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  • Make your own draft cleaning system?

    I was looking at the options out there for draft cleaning systems. It seems that the gold standard is the expensive micromatic unit. Has anyone found a more affordable pre-made options out there that they are happy with or are these things simple aquarium pumps hidden behind a nice package(slight exaggeration I hope). Do they pulse on/off to help cleaning or are they literally just a pump sized to operate at a pressure that is OK for draft equipment and handle the acid/caustic conditions?


    Thanks in advance. Wish I didnt have to rub pennies together all the time, but always up for making something myself.


    Brian

  • #2
    Hey Brian,

    Right now I am just using a sixtel filled with BLC solution followed by a sixtel of water rinse, all pushed with CO2. My plan is to ultimately get one of the multi-head cans, but right now I need my $$$ for ingredients and employee salaries (we're in that dead zone, money-wise, as we don't open to the general public until 3/19.)


    Originally posted by briangaylor View Post
    I was looking at the options out there for draft cleaning systems. It seems that the gold standard is the expensive micromatic unit. Has anyone found a more affordable pre-made options out there that they are happy with or are these things simple aquarium pumps hidden behind a nice package(slight exaggeration I hope). Do they pulse on/off to help cleaning or are they literally just a pump sized to operate at a pressure that is OK for draft equipment and handle the acid/caustic conditions?


    Thanks in advance. Wish I didnt have to rub pennies together all the time, but always up for making something myself.
    Kevin Shertz
    Chester River Brewing Company
    Chestertown, MD

    Comment


    • #3
      Very easy to do, and not too expensive-->$300.

      You need:

      Pump--SHURflo model 1805-213-236--~$125 depending on where you buy it. This is a diaphragm-type PD pump, with pressure cut-off built in so you don't blow lines.

      4 Faucet Adapters--from your beverage system supplier. ~$5/ea.

      2 Double Flushers--same place you got the FAs. Be sure these have ball-lifters built in. ~$15/ea.

      Optional--if you have any serial kegs, you need a Serial Cup for each.

      Some tubing--braid-reinforced vinyl is the best here.

      This set-up will clean four tap systems at a time--line restriction makes this a practical limit.

      Two of the FAs go on one hose, long enough to connect the two most distant faucets together--your jumper. One goes on the end of the hose from the pump outlet, the last goes on the return line.

      The basic set-up is cleaner bucket--pump inlet hose--pump--faucet adapter--shank--double-flusher connecting two keg couplers--jumper to the next faucet shank--double-flusher--return line from last shank to bucket.

      Prices are best I can recall.
      Timm Turrentine

      Brewerywright,
      Terminal Gravity Brewing,
      Enterprise. Oregon.

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by TGTimm View Post
        Very easy to do, and not too expensive-->$300.

        You need:

        Pump--SHURflo model 1805-213-236--~$125 depending on where you buy it. This is a diaphragm-type PD pump, with pressure cut-off built in so you don't blow lines.

        4 Faucet Adapters--from your beverage system supplier. ~$5/ea.

        2 Double Flushers--same place you got the FAs. Be sure these have ball-lifters built in. ~$15/ea.

        Optional--if you have any serial kegs, you need a Serial Cup for each.

        Some tubing--braid-reinforced vinyl is the best here.

        This set-up will clean four tap systems at a time--line restriction makes this a practical limit.

        Two of the FAs go on one hose, long enough to connect the two most distant faucets together--your jumper. One goes on the end of the hose from the pump outlet, the last goes on the return line.

        The basic set-up is cleaner bucket--pump inlet hose--pump--faucet adapter--shank--double-flusher connecting two keg couplers--jumper to the next faucet shank--double-flusher--return line from last shank to bucket.

        Prices are best I can recall.

        Thanks - if your price estimates are even remotely close this looks to be half the cost of the micromatic solution. I'll have to check this option out.

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by briangaylor View Post
          Thanks - if your price estimates are even remotely close this looks to be half the cost of the micromatic solution. I'll have to check this option out.
          I think the pump Timm means is actually SHURflo 8025-213-236, this one:

          The SHURflo 8025-213-236 Delivery Pump is ideal in applications that require high pressure and a flow rate of 1.4 GPM and low amp draw. The pump can be mounted in any position, is compact and is designed for long trouble-free life. Spherically shaped valves and diaphragms are available in a variety of materials to meet


          apologies if I'm wrong, but this was the closest thing I found to the product ID he gave, and it looks like it would work.

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by TGTimm View Post
            Very easy to do, and not too expensive-->$300.

            You need:

            Pump--SHURflo model 1805-213-236--~$125 depending on where you buy it. This is a diaphragm-type PD pump, with pressure cut-off built in so you don't blow lines.

            4 Faucet Adapters--from your beverage system supplier. ~$5/ea.

            2 Double Flushers--same place you got the FAs. Be sure these have ball-lifters built in. ~$15/ea.

            Optional--if you have any serial kegs, you need a Serial Cup for each.

