Jockey Box help

[Snicklefritz]

I am assembling all the pieces to build a jockey box and I am struggling with how I want to have the beer lines exit the box and get attached to the keg. I want some way to easily disconnect the jockey box from the keg but don't want to spend a fortune doing it. The most common thing I've seen is using pass-thru shanks but I am having a hard time accepting $20/ea for these just to make an easy disconnect.

Are there any other options? Something like an adapter to connect two standard 1/4" flare nuts?

Any other ideas?

 

[b-boy]

I used these: http://www.micromatic.com/draft-keg-beer/jockey-boxes-pid-CPC-100.html. They provide a finished pass-thru opening in the cooler wall. The beer line is simply pushed through this opening. I have 5 of these on my jockey box.

I just attach the beer line to the cold plate, pass the line through these, and use a standard QD to attach to the keg. They work well. When I store the jockey box I simply pull the beer lines into cooler.

 

[swmalone]

That link goes to an empty shopping cart. I am curious about all of this much like the original poster. May I ask how you go about purging the lines and faucet after you disconnect the beer lines from you keg. Don't mean to hijack the thread just curious.

 

[b-boy]

Fixed it.

I run beer line cleaner through the lines before I put my jockey box in storage. I blow out the lines to remove all liquid. I store it with the lines dry.

When I use it, I run beer line cleaner again, soak for a few hours, then purge with water and then star san.

 

[dfess1]

I built a 4 pass jockey box. Just cut a hole at the top of the cooler and epoxied a piece of 1 1/2" or 2" pvc in the hole. Then all 4 lines hang out there. There is enough beer line to get to the kegs, and when in storage I just push them all back in so that the QD's are crammed together in the pvc hole.

 

[cjokrap]

I built a 4 pass jockey box. Just cut a hole at the top of the cooler and epoxied a piece of 1 1/2" or 2" pvc in the hole. Then all 4 lines hang out there. There is enough beer line to get to the kegs, and when in storage I just push them all back in so that the QD's are crammed together in the pvc hole.

This is pretty much what I did. It was my first attempt at a jockey box, and I'm sure if I had the cash handy, I would do something fancier. BUT, this works like a champ.

 

[Schemy]

Fixed it.

I run beer line cleaner through the lines before I put my jockey box in storage. I blow out the lines to remove all liquid. I store it with the lines dry.

When I use it, I run beer line cleaner again, soak for a few hours, then purge with water and then star san.

What do you use to blow out the line? Do you have a cold plate or coils?

 

[hopjunkie26]

My question too. I have a cold plate in mine (4 pass) and I run water through it, then cleaner, then rinse. Then, I hook up to an empty keg and try to push out any remaining liquid.

No matter how I let it sit, turn it, etc, I always end up with water in mine.

 

[swmalone]

I have been dealing with this same thing as I am working to set up my first jockey box. I came across an older 5 pass jockey box and have been running all sorts of cleaners through the lines, then rinsed. No matter what I did it seemed I couldn't blow out all the water.

 

[hopjunkie26]

I know with plate chillers (which I don't use) people will put them in the oven to bake out any liquid left in them. Every time I use my jockey box I don't want to have to disconnect it all and put it in the oven. No, I don't use it all that often, but still a pain.

There has to be a way.

 

[govner1]

SS coils

 

[dfess1]

I have a plate. I use the spray bottle cleaner thing a ma jig that has a million posts to to push PBW through each line, then flush, then some sanitizer. Let that sit, then when I go to use it, I push the beer through first, then put the ice in. That way you don't freeze the water/sanitizer in the plate.

 

[b-boy]

What do you use to blow out the line? Do you have a cold plate or coils?

I have a cold plate and a compressor. You could probably rig up a bike pump to get most of the moisture out. I don't want water in there during the cold winter months and I don't want to create an environment where any 'nasties' can grow.

I bought my cold plate used. The first time I used it I flushed it with line cleaner. I was completely grossed out by what came out of the taps. It looked like a black slug about the size of my pinky. It was nasty looking.

Now I always do a beer line soak for several hours before I use the jockey box.

 

[swmalone]

I also got my cold plate used and it was used for various sodas. The stuff that came out once I finally got it to loosen up was disgusting. I have ran pbw through it, let it sit, rinsed repeatedly, then did it all over again. I plan to sanitize right before I hook it up.

 

[b-boy]

Try beer line cleaner. The stuff is magic IMHO. It does a much better job than PBW.

 

[Snicklefritz]

Sorry I haven't responded here yet. I ended up going with a thin wall PVC pipe that I pushed through the cooler walls. Fit the 1/4" I.D. line perfectly. Ill take some pics if i get some time.