How do I disassemble this tower to clean the lines?

[CafeRoaster]

Bought a used kegerator but there’s beer in the lines. Can’t for the life of me figure out how to get the cap off to remove the lines, and it looks like the previous owner couldn’t either. No way to remove tap either, it appears.

Vissani Beer Keg Cooler MCKC490S

Even the manual doesn’t tell you to clean the lines.

 

[Broken Crow]

Since it looks (from the manual) to have no air-recirc tube there should be plenty of room to use a long enough stick shoved up the tower from the inside to pop it off.
When you do, please take some pics to post with your follow up questions so we can all encourage you to switch to EVABarrier.

 

[homebeerbrewer]

The tap looks like a standard tap connection. There's a tool for that.

It looks like there's some kind of vinyl decal over the cap. I'd try Broken Crow's idea.

 

[CafeRoaster]

Since it looks (from the manual) to have no air-recirc tube there should be plenty of room to use a long enough stick shoved up the tower from the inside to pop it off.
When you do, please take some pics to post with your follow up questions so we can all encourage you to switch to EVABarrier.

I did think of this! I just want to make sure because I haven't ever used on before.

I ended up grabbing some ball lock carbonation caps that will allow me to make a small bottle of cleaning solution while using a minimal amount of CO2.

 

[IslandLizard]

I ended up grabbing some ball lock carbonation caps that will allow me to make a small bottle of cleaning solution while using a minimal amount of CO2.

A cleaning bottle will come in handy later, when you have it up and running.
But, please, don't even try to clean the old lines...

4 mm ID EVA Barrier lines are the way to go, for both beer and gas. You will need some push-fit adapters (or swage the lines).

 

[CafeRoaster]

A cleaning bottle will come in handy later, when you have it up and running.
But, please, don't even try to clean the old lines...

4 mm ID EVA Barrier lines are the way to go, for both beer and gas. You will need some push-fit adapters (or swage the lines).

My LHBS has 5mm ID and recommends 10 feet per line. I don't want 40 feet of line in that fridge (2 kegs). I'll see if there's anything else I could get at MoreBeer! so I can get free shipping.

 

[IslandLizard]

I don't want 40 feet of line in that fridge

When using 5 mm ID line, the 10' length is only needed for the beer line, to give it the needed resistance to keep the beer carbonated on her way to the faucet.
Therefore, using 4 mm ID line can be much shorter.

For serving beer from a kegerator, the length or diameter of the gas line is not critical. 4mm ID EVA should work fine for those as well.

 

[homebeerbrewer]

I found a great article about serving pressures and line length. I'm sure there are others, but this will get you started down the right path.
https://www.kegworks.com/blog/determine-right-pressure-for-your-draft-beer-system/

 

[day_trippr]

The unit line resistance used in that article will likely cause pain and aggravation - a 5 foot length of 3/16" ID beer line simply will not provide the resistance needed.

This page provides a line length calculator that actually results in a satisfactory pour...

https://www.mikesoltys.com/2012/09/17/determining-proper-hose-length-for-your-kegerator/

Cheers!

 

[IslandLizard]

The unit line resistance used in that article will likely cause pain and aggravation - a 5 foot length of 3/16" ID beer line simply will not provide the resistance needed.

This page provides a line length calculator that actually results in a satisfactory pour...

https://www.mikesoltys.com/2012/09/17/determining-proper-hose-length-for-your-kegerator/

Cheers!

That! ^

 

[Broken Crow]

My LHBS has 5mm ID and recommends 10 feet per line. I don't want 40 feet of line in that fridge (2 kegs). I'll see if there's anything else I could get at MoreBeer! so I can get free shipping.

10' of 5mm for a 2-tap kegerator is insane. If you want to keep it short, 3' of the 3mm is good, (I use 37"/line in mine). Here's a suggested partial morebeer shopping list;
Beer Lines:
https://www.morebeer.com/products/intertap-short-tower-shank-duotight-compatible-barb.html
https://www.morebeer.com/products/monotight-635mm-14-joiner.html
https://www.morebeer.com/products/e...draft-tubing-3-mm-id-635-od-39-ft-roll-3.html
https://www.morebeer.com/products/duotight-ball-lock-quick-disconnect-qd-beverage-8-mm.html
Tools you may or may not have but don't want to be without;
https://www.morebeer.com/products/beer-faucet-wrench.html
https://www.morebeer.com/products/komos-pro-draft-wrench-1.html
A tower cooler if you don't have one and want an effiecntly running unit without foamy pours;
https://www.morebeer.com/products/draft-tower-fan-kit.html
A nice line cleaning kit worth considering;
https://www.morebeer.com/products/beer-line-cleaning-kit.html
For the gas line, either 5mm or 4mm would be just fine and it only needs to be long enough to reach the kegs with a little slack.
Is that enough to get your free shipping?

EDIT: Here's a couple other recommnded items I forgot to include above;
Tube cutter: https://www.morebeer.com/products/tube-cutter-2-1-duotight-removal-tool.html
Retaining clips for whatever size duotight fittings you chose:
https://www.morebeer.com/search?search=circlip ...a lot of folk skip these, but they really do prevent accidental 'unlocking' of duotight fittings so I highly recommend using them.

 

[ford2110]

I clean my lines with a small aquarium pump and a bucket of BLC solution. I bought a double male Ball lock connection and a beer faucet cleaning adapter. Run a piece of hose from pump to adapter,connect adapter to one of the faucet spuds, connect the two beer lines together with double male. Circulate through and out other tap. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CDC3LQXD?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_6
https://www.amazon.com/304SS-homebrew-Disconnect-Jumper-Post-Double/dp/B095FNQSF3/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=2E0KCK1670LU5&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.spHEubH87JQFi_Y3FtKJ98487r4skg2PdyM06xkgbrttvVa71Q5ZcTqH99aKYgmVSpXoROlioKhhoUQMX1ntYoDyyuojwhMTU_ejtME-VVq9JcZjdVjh5d1BBiSpluu64yQt7y0V3qQGi7jSb5s2YdlwQzfH7Ua8kCHu6838IxsjUxcJFWThQhWwA9gDTTcFC7VbOB4ZNXI4kqdt3PS6Jy2qlNS3FO-rES9tlAxIfT1aUGhSPHNR_ilnAsSdgM-QguEwLTYc8z2n-8-Du3-qsUFn10WcdQ7PVPsjNjj3B9Y.KLzvug7pFl8dT4pbyhZzGEtSvwJcLHgoeWsLiatJgp8&dib_tag=se&keywords=double+male+ball+lock&qid=1755962506&sprefix=double+male+ball+lock,aps,140&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

 

[Bobby_M]

Bought a used kegerator but there’s beer in the lines. Can’t for the life of me figure out how to get the cap off to remove the lines, and it looks like the previous owner couldn’t either. No way to remove tap either, it appears.

Vissani Beer Keg Cooler MCKC490S

Even the manual doesn’t tell you to clean the lines.

You could clean the lines but if you do want to replace them, that 3" round cap is just press fit into the tube. A flat screw driver will pry it out. it looks like the previous owner custom fit a little digital LCD thermometer into the cap that now has a dead battery.