Cleaning corny bits

[soupdragon]

Hi all

The time has finally come to do what I've not done since I've had my kegs......

Clean the disconnects and tap along with changing the beer line.
So, I have oxi cleaner stuff and vwp. I'm thinking that oxi is the safest to use with the metal components in the connects and the associated push fit bits and whatever is in the party tap.
Any thoughts in advance?

Cheers Tom

[MashBag]

Use truck wash (TFR) and rinse will. The best by far, but avoid Aluminium.

[soupdragon]

Will see if it's available in less than 25 litre containers.
Neither of the ones I have any use?

Cheers Tom

[MashBag]

You can normally get it in 5l drums.. About £6.

Get a caustic one.

[Jocky]

PBW/Percarbonate based cleaners work well.

Put some in a keg with reasonably warm water (50c), leave to dissolve then push through the beer lines, taps, disconnects etc.

Once you’re done rinse with a bit of starsan.

That’s all I’ve ever done in 18 months of keezer ownership. I took the taps off after a year and dismantled them and they were spotless.

If you use decent beer line (Valpar) then it doesn’t really need changing as it’s not oxygen permeable and doesn’t pick up taint from beers.

[soupdragon]

You can normally get it in 5l drums.. About £6.

Get a caustic one.

I'll have a good Google tomorrow, thanks

Cheers Tom

[soupdragon]

PBW/Percarbonate based cleaners work well.

Put some in a keg with reasonably warm water (50c), leave to dissolve then push through the beer lines, taps, disconnects etc.

Once you’re done rinse with a bit of starsan.

That’s all I’ve ever done in 18 months of keezer ownership. I took the taps off after a year and dismantled them and they were spotless.

If you use decent beer line (Valpar) then it doesn’t really need changing as it’s not oxygen permeable and doesn’t pick up taint from beers.

It's Valpar that I'm using. There's what looks like a yeast coloured deposit lining the line at either end but mainly at the disconnect.
To my shame in the first few years of ownership I hardly bothered to flush the dispense line out between kegs (maybe every 4-5 fills) and only started regularly flushing oxi cleaning solution through around 4 years ago. Luckily (miraculously) I've never had a beer spoil because of my previous poor practice. The time, however has come to dump the beer line for some fresh and thought now would be an appropriate time to freshen up at either end.

Anyone know if the metal bits in push fit's and disconnects are stainless? If they are I should be ok to soak for 20 mins or so in vwp?

Cheers Tom

[MashBag]

99% sure they are stainless.

[Jocky]

Fair enough if the lines are that old then about time to ditch them.

A good soak in warm pbw/oxi/percarbonate should lift the dirt off the disconnects and push fits. I wouldn't use VWP personally because of its chlorine basis, and it's just not quite as good at lifting dirt.

If you’re going for a deep clean it might also be worth disassembling the disconnects. Use a penny in the slot in the top of them to pop them open. Check the rubber washers on everything are still in good nick.

Party taps unscrew easily enough. You can completely disassemble them by pushing the tap lever off it’s hinge pins if there’s gunk under the silicon diaphragm/plunger.

[MashBag]

That raises the point, that's its worth swapping out all of the seals while you are in there.

[soupdragon]

Contacted the manufacturer of VWP and they said it's perfectly safe to use on stainless steel.

Quote....
"Yes, VWP can be used on all Stainless Steel and most metals, the only ones to avoid are cheap alloys. No problem with the plumbing bits either.

VWP in bulk is used by large commercial breweries and wine bottling plants for over 40 years."

The plumbing bits reference is regarding John Guest fittings. Will probably give it a go in the week. I've got a spare length of the Valpar and have a spare disconnect and tap just in case things go pear shaped

Cheers Tom