DIY Beer Line Cleaner

[Jthornburgh]

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.

Good idea, I'll try the direct flare fittings tomorrow.

I tried to do this today. Bought a 3/8 fpt-3/8 flare got home put the adapter on the sprayer, and then the post didn't fit. The posts are 9/16-18, and 3/8 flares are 5/8-18. How did you get them to fit? Did you just muscle them on?

 

[Roadie]

Ordered one of these from aliexpress a few weeks ago. Works GREAT!! Super simple. No hassle of finding the appropriate post size and needing/finding other fittings to make it work. All you need is the carbonation cap, a 2-liter PET bottle and a few inches of beer line. I keep two 2-liter bottles on hand. One with BLC and the other for rinsing with fresh clean water and then sanitizer.

Is running 1 - 2 liter bottle of cleaner through the line enough to clean it or do you do it multiple times?

 

[BigTerp]

I only run about a liter through the line, maybe even less. Once it runs clear (free of beer) I let it sit for the recommended 15 minutes. Seems to work fine.

 

[BrewDrinkRepeat]

I push the beer out first, then connect the line cleaner with hot BLC solution. I pump enough to get to and through the faucet, then let it sit for 15 minutes or so (longer if I'm doing other things around the house at the same time). Then I finish pumping the BLC through the line and faucet. I use one full batch (IIRC the cleaner holds 64oz), I do not run it through twice. If you clean your lines regularly the 15+ minute soak plus the pumping should get the job done (and if it doesn't then you're better off replacing the line).

After the BLC I run hot water through to rinse the BLC, followed by a little StarSan (using it as both a final acid rinse as well as for sanitization). I leave the StarSan in the line until I hook up the next keg, but I normally clean the lines when I'm ready for the next keg (as opposed to when the previous keg kicks) so it's usually only sitting in there for a couple of hours as most, and often much less.

 

[BigTerp]

I do pretty much the same as above. I only run enough BLC through the line to clear it of beer and then a few seconds more though. Disassemble my faucet and soak it in a small container of BLC for 15 minutes, and then scrub it and then rinse. Reassemble the faucet and then push hot water through the line and faucet to rinse the BLC. Then a final push of star-san through the line. I blow as much of the star-san out with CO2 as I can. The line then sits until the next keg is ready to hook up. Impossible, for me, to get all the star-san out so there is still some left in the line. Hasn't caused any problems for me so far.

 

[stoneBriar]

If you don't have MFL connections, you can use one of these:
https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/ball_lock_jumperpost.htm
It is a fitting that can accept a ball lock on each end and it depresses the poppet so that liquid can flow freely. You just put this in the liquid ball lock QD and that will let the cleaning solution flow back into the reservoir.

Anyone have a link for a liquid-liquid jumper like this for a pin lock setup?

 

[BrewDrinkRepeat]

A little residual StarSan in the line won't be detectable in terms of flavor; even if you had the whole line still filled with it you'd just pour off a half-pint or so once you hook up the keg and toss it.

(Even if the line was full of SS and it all backflushed into the keg you wouldn't taste it, and it wouldn't be at all harmful to you or the beer.)

 

[Thatinfidel]

Built one of these a few weeks back, it's been fantastic! Thanks for the info!!

 

[steveoatley]

Built mine as well

Works great !!!

Hardest part is finding a Post ! ( at a decent price )

Great Thread !!!

Thanks for all the great info !!!!!


S

 

[Jomamma]

Awesome

 

[jcav]

I have since moved to using an empty keg. I mix up some LLC and push it through each line with an air compressor that I have a secondary (inline) regulator. You need LLC moving through the lines for 5 minutes. This works tremendously well. I place an old fermentor bucket under the tap and push on some old silicone hose leaving the other end draped into the bucket. (That end is never pressurized so no risk of leaks) I run the LLC through my taps, then rinse the keg with fresh water and do the same as above but with fresh, rinse water.

Hey Huaco, I know this is an old post but I would love to see a pic of how you attached your air compressor to your keg to pressurize it. I want to do the same thing.

John

 

[Huaco]

Hey Huaco, I know this is an old post but I would love to see a pic of how you attached your air compressor to your keg to pressurize it. I want to do the same thing.

