Remove all seals on corny to clean/lube? Or is it damaging?

[GratefulBear]

Do you guys use a dental tool or similar to remove and clean/lube all the seals on your corny kegs? The ones on the post are a little tough to get off and I feel like I damage them a little when I remove them (I've been using a butter knife but maybe use a dental tool next time). Should I just leave them on and wash the posts as a whole / lube the exposed part or should I be fully disassembling them? Thanks

 

[logdrum]

Get you one of these:https://www.lowes.com/pd/CRAFTSMAN-...1LK5kaFdJ1y6GXTqNpsaArDTEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Also for the record, I fully disassemble my kegs-including o-rings-every time.

 

[Robert65]

Do you guys use a dental tool or similar to remove and clean/lube all the seals on your corny kegs? The ones on the post are a little tough to get off and I feel like I damage them a little when I remove them (I've been using a butter knife but maybe use a dental tool next time). Should I just leave them on and wash the posts as a whole / lube the exposed part or should I be fully disassembling them? Thanks

I disassemble and remove all the internal o-rings (lid and dip tubes) to clean. I find it's virtually impossible to get the post o-rings off without destroying them, and they don't come into direct contact with beer. So I just clean the posts by soaking with them in place, and only remove them when they're worn and need replacement. I lube them, and spray the post with Star San before connecting the QD.

 

[VirginiaHops1]

I honestly hardly ever actually remove the O-rings to clean. I typically just clean them where they are(hot water rinse). The ones one the dip tubes are easy enough to slide up and down while cleaning. I take apart my QDs occasionally and clean those but don't take off the tiny o-rings there either. I really only take off the keg post O-rings if I'm replacing them. I found those little corn on the cob skewer things work great for getting under the post O-rings and removing them without damage, if I need to.

 

[day_trippr]

There's no doubt removing and re-assembling posts will take some toll on O-rings, especially if installed dry as it can cause micro-tears on the O-ring surface ("Don't do that"). But if a keg has exhibited clogging one has to do what one must.

I'm pretty OC about keeping debris out of my kegs to begin with - have literally never plugged a poppet - and since I got a Mark II keg washer a couple of years ago I have not been removing posts at all. So far so good...

Cheers!

 

[GratefulBear]

Thanks guys, seems like it's 3-1 against removing poppet o-rings unless replacing. I like that too because it's easier

 

[BrewingAroundtheRrealm]

For my first couple of years of kegging I never removed the o-rings. I cleaned them in place, sanitized, lubed them and put the keg back together.

Then I had to replace a set because I filled one of the kegs with root beer for my son. Found that packs of 100 of each size are not that expensive on Amazon. I now remove and replace them every time. It's a personal choice. But 100 sets of o-rings is going to last me about 2 years if I replace them every time.

 

[IslandLizard]

I find it's virtually impossible to get the post o-rings off without destroying them

I use one of those small "jewelers" screwdrivers, not the smallest, perhaps about 1/16" wide. I stick it, coming from the top, into the channel behind the o-ring and flip it over. Easy peasy, no damage, ever.

 

[ZuzBrews]

Or you can get these from Harbor Freight:
https://www.harborfreight.com/search?q=o ring tool

 

[Transamguy77]

I have been kegging for 7-8 years and I built a keg washer and some of my kegs I have never replaced any of the o rings. Some of my kegs were “reconditioned” and had all new o rings and since I haven’t had to take them apart I just left them alone.

I did just order all new o rings and I am going to break down all my kegs shortly and clean and replace all the o rings since they have been sitting for awhile unused.

 

[NitrogenWidget]

For the most part I just pop the lid, give them a quick spritz to get the sediment our the close them back up and run sanitizer through them with a garden sprayer that has a keg connector on the end.
Then I attach the other connector and let it blow out the dip tube for a bit.
Leave some in and just let them sit until needed.
Give them a good shake and pour out before filling.

Really only fully disassemble if I’ve been lazy and let them sit empty for a while without cleaning.

 

[odie]

I break down my kegs completely every time....dip tubes and O-rings, poppets, PRV.....everything except for the o-rings on the QD posts

Use keg lube every time on all the rubber parts