Okay I posted something in the classifieds a while back about how I set up to clean kegs.
First let me say that this is a VERY basic setup. It is somewhat labor intensive but I only clean once a month or so and generally not more than 40 kegs at a time. It also probably does not do as good a job as some of the commercial systems but at roughly $0 dollars (I had all the pieces for other things) it works great.
It is based around my transfer pump which is a 1.5 hp Thomsen. I have attached the picture so you will have to pull it up and follow along. The process is a two step thing.
I invert my kegs on the frame of my plate and frame filter but you could use anything that will hold the keg upside down.
All steps assume that all valves on the setup are closed
Cleaning
1. Connect the setup to hot water and a regulated compressor supply. I do not recommend more than about 30psi.
2. Fill the reservoir with your cleaner of choice.
3. Connect a keg to the coupler and invert on to your stand.
4. Open the gas valve on the coupler to allow the keg to depressurize and drain anything out of it. At some point you can open the beer side of the coupler and use the air to pressurize the keg to speed this process up. Make sure you have the end of the gas out tube in your drain.
5. Open the water in valve and the pump out valve (ensure your air valve is closed at this point) and use water pressure to rinse the keg.
6. Close the water in valve and open the reservoir valve and the pump out valve. Place the gas out tube in the reservoir (watch out for splashing)
7. Turn on your pump. You should now be circulating the cleaner through your keg. I find that the pump pushes in faster than the keg can drain.
8. Clean for your choice of time.
9. Close the pump out valve and the reservoir valve. open the air valve and push all the cleaner out of the keg to the reservoir. (again watch for splashing)
10. Remove the gas line from the reservoir and place it in the drain.
11. Open the water in and the pump out valve and rinse the keg.
12. Close the water in and pump out valves and open the air valve to push the last of the rinse water out.
13. Close all valves including the coupler valves as soon as the keg is drained.
14. Decouple the keg and set aside.
15. Repeat steps 3 - 14 until all your kegs are cleaned.
Sanitizing
1. Connect the setup to cold water and a regulated co2 supply. I do not recommend more than about 30psi.
2. Fill the reservoir with your sanitizer of choice.
3. Connect a keg to the coupler and invert on to your stand.
4. Open the gas valve on the coupler to allow the keg to depressurize and drain anything out of it. Make sure you have the end of the gas out tube in your drain.
5. Open the reservoir valve and the pump out valve. Open the beer valve on the coupler. Place the gas out tube in the reservoir (watch out for splashing)
7. Turn on your pump. You should now be circulating the sanitizer through your keg. I find that the pump pushes in faster than the keg can drain.
8. Sanitize for your choice of time.
9. Close the pump out valve and the reservoir valve. Open the air valve and push all the sanitizer out of the keg to the reservoir. (again watch for splashing)
10. Close the gas valve on the coupler to pressurize the keg with co2
11. Close the air valve and the beer valve on the coupler.
12. Decouple the keg and set aside.
13. Repeat steps 3 - 12 until all your kegs are sanitized.
I hope this is of use to you guys and I apologize for the delay in getting all this together.
First let me say that this is a VERY basic setup. It is somewhat labor intensive but I only clean once a month or so and generally not more than 40 kegs at a time. It also probably does not do as good a job as some of the commercial systems but at roughly $0 dollars (I had all the pieces for other things) it works great.
It is based around my transfer pump which is a 1.5 hp Thomsen. I have attached the picture so you will have to pull it up and follow along. The process is a two step thing.
I invert my kegs on the frame of my plate and frame filter but you could use anything that will hold the keg upside down.
All steps assume that all valves on the setup are closed
Cleaning
1. Connect the setup to hot water and a regulated compressor supply. I do not recommend more than about 30psi.
2. Fill the reservoir with your cleaner of choice.
3. Connect a keg to the coupler and invert on to your stand.
4. Open the gas valve on the coupler to allow the keg to depressurize and drain anything out of it. At some point you can open the beer side of the coupler and use the air to pressurize the keg to speed this process up. Make sure you have the end of the gas out tube in your drain.
5. Open the water in valve and the pump out valve (ensure your air valve is closed at this point) and use water pressure to rinse the keg.
6. Close the water in valve and open the reservoir valve and the pump out valve. Place the gas out tube in the reservoir (watch out for splashing)
7. Turn on your pump. You should now be circulating the cleaner through your keg. I find that the pump pushes in faster than the keg can drain.
8. Clean for your choice of time.
9. Close the pump out valve and the reservoir valve. open the air valve and push all the cleaner out of the keg to the reservoir. (again watch for splashing)
10. Remove the gas line from the reservoir and place it in the drain.
11. Open the water in and the pump out valve and rinse the keg.
12. Close the water in and pump out valves and open the air valve to push the last of the rinse water out.
13. Close all valves including the coupler valves as soon as the keg is drained.
14. Decouple the keg and set aside.
15. Repeat steps 3 - 14 until all your kegs are cleaned.
Sanitizing
1. Connect the setup to cold water and a regulated co2 supply. I do not recommend more than about 30psi.
2. Fill the reservoir with your sanitizer of choice.
3. Connect a keg to the coupler and invert on to your stand.
4. Open the gas valve on the coupler to allow the keg to depressurize and drain anything out of it. Make sure you have the end of the gas out tube in your drain.
5. Open the reservoir valve and the pump out valve. Open the beer valve on the coupler. Place the gas out tube in the reservoir (watch out for splashing)
7. Turn on your pump. You should now be circulating the sanitizer through your keg. I find that the pump pushes in faster than the keg can drain.
8. Sanitize for your choice of time.
9. Close the pump out valve and the reservoir valve. Open the air valve and push all the sanitizer out of the keg to the reservoir. (again watch for splashing)
10. Close the gas valve on the coupler to pressurize the keg with co2
11. Close the air valve and the beer valve on the coupler.
12. Decouple the keg and set aside.
13. Repeat steps 3 - 12 until all your kegs are sanitized.
I hope this is of use to you guys and I apologize for the delay in getting all this together.
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