John

I'll get a picture of it asap. It's at my buddy's shop and I'm not sure when I'll be there next.
basics are as follows.

Quick Connect

Barbed adapter

red beverage gas hose assembly

With one of these regulators spliced inline.

You'll need one 1/4 NPTxBarb adapters for each side of the regulator as well.

clamps for each connection...
This can be VERY cheap if you already have stuff on hand. I was given the regulator by a friend. I had the red gas line and clamps. I think I purchased the brass barbs and clamps...

 

[jcav]

Excellent, thanks for getting back to me so fast!

John

 

[Huaco]

Excellent, thanks for getting back to me so fast!

John

Sure... no problem. I will add that I only have to set my inline regulator to about 5 psi in order to get a nice flow. This rig also works very well for pressure testing empty kegs to find trouble spots and leaks.

 

[jcav]

Sure... no problem. I will add that I only have to set my inline regulator to about 5 psi in order to get a nice flow. This rig also works very well for pressure testing empty kegs to find trouble spots and leaks.

Your the man! I ordered some fittings and the regulator. I had the other stuff lying around so I saved a little. I really appreciate your help and links to the items!

John

 

[jcav]

Thanks again Huaco, I got the parts and I made this today!

 

[Huaco]

Cool... hope you get as good use as I have out of mine. I suppose I should post a separate thread on this little thing... Don't want to thread-jack this thread.

 

[BadgerBrigade]

I totally need to make one of these!!!
Going to go to home depot tonight!
Thanks Geniz!

 

[eba3317]

Put together a couple for friends using 2 gallon sprayers. They don't homebrew but were looking for a way to clean their kegerator. Only thing I could find locally that connected to the nut that connects to the tap was a 3/8 male side of a quick disconnects found with the pressure washers in big box stores

View attachment 1453510837005.jpg

View attachment 1453510849014.jpg

 

[mjc999]

Made a one gallon line cleaner using these two purchased items.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000E28UQU/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/ball_lock_jumperpost.htm

I had an extra ball lock beverage connector with barbed fitting.

I cut the control handle off the black hose and the barbed fitting of the beverage connector fit in tightly, no clamps needed.

Done.

Works like a charm.

 

[jcav]

Nice job guys on the pump sprayer conversions, I am digging that jumper fitting from Brewhardware!

John

 

[silospen]

FWIW, I used a corny post and the A-176 adapter posted originally. Just had to file down the threads a *little* before it would fit, maybe 5 mins work tops.

 

[StoutNoDoubt]

Hi, all. I put together a video on building this awesome little beer line cleaner. Check it out below! Cheers!

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjOPzGw5cuI[/ame]

 

[DrumForHire]

Has anyone tried hooking this up with a 1/4" flare and then just taking the quick-disconnect off the line and connecting the cleaner directly to the barb swivel? I tried looking through the old posts and some others had mentioned it as an idea, but I hadn't heard any results.

 

[Jiffster]

Hi, all. I put together a video on building this awesome little beer line cleaner. Check it out below! Cheers!



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjOPzGw5cuI

Great video, thanks for sharing!

 

[day_trippr]

Has anyone tried hooking this up with a 1/4" flare and then just taking the quick-disconnect off the line and connecting the cleaner directly to the barb swivel? I tried looking through the old posts and some others had mentioned it as an idea, but I hadn't heard any results.

Why would you want to do that?

Cheers!

 

[JohnSand]

I thought about it, because I haven't found any fittings that are threaded like my keg post.

 

[day_trippr]

Do you mean you don't have a post that fits the (LF)A-176 fitting?

Cheers!

 

[DrumForHire]

I was thinking it would mean one less piece to worry about getting. It might be easier to have the post so you can just clip the quick-disconnect on, but it is an extra piece that may not be needed. Plus, my local shop has posts on backorder and I'm impatient.

 

[day_trippr]

I expect most users appreciate the ease of hooking up the cleaner via the disconnects, as well as actually cleaning something that needs cleaning at least as much as the lines.

As for posts...

http://www.chicompany.net/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=260

Cheers!