Specifications for keg washer pump?

[kiwipen]

I'm considering making a keg washer, and I wonder what specification the pump should have? The washer should be able to circulate soap trough the post and also spray the inside. Either with a spray ball or a cheaper home made solution.

How many liters per minute, what fitting size, what kind of material?

This might be a stupid project, and it might make more sense to just buy a keg washer, but it's fun to build stuff.

 

[IslandLizard]

I've seen several DIY keg washers posted using this 1/4 HP, 30 gpm Superior Submersible Pump.

It makes a lot of commercially available washers, like the Mark II, look like a toy.

 

[Drumminguy81]

I use this stainless one from harbor freight although I got it on sale plus a 20% off coupon and paid about half what it's now listed at.. but I love it. Works amazing.

https://m.harborfreight.com/34-hp-s...inless-steel-construction-4400-gph-63477.html

I also use this one that has been going strong cleaning kegs for 5 years.. mine is black though but looks to be the same pump..

https://m.harborfreight.com/13-hp-submersible-utility-pump-2000-gph-63318.html

I run 150* water through them frequently as well as pbw and starsan. Never had a problem.

 

[NeoBrew]

I've seen several DIY keg washers posted using this 1/4 HP, 30 gpm Superior Submersible Pump.

It makes a lot of commercially available washers, like the Mark II, look like a toy.

I have the Superior. It's incorporated into a 7 gallon bucket and PVC manifold DIY washer. The pump is about 2 years old. It has been working perfectly. It makes my old Mark II keg washer pump look weak by comparison. My only complaint is that due to it's height it's a little less versatile than the Mark II pump. For the price I'm pretty sure it can't be beat.

 

[day_trippr]

The Mark II is the Barley Crusher of keg & carboy cleaners...

Cheers!

 

[IslandLizard]

The Mark II is the Barley Crusher of keg & carboy cleaners...

What exactly are you hinting at?

 

[stevehaun]

I used a utility pump for my keg washer. It began leaking oil. I would recommend an oil-free utility pump or a pond pump.

 

[day_trippr]

In short, I'm not a fan.
In more words, it's only good at cleaning the bottom of a keg or carboy. Relying on water merely running down the sides to break up dried krausen/hop mush around the shoulder of a carboy, or cutting the hop resin from keg sidewalls, is not a recipe for success...

Cheers!

 

[SanPancho]

I dunno. CIP is running water for the mechanical action, plus chemical action, plus heat - youve got a clean tank.

Works for us. Clean as a whistle.

 

[day_trippr]

fwiw I do CIP with hot caustics on my brew rig - with spray balls, which are hella more effective than anything the Mark II or similar systems offer.
Anyway, hot caustics + glass carboys = bad juju. Most of my italian glass is almost 20 years old (bought new) and I'd like to keep their bottoms attached for awhile longer

Cheers!

 

[teesherv]

I use this stainless one from harbor freight although I got it on sale plus a 20% off coupon and paid about half what it's now listed at.. but I love it. Works amazing.

https://m.harborfreight.com/34-hp-s...inless-steel-construction-4400-gph-63477.html

I also use this one that has been going strong cleaning kegs for 5 years.. mine is black though but looks to be the same pump..

https://m.harborfreight.com/13-hp-submersible-utility-pump-2000-gph-63318.html

I run 150* water through them frequently as well as pbw and starsan. Never had a problem.

I use the second pump for my keg / carboy cleaning. Waited for a sale and picked up cheap.

 

[IslandLizard]

I use this stainless one from harbor freight although I got it on sale plus a 20% off coupon and paid about half what it's now listed at.

mine is black though but looks to be the same pump.

Exactly! The big problem with HF is that if you don't buy it on sale and preferably together with a Super coupon you're grossly overpaying for most of their items. It's a strange business model, hard to fathom for down to earth people.

Without the discount, $85 (HF) vs $50 (Amazon, every day).

 

[SanPancho]

fwiw I do CIP with hot caustics on my brew rig - with spray balls, which are hella more effective than anything the Mark II or similar systems offer.
Anyway, hot caustics + glass carboys = bad juju. Most of my italian glass is almost 20 years old (bought new) and I'd like to keep their bottoms attached for awhile longer

Cheers!

you really are crazy with that glass. between the pressurizing and the heat, oh yeah, id be pretty scared too. the spray ball is a huge plus, but its just the continous cascading water that does the mechanical work. should work similarly in a 5gal vs a 5bbl. but yes, spray ball helps alot.

i assume you just keep the heat down to a manageable level, like 120ish? you dont need full caustics, you can use the regular powder alkaline and get good results. pbw, brewReze, etc?

 

[day_trippr]

I think you misread what I wrote: I never, ever use hot anything on my glass. Indeed, I use cleaning/rinsing solutions within 5°F of the carboy with agents that will work at that temperature. I am so OC about temperature changes that when I rack out of cold-crashed carboys I don't rinse them out until they've reached room temperature. Applying even room temperature water to a ~36°F carboy is begging for the bottom to fall off someday...

Cheers!

 

[SanPancho]

ah, got it. Yeah I guess you’d really have to dial in your chems if you’re not using any heat. Although usually increasing time is usually the answer.

 

[augiedoggy]

I used this last night to CIP my 110g plastic conicals and it worked great! very powerful so much so I neeeded to upgrade to 1.4"ID intake hose. we are using it for keg cleaning and whirlpooling as well.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Stainless-...h=item363b8d98af:g:magAAOSwB3BaKPC8:rk:3:pf:0

 

[IslandLizard]

I used this last night to CIP my 110g plastic conicals and it worked great! very powerful so much so I neeeded to upgrade to 1.4"ID intake hose. we are using it for keg cleaning and whirlpooling as well.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Stainless-...h=item363b8d98af:g:magAAOSwB3BaKPC8:rk:3:pf:0

0.75 kW is one true HP of input. No wonder it worked well.

Maybe time to put that old pool pump to work...

 

[SanPancho]

I used this last night to CIP my 110g plastic conicals and it worked great! very powerful so much so I neeeded to upgrade to 1.4"ID intake hose. we are using it for keg cleaning and whirlpooling as well.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Stainless-...h=item363b8d98af:g:magAAOSwB3BaKPC8:rk:3:pf:0

I’ve been considering buying one of those. Had it long? No issues?

My biggest concern was finding replacement parts, especially the seal kit. Did they tell you if there’s a commonly available seal kit? Or did you order extra s?

 

[SanPancho]

duplicate

 

[augiedoggy]

I’ve been considering buying one of those. Had it long? No issues?

My biggest concern was finding replacement parts, especially the seal kit. Did they tell you if there’s a commonly available seal kit? Or did you order extra s?

I already replaced the seal since I damage the original one when I pulled the pump apart to get the specs on the seals.. they use a ceramic water pump seal... I like it but its a bit too powerful I think if anything. works great for cip. Only brewed twice with it so far.. still dialing the new brew system in. It uses a seal like this but it wasnt this Size I think.. I have to measure it again.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Water-Pump...m=310987631982&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

 

[4of7]

I'm considering making a keg washer, and I wonder what specification the pump should have? The washer should be able to circulate soap trough the post and also spray the inside. Either with a spray ball or a cheaper home made solution.

How many liters per minute, what fitting size, what kind of material?

This might be a stupid project, and it might make more sense to just buy a keg washer, but it's fun to build stuff.

keg washing with pump