Keg/Carboy Washer

[kenyabob]

Thanks for the tip on this. I did want to use a spray nozzle or some kind of cap. I wasn't aware about being rated for back pressure. I'll hunt around some more.

 

[kenyabob]

I'm having a hard time finding PSI information or back pressure ability for a lot of these pumps. Would pond pumps or hyrdrofarm pumps be suited for this, however, since most of them are connected to some kind of spray head?

Example:
http://is.gd/VVDkNv

 

[Brew-ta-sauraus]

Just about any pump will work for this washer. Check the beginning of the thread and guys are using pond pumps. I built one using a 12 volt bilge pump from harbor freight ($9.00). I use a ac to dc converter rated for 4 amps to run the pump from a wall socket. It doesnt take much paower to run the water up a pvc tube and out a spray nozzel into your keg to wash it.

 

[kenyabob]

Wow, this thing is great! I just bought a 620 gph pump from harbor freight (http://www.harborfreight.com/620-gph-submersible-fountain-pump-68393.html) It's on sale for $35 now. I cleaned my sanke keg fermenters and a corny keg already. Total cost was $40 (pump, homer bucket lid, and 3/4" pvc parts)! Cleaning the sanke makes this thing well worth it.

Your pump has a removable filter in it. Do you use it while you are cleaning? Or do you run it without the filter?

 

[kenyabob]

Just about any pump will work for this washer. Check the beginning of the thread and guys are using pond pumps. I built one using a 12 volt bilge pump from harbor freight ($9.00). I use a ac to dc converter rated for 4 amps to run the pump from a wall socket. It doesnt take much paower to run the water up a pvc tube and out a spray nozzel into your keg to wash it.

That's what I am starting to understand. People seem to be having success with as little as 300gph, and certainly upward from there (1500, 2000gph). I think I might just get the 600gph pond pump and call it good!

 

[JonW]

That's what I am starting to understand. People seem to be having success with as little as 300gph, and certainly upward from there (1500, 2000gph). I think I might just get the 600gph pond pump and call it good!

Depending on what you're cleaning, you do have to be careful of having TOO MUCH flow. In addition to cleaning my cornies, I also put my sanke kegs (fermenters) on my keg cleaner. Sometimes the PBW solution doesn't come out of the keg as fast as it goes in and the pump can start sucking air.

 

[AussieBrewerInColorado]

thanks all, really tired of cleaning carboy's, gonna build this bad boy with a 15% off coupon at HF. Cheers!

 

[AussieBrewerInColorado]

Would this work?
http://www.harborfreight.com/16-horsepower-submersible-utility-pump-68422.html

 

[odie313]

Yes that pump will work great, its what I use for my keg/carboy cleaner.

 

[AussieBrewerInColorado]

Thanks odie313. They didn't have that in stock (doh!), I ended up getting this one that most here are using http://www.harborfreight.com/620-gph-submersible-fountain-pump-68393.html
Pretty simple to set-up, I wanted to go all threaded or use adapters to do the threaded pieces so I can take it all apart. My challenge was the cap had those strips for tightening/gripping and won't fit in the carboy.
Question for all, how much water/pbw do you guys put in? Was thinking enough water to cover the pump and a tablespoon'ish of pbw? cheers! Can't wait to get this bad boy working and all set-up.

 

[-MG-]

I'm considering building a similar idea, but trying to see if I can contain the entire setup in my 14" deep stainless sink bowl. I just bought the McMaster plastic sprayball that I intend to use.

I'll probably just build a platform out of cpvc with the quick disconnects as well. This way everything gets cleaned and hopefully contains everything in the sink bowl.

I'm still a little nervous about these pumps that people are using. Most say they aren't rated for about 77 F water, yet I don't think that's been a problem and sounds like the pumps actually heat up the water as well. I'm considering this one:

http://www.harborfreight.com/1-hors...ty-water-pump-with-float-69300.html?hftref=cj

I like it for the stainless steel housing.

Final question: are people just recirculating their cleaning solution into multiple kegs? Does it matter that trub and yeast will dirty the cleaning water for the next keg?

 

[-MG-]

I just went to harbor freight and picked up this pump:

http://www.harborfreight.com/35-horsepower-dirty-water-pump-with-float-switch-69298.html

The box says 21 PSI on the outside. There were other versions, including the one I linked above but it was only 8 PSI.

