thread it on. The thread types don't match up.

 

[Snagg30341]

Nope. Keg connection sent me gas post and not liquid. Argh.