My First Craigslist Brewing Haul (pics) and a Question or Two...

[Evan!]

As you may know, I've been slowly but surely compiling all the crap I need for my Sanyo 4912 kegerator conversion. I've ordered the remaining equipment from kegconnection.com, but it hasn't shipped yet. The wife saw some stuff on craigslist last week that looked like a co2 tank and some other stuff. I offered the guy $50; I wasn't trying to rip him off or anything, it's just that all I really needed was the tank. He said he had another buyer who was offering more, I said oh well. But that guy fell through, so I went to pick up the stuff today.

Funny story---the guy took his truck into a dealer to get worked on, and when he got it back, there was this box of kegging equipment in it. Apparently, a worker had been using it for personal trips. He called to see if anyone was missing their stuff, but nobody was dumb enough to fall for that. The guy knew nothing about kegging---quite frankly, I don't know much either. So here's what I got for $50:

As you can see, there's about 800psi still left in the tank:

Here's what I know is in the haul:

5lb co2 tank w/ roughly 800psi left.
Single regulator w/ ~4' gas line tubing
Faucet
Shank w/ tubing
Beer line cleaner
Beer line brush
Wrench
Sanke tap

What I can't for the life of me figure out is what that weird bottle and black hand pump is all about:

The inside of the cap has two holes, one where the pump sticks into the bottle, the other is a longer tube:

So WTF is this thing, and do I want/need it?

So, my first thoughts are that I got a pretty good deal on all the stuff. I already ordered a dual reg, and I intend on using it, but maybe I can resell this single reg. I also don't need the sanke tap or the shank/faucet.

Thoughts? Answers?

 

[5 Is Not Enough]

I'm guessing a cleaning kit?

 

[Evan!]

I'm guessing a cleaning kit?

ha, you guessed right. Cool!

Here it is...

Guess I'll keep it...
EDIT: hmm, I wonder if this will work with corny kegs, as they have ball lock connectors, and this thing needs to have an open coupler...

 

[Boston]

Yes, a line cleaning kit

 

[eriktlupus]

the weird bottle is a cleaning pump. you put pbw or blc into it and pump the solution through your beer lines to clean em

 

[skou]

ha, you guessed right. Cool!

Here it is...

Guess I'll keep it...
EDIT: hmm, I wonder if this will work with corny kegs, as they have ball lock connectors, and this thing needs to have an open coupler...

Yep, it's a line cleaning kit. The LHBS I used to work at, sold them for $80, or so.

Sounds like you SCORED on your $50 purchase!

Oh, you remove your faucet, and screw thew connector to the shank right there. You put your keg adapter in a bucket, to catch the cleaner, as you pump it through the line.

steve

 

[Pabst Blue Robot]

FWIW, don't rely on the high pressure side of the tank for an accurate idea of how much CO2 you have left. It will change quite a bit depending on temperature, and should remain fairly constant (if the temp does) until you are almost empty. You may come to find that a second tank is indispensable depending on your distance from and the hours of the LHBS.

 

[eriktlupus]

FWIW, don't rely on the high pressure side of the tank for an accurate idea of how much CO2 you have left. It will change quite a bit depending on temperature, and should remain fairly constant (if the temp does) until you are almost empty. You may come to find that a second tank is indispensable depending on your distance from and the hours of the LHBS.

+1 check the tare wieght(T.W.) stamp on the tank, it' how much the tank weighs empty. TW-actual=co2 weight:cross: .

also check any fire extinguisher services in your area. my local one fills onsite for way less than airgas does (actually the fireshop told me airgas sends their co2 tanks to them to fill):rockin:

 

[skou]

FWIW, don't rely on the high pressure side of the tank for an accurate idea of how much CO2 you have left. It will change quite a bit depending on temperature, and should remain fairly constant (if the temp does) until you are almost empty. You may come to find that a second tank is indispensable depending on your distance from and the hours of the LHBS.

And, if you chart the pressures for various temps, you can actually use that gauge for a thermometer.

At least, until you run out of liquid Co2.

steve

 

[camiller]

... TW-actual=co2 weight ...

I think that is actual - TW = co2 weight (or if you prefer TW-actual=-co2 )

 

[Evan!]

Well, I guess I'll use it till it reads empty. Luckily I have a welding supply joint 3 doors down from my office, so refilling is not a problem. Thanks for the advice, guys.

 

[Evan!]

Yep, it's a line cleaning kit. The LHBS I used to work at, sold them for $80, or so.

Sounds like you SCORED on your $50 purchase!

Oh, you remove your faucet, and screw thew connector to the shank right there. You put your keg adapter in a bucket, to catch the cleaner, as you pump it through the line.

steve

But, correct me if I'm wrong, if a ball lock disconnect isn't "engaged" on the keg post, doesn't it close down? So would I have to remove the worm clamp from the line and take the disconnect off before doing this? Or maybe I don't know what I'm talking about, and a ball lock disconnect remains open regardless of whether it's engaged. ??

 

[FSR402]

But, correct me if I'm wrong, if a ball lock disconnect isn't "engaged" on the keg post, doesn't it close down? So would I have to remove the worm clamp from the line and take the disconnect off before doing this? Or maybe I don't know what I'm talking about, and a ball lock disconnect remains open regardless of whether it's engaged. ??

I use an empty keg and snap them on it. That keeps them open so it will flow.

 

[adx]

Micromatic has a section on their website somewhere about how to use the cleaning kit. It's a bit of a PITA. But, you don't really need the cleaning kit. You can always put some cleaning solution in an empty keg and just pump it through the lines. That cleaning kit is really useful if you're using commercial kegs.

 

[FlyGuy]

Yep, it's a line cleaning kit. The LHBS I used to work at, sold them for $80, or so.

Eighty bucks! Holy ****.

I made a 1 gallon version of the same thing that attaches right onto the gas in post of a corny keg -- it took me 15 secs to build and cost less than $20. I can post a pic if anyone is interested.

Great score by the way, Evan!

 

[skou]

Yep, $80!

One more reason I'm buying all my supplies on-line, at AHS. I'm getting my stuff cheaper, there, even after figuring my old discount from the LHBS.

steve

 

[skou]

I use an empty keg and snap them on it. That keeps them open so it will flow.

That is the way I cleaned out the lines, too. That kit IS made for cleaning lines, in a commercial (Sankey) keg rig.

I'd mix up some BLC in a small corny, and push it through the lines with Co2. I'd rinse it with some iodophor solution.

steve