Keg washer and wort chiller pump

[Transamguy77]

So a few months ago I started thinking of putting something together to circulate ice water through my chiller and now with the summer months coming and my ground water going to be in the 70's I should get started.

The wheels really got going when I received an email from Midwest supplies about a keg washer that was on sale, I thought I could make something to not only circulate ice water but double as a keg washer too. As any DIY homebrewer I am always looking to use what I have or come across to use in my brewery, so sometime ago I replaced an electric water pump on a 5 series BMW (it still pumped but didn't cool the car) at the time I couldn't get it to power up so I put it aside, now I was determined to get it to work so I sent a few emails, made a few calls and had a few of us at work put our heads together and got it to work!

Now all I had to do was take the image in my head to lowes and buy all the fittings and valves and put it all together. It only took me a couple of hours, would have been sooner but I neglected to check the clock position of the pump and had to use some wood to make a wedge to set the pump up so it would be square with the bin.

The only thing I need to add are the hoses and QD's for the corny posts
I need to hit the LHBS for a set of QD's and I'll be ready to wash kegs. Here are a few pics.

 

[NewBrewB]

I'm a little weirded out by the open/live alligator clips right next to a tub of water....probably worth another 30 mins and $15 to at least enclose that connection in some waterproof box.

Other than that, I am 'pumped' about building a combined keg washer/ cooling recirc.

 

[Hello]

That is actually super cool. I too am not sure about the power source either.

 

[Minbari]

its low voltage, you could dump a bucket of water on it and it wouldnt matter.

nice looking setup though

 

[ryan_george]

So do you hook this up to a battery charger, or park the 5er beside your brew stand?

And exposed 12V connections won't kill anyone

 

[Transamguy77]

I have since cut down a set of jumper cables and used butt connectors to connect everything up and sit the battery about 5ft away from it. since its low voltage there is not a concern for a shock of any kind. I also use the battery for my motorized Corona mill.

I'll post a vid the next time I wash some kegs. It works awesome!