I also just got my mcmaster plastic spray ball, this thing is tiny! Off to the hardware store to put together my fittings.

 

[Brian4x4]

I just went to harbor freight and picked up this pump:

http://www.harborfreight.com/35-horsepower-dirty-water-pump-with-float-switch-69298.html

The box says 21 PSI on the outside. There were other versions, including the one I linked above but it was only 8 PSI.

I also just got my mcmaster plastic spray ball, this thing is tiny! Off to the hardware store to put together my fittings.

I have that same pump!
Mine works great! 25gpm I think it calculated out to. I got it for 30 bucks with a coupon.
Tip for any doing this, use the smallest tube you can like 1/2" pvc so the water can drain out fastest. Also drill small holes not large. I fould 1/8th was too large and pumped too much water into the bottle and it pools at bottom.
use less holes as well.
4-5 on top then a row of small holes around where the fermenting line is.

The thing has some force and it like a pressure washer. I don't have to leave mine on for more than 5-10 min and all clean using PBW.
oxi clean foams too much.
dishwasher soap even worked for me before I bought the PBW cleaner.

my total build cost was about 40$ and I would recommend this project to anyone!
great idea.
I still need to adapt mine to have the keg hose hookups.(cut the PVC and put them in someday)

Here are the 2 wands I made so far. I am going to make a third 1 with smaller holes and less of them like I said.

little video of mine in action..(old video with the 1st tube I made out of 3/4" PVC. I don't have a new video of other one running. it is the same thing pretty much. lol) you can hear the pressure!



washing my keg fermentor.

 

[kenyabob]

I cannot seem to be able to find the male thread to 1/4 barb nylon pieces anywhere in town. I've found a few them in brass at plumbing shops for 4 dollars a piece, and on amazon for about the same price in plastic, but for a 10 pack. Anyone with leads where I can find the barb fitting to let the washer hook up to the quick disconnects?

 

[HawkATP]

I gave up using this set up for cleaning my kegs because it just wasn't cleaning the krausen ring on my sanke keg fermenter. I've been using the carboy cleaner for kegs from http://www.carboycleaner.com/. It works great, a lot less work too.

 

[Brian4x4]

I gave up using this set up for cleaning my kegs because it just wasn't cleaning the krausen ring on my sanke keg fermenter. I've been using the carboy cleaner for kegs from http://www.carboycleaner.com/. It works great, a lot less work too.

hahaha funny thing is I use this and that as well. I hook my drill up and spin it all up then spray it then spin it again then finish with another spray. sooooo easy. no hassle clean in less than 10 min.

 

[Brian4x4]

my mistake the brush I use is not that one. (that one cost to much) this one I found cheaper and works just as good. (and is softer)

 

[Brian4x4]

this is what I use. Works much better now that I drilled smaller holes in the tube.
watch the end when it drains lightning fast.
its a carboy pressure washer now!

Had a little trouble with one spot but it's because I was watching it, if I just let it go it would have gone away.
but that is why I use my drill and spin scrubber as well then back to the washer...

 

[davidgsmit]

Two things regarding this build after having built mine today;

Probably the best size drill bit for this project is a 1/16th bit. I have 9 holes on the top that are 1/16th and another 8 in the shaft (to clean around the neck of the carboy) that are 5/32 in size. I wish i had made these 1/16 as well as i'm getting just a bit more water than my carboy can drain with the 1/2 inch pvc line. In other words i think it could handle 8 holes in the pvc neck/line and 9 up top for a total of 17 1/16 holes. I have this hooked up to the 1/6hp pump from harbor freight (http://www.harborfreight.com/16-horsepower-submersible-utility-pump-68422.html) that puts out 1350 gph. I get quite a bit of pressure with this setup.

Second; can somebody tell me the brand name of the low-foaming oxyclean?? I bought the stuff at my dollar store as was mentioned on this thread, but i suspect it isn't the same stuff as mine has been foaming too much. Once it foams up a bit the holes in the shaft stop wirking as the water starts collecting in the carboy. The foam doesnt seem to be an issue till you actually get some crud mixed in the water, them the foam starts to form. Thanks!