            Some tubing--braid-reinforced vinyl is the best here.

            This set-up will clean four tap systems at a time--line restriction makes this a practical limit.

            Two of the FAs go on one hose, long enough to connect the two most distant faucets together--your jumper. One goes on the end of the hose from the pump outlet, the last goes on the return line.

            The basic set-up is cleaner bucket--pump inlet hose--pump--faucet adapter--shank--double-flusher connecting two keg couplers--jumper to the next faucet shank--double-flusher--return line from last shank to bucket.

            Prices are best I can recall.
            Do you have a good source for double flushers online? The ones I am seeing are $65/each. The rest of the items I have been able to find cheap/local.

            Thanks!

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by uptown brothers View Post
              I think the pump Timm means is actually SHURflo 8025-213-236, this one:

              The SHURflo 8025-213-236 Delivery Pump is ideal in applications that require high pressure and a flow rate of 1.4 GPM and low amp draw. The pump can be mounted in any position, is compact and is designed for long trouble-free life. Spherically shaped valves and diaphragms are available in a variety of materials to meet


              apologies if I'm wrong, but this was the closest thing I found to the product ID he gave, and it looks like it would work.
              My apologies--you are absolutely correct. My fingers seem to be getting dyselxic.

              For the double-flushers, I was just guessing there, but I seem to recall seeing them in that price range somewhere... ours were from a bunch of used stuff we bought years ago. We source most of our beverage serving supplies and equipment from FH Steinbart Co. in Portland, OR https://www.fhsteinbart.com/ . Ask for Mike--these guys are great and their prices are usually as good as I can find anywhere. Don't be fooled by the website--they are a professional pub supplier, not just homebrew supplies--'though many of us started in this biz with help from Steinbart's!

              Mike set me up with the pump, faucet adapters, and serial cups for a pretty good price, and helped me get the system up and running.

              Even if they do cost $65, they last forever. I have had to modify one to work with some of our couplers--the ball-lifters were too short--but it wasn't hard and Mike at FHS explained the process to me.


              The Micromatic system, I believe, uses a pulsating and reversing pump. While much more expensive, Micromatic claims it does a better job of cleaning. I'm not sure how much better it could be than my home-made set up, which works very well.
              Last edited by TGTimm; 03-10-2016, 02:02 PM.
              Timm Turrentine

              Brewerywright,
              Terminal Gravity Brewing,
              Enterprise. Oregon.

              Comment


              • #8
                Based on this thread I was able to build my own for about $300 including shipping - not bad!

                Comment


                • #9
                  An empty keg does the job just fine

                  Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by briangaylor View Post
                    Based on this thread I was able to build my own for about $300 including shipping - not bad!
                    Can you post an itemized list of what you ordered and who you ordered it from for posterity's sake on this thread? Thanks!
                    Kevin Shertz
                    Chester River Brewing Company
                    Chestertown, MD

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      If any one finds an inexpensive source off double flusher with ball lifters please post a link. We are coupling the beer out lines a and hand cleaning the coupler.
                      We eventually are going to build up another pump to clean 20 lines simultaneously. the time saved in using double flushers could add substantial time to cleaning the lines and faucets.


                      Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by ChesterBrew View Post
                        Can you post an itemized list of what you ordered and who you ordered it from for posterity's sake on this thread? Thanks!
                        pump


                        cleaning attachment
                        Regular beer line cleaning improves the taste and pour of draft beer. This cleaning attachment is essential for a proper seal of 3/16" inner diameter beer line.


                        double flusher
                        This beer line cleaning kit allows you to clean two beer lines at once by connecting two D or S system keg couplers together to double your efficiency.




                        It will need a few fittings and tubing but nothing that couldnt be found at a home depot or plumbing supply store or your own pile of leftovers

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Lars Kleegman View Post
                          An empty keg does the job just fine

                          Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk
                          No, it doesn't. We used static cleaning with a four-head Corny keg for years. The continuous-flow system is much faster and just does a better job. We clean 8 lines with 16 faucets in less than an hour.

                          The two biggest time savers are that the cleaning cycles are about half what's recommended for static cleaning (12-15 minutes vs. 30), and you can be tearing down and cleaning the faucets while the cleaning cycle runs.
                          Timm Turrentine

                          Brewerywright,
                          Terminal Gravity Brewing,
                          Enterprise. Oregon.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Must be a different set up to mine. I clean 16 taps concurrently and the taps are free fir cleaning too. Horses for courses eh

                            Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Check out Foxx Equipment for all the above-mentioned line cleaning supplies. The dual flusher alone through them will save you some cash if buying multiples.

                              I also concur with the comments regarding static vs. recirc cleaning - the moving liquid is far superior and overall the process is faster when you can just let it rip and come back to change over to the next set of lines.

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