Help dismantling 5 taps professional beer tower

[RenaudP]

Hi,

I got lucky and got my hand on a used 5 taps glycol chilled professional beer tower for next to nothing. The cooper needs restoring and I would like to take it all apart and restore it to its former glory.

I was wondering if anyone knew of an online resource that could help me on taking it apart. I looked around and couldn’t find any. My guess is that because they are meant for bar use, they are installed and maintain by professionals that don’t need forums to guide their work…

Taking the copper pipes apart is easy, but the shanks have me puzzled. My kegerator shanks are held to the tower by a lock nut in the tower. This one is completely different and I have no idea how to do it. The backstop of the shank also holds the glycol copper line so it can't be turned to loosen anything.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

Renaud

 

[Broken Crow]

Looks like it uses the cold-block threads as a nut (Brass Cold Block for Kegerator Chilling Lines – Fight the First Foamy Pint) You could try putting a faucet on turning it to use as a wrench. ...that's what I'd try anyway.

 

[RenaudP]

Looks like it uses the cold-block threads as a nut (Brass Cold Block for Kegerator Chilling Lines – Fight the First Foamy Pint) You could try putting a faucet on turning it to use as a wrench. ...that's what I'd try anyway.

That's exactly how it worked. Used a faucet as a wrench and the shank unscrewed itself. Thanks.
Now it cleaning, restoring and putting it back together time.

 

[cfrazier77]

do you know what the wires were for? I have not seen that before.

 

[bruce_the_loon]

do you know what the wires were for? I have not seen that before.

Illuminated tap handles.

 

[RenaudP]

do you know what the wires were for? I have not seen that before.

Yes, they were for light in the tap handles.
All gone now. I’ll probably just plug the holes.

 

[ITV]

I recently purchased a used micro matic beer tap tower and I am in the process of experimenting with cooling the beer down using a pond pump recirculating cold water to bring down the beer temp. With a 200 GPH pond pump and water inside my keezer, I was able to bring down the beer temp (measured in the glass) from 51 to 42 Deg. F running the pump for 15 minutes.
From what I noticed with your beer tap tower is that there is minimal insulation, mine has foam insulation on the cross member and foil/foam/electrical tape on the vertical trunk line. Here is a video explaining how micro matic does it:
I also cleaned the inside of my glycol lines with a beer line brush and beer line cleaner. There was a lot of dried up glycol build up.

Picture of my beer tap tower:

 

[RenaudP]

I recently purchased a used micro matic beer tap tower and I am in the process of experimenting with cooling the beer down using a pond pump recirculating cold water to bring down the beer temp. With a 200 GPH pond pump and water inside my keezer, I was able to bring down the beer temp (measured in the glass) from 51 to 42 Deg. F running the pump for 15 minutes.
From what I noticed with your beer tap tower is that there is minimal insulation, mine has foam insulation on the cross member and foil/foam/electrical tape on the vertical trunk line. Here is a video explaining how micro matic does it:
I also cleaned the inside of my glycol lines with a beer line brush and beer line cleaner. There was a lot of dried up glycol build up.

Picture of my beer tap tower:
View attachment 809028

Thanks. It had plenty of insulation, I just took it out to dissemble it.

Putting it back together will be a pain. The beer line is stainless steel that connects to the shank via a compression fitting with a grommet that screws into the shank itself as it screws into the lock nut. All that time 5 requiring perfect alignment.

But I’m still glad I took it apart. It’s the only way to make sure it’s leak proof and sanitary. Plus it made restoring the copper easier.

 

[ITV]

Thanks. It had plenty of insulation, I just took it out to dissemble it.

Putting it back together will be a pain. The beer line is stainless steel that connects to the shank via a compression fitting with a grommet that screws into the shank itself as it screws into the lock nut. All that time 5 requiring perfect alignment.

But I’m still glad I took it apart. It’s the only way to make sure it’s leak proof and sanitary. Plus it made restoring the copper easier.

Nice work on the copper!.
Maybe put in some LED strip lights to cover the existing holes for the wiring?

 

[cfrazier77]

Thanks. It had plenty of insulation, I just took it out to dissemble it.

Putting it back together will be a pain. The beer line is stainless steel that connects to the shank via a compression fitting with a grommet that screws into the shank itself as it screws into the lock nut. All that time 5 requiring perfect alignment.

But I’m still glad I took it apart. It’s the only way to make sure it’s leak proof and sanitary. Plus it made restoring the copper easier.

That looks great!