 

[J-Pizzel]

Aaaarrrrrrgggghhhhhh! Heard a crash, initially thought it was the cat. Nope, gravity strikes again! I think it got a lil top heavy and nature took its course. What sucks is another 6 gal carboy met the same fate about 30 minutes prior after rolling about a foot on the cement, didn't hit anything, it just decided to implode or something....

 

[ocluke]

Second; can somebody tell me the brand name of the low-foaming oxyclean?? I bought the stuff at my dollar store as was mentioned on this thread, but i suspect it isn't the same stuff as mine has been foaming too much. Once it foams up a bit the holes in the shaft stop wirking as the water starts collecting in the carboy. The foam doesnt seem to be an issue till you actually get some crud mixed in the water, them the foam starts to form. Thanks!

You want PBW by Five Star Chemicals. To my knowledge, Oxyclean comes in two options, regular and free (free of perfumes and dies). It does not have a low foaming agent or rinse aid like PBW does.

 

[Islandboy85]

Would a mag drive pond pump work or does it need to be shaft driven? Maybe something like this? http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002RBGFA4/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[easttex]

Do you really need a rotating ball or nozzle of any kind at the tip?

Why not just an open pipe blasting water at the top? I would think the water would spread at the top and run down the walls of carboys, cornies, and sankes enough to get the job done.

Any thoughts?

Resurrecting an older part of the thread here but to answer this question: yes, it works for me. I'm using a 630gph hydroponics pump to pump warm C-Brite solution up about 20" of CPVC. No spray bar or wands; the cleaner just shoots up the pipe and cascades back down. The only hiccup I've had so far was needing to cut a larger hole in the bucket lid. This setup will clean a krausen ring out of 5 and 6.5 gallon carboys if you leave it run long enough. When I'm done I empty the bucket and repeat the setup using clean water to rinse.

Also, none my fittings are glued in. Everything is just tightly pressed into place. Works fairly well for a $41 investment.

 

[rzuck]

I just wanted to say thanks to all of those who have taken the time to post Keg/Carboy washer builds. I just built one this weekend using a mashup of your ideas and I have to say that this thing is fantastic! It was simple and quick to build, relatively inexpensive, and literally cleans the crap out of your dirty brewing hardware. No more scrubbing kegs and carboys for me.

Thanks again to all for your great ideas.

 

[yewtah-brewha]

Harborfreight has a pump for 12.00, it only does 200 gph, has anyone tried this pump?

All the other pumps in the 600 gph range are like 60.00, for that price why not just buy the commercially built one!

 

[Redcat]

I use this pump to clean kegs.

I've used it with a PVC tee like I've seen in this thread for a couple years now, along with two connections for a Corny keg. Sometimes I'll need to use a brush afterwards, but generally it gets it pretty clean.

You can use Oxiclean or Oxiclean + TSP 90 (knockoff PBW) in the cleaner but you'll need to use some baby gas drops or Fermcap (both are Simethicone). That'll reduce the amount of foaming from the Oxiclean.

I've only had a small container of PBW, and it foamed up just as bad as Oxiclean for me.

 

[Dolomieu]

I use this pump to clean kegs.

I've used it with a PVC tee like I've seen in this thread for a couple years now, along with two connections for a Corny keg. Sometimes I'll need to use a brush afterwards, but generally it gets it pretty clean.

You can use Oxiclean or Oxiclean + TSP 90 (knockoff PBW) in the cleaner but you'll need to use some baby gas drops or Fermcap (both are Simethicone). That'll reduce the amount of foaming from the Oxiclean.

I've only had a small container of PBW, and it foamed up just as bad as Oxiclean for me.

I use to use that pump, but when i was cleaning a bucket one day i notices and oily residue. I smelled of a petroleum product. so i haven't used it for that since. It worked really well right up to that point.

 

[yewtah-brewha]

I use to use that pump, but when i was cleaning a bucket one day i notices and oily residue. I smelled of a petroleum product. so i haven't used it for that since. It worked really well right up to that point.

Thanks for your input, thats exactly why I dont want to drop 40-60 bucks on a pump, I am heading to HF to get the 12.00 200 gph and I will report back. If it sucks, Ill take it back!