Keg Washers – Build your own Part 2 – Keg cleaning agent reservoir

Do not assume that the keg is not pressurized just because it is damaged. Unless it has a hole in it that you can easily see, always assume it is under pressure and your first step should be to depressurize the keg by installing and actuating a keg connector with a blow-off hose attached to the liquid (top) port on the connector. Once this is done you can safely turn the keg over to your welder and have him/her cut the top out of the keg, leaving the chine (the part with the handles) attached. All cut edges should be ground smooth so there are no irregularities, burrs, or sharp edges.

• Assemble one 3/4” NPT X 1-1/2” Nipple to one leg of the 3/4” FNPT X 90 degree Elbow, wrench tight.
• Assemble the 3/4” NPT X 8” Nipple to the other leg of the 3/4” FNPT X 90 degree Elbow, wrench tight.
• Next, have the welder burn a hole in the side of the keg, just above the weld seam joining the bottom chine to the body of the keg to accept the 3/4” NPT X 8” Nipple. The vertical position of the hole should be measured to allow a 1/2” to 3/4” gap between the end of the 1-1/2” Nipple on the Nipple & Elbow assembly and the center depression at the bottom of the keg when the assembly is mounted inside the keg with the 8” Nipple horizontal and the 1-1/2” Nipple pointing down.
• From the inside of the keg, insert the free end of the 3/4” NPT X 8” Nipple through the hole in the side of the keg and align it so that the free end of the 3/4” NPT X 1-1/2” Nipple is pointing downward into the center depression at the bottom of the keg, with a 1/2” to 3/4” gap between the end of the Nipple and the bottom of the keg.
• Weld the Nipple & Elbow assembly in place.
• After the welds have cooled, assemble one of the 3/4” FNPT Ball Valves to the free end of the 3/4” NPT X 8” Nipple using Teflon Tape and wrench tight.
• Make sure the valve is positioned so that the valve handle points away from the keg when the valve is open.
• Assemble one 3/4” X 1-1/2” Nipple and one Sanitary Adapter to the open end of the 3/4” FNPT Ball Valve using Teflon Tape and wrench tight. This completes the Reservoir.

Assemble the Manifolds

kegwasher-manifold

NOTE: You may want to substitute a Quick-Connect Fitting for one of the Sanitary Adapters if your hot water supply is not set-up for sanitary connections. This will eliminate the need for one Sanitary Adapter. Use Teflon Tape and wrench tight all connections. When installing the valves, choose orientations that will allow the valve handles to swing through the full 90 degree Open-Close arc without any interference. When the manifolds have been assembled, they can be mounted to the Plastic (or Plywood) Board. For the Feed Manifold, I found it necessary to make a Riser out of a 2” X 6” X 8” long piece of construction lumber to provide clearance for the Sanitary Clamps between the Plastic (or Plywood) Board and the Sanitary Adapters.

• First, determine and mark the position on the Plastic (or Plywood) Board where you want to mount the Feed Manifold, then clamp the Split-Ring Pipe Hanger Brackets to the Manifold as shown on the Manifold Assembly Diagram.
• Cut two 3-1/2” long pieces of 3/8” Threaded Rod and thread them into the threaded holes in the Hanger Brackets.
• Position the Manifold on the Plastic (or Plywood) Board with the free ends of the Threaded Rods touching the Board, then mark the positions of the Rods on the Board.
• Set the manifold aside and drill a 3/8” hole through the Board at each Rod position.
• Place the Riser on top of the holes with the holes approximately centered on the width of the Riser and equidistant from each end of the Riser, clamp or otherwise secure in place, then drill through the holes in the Board, into and through the Riser.
• Insert the free ends of the Rods through the holes, then secure the Manifold in place on the Board using one Flat Washer, one Lock Washer, and one Hex Nut on each Rod.
• Using a permanent black marker, mark the valves on the Feed Manifold as follows – mark the LEFT 1/4” valve “CO2”, mark the RIGHT 1/4” valve “AIR”, mark the LEFT 3/4” valve “WATER”, and mark the RIGHT 3/4” valve “ACID”.

The Discharge Manifold

kegwasher-discharge

The Discharge Manifold can be mounted directly to the Plastic (or Plywood) Board. Follow the same procedure as for the Feed Manifold, except the steps relating to the Riser, and cut the remaining Threaded Rod into two 2-1/2” pieces (trim-off any excess after the manifold is mounted).

• Once the Manifolds have been mounted, you can cut the 5/8” ID X 7/8” OD Automotive Heater Hose into (3) 12 foot long pieces (save the remaining 14 foot piece for later).
• Attach one of the 12′ hoses to the Hose Barb on the Feed Manifold and secure in place with a Hose Clamp, then mark the hose “FEED LINE”. Attach one of the remaining 12′ hoses to the Hose Barb on the CENTER leg (the one without a valve) of the Discharge Manifold and secure in place with a Hose Clamp, then mark the hose “DISCHARGE LINE”.
• Attach the last 12′ hose to the Hose Barb on the RIGHT leg of the Discharge Manifold and secure in place with a Hose Clamp, then mark the hose “RETURN LINE”.
• Also mark the valves on the Discharge Manifold as follows – mark the LEFT valve “DRAIN”, and Mark the RIGHT valve “RETURN”.
• Ask your welder for a piece of 3/32” to 1/8” stainless steel welding rod (uncoated), about 6” long and use it to fashion an “S” hook.
• Make a small hole in the free end of the RETURN LINE, about 1/2” from the end, and hook the “S” hook into the hole.
• Get the Keg Tapping Connector and remove the tail pieces and the check valves, then reinstall the tail pieces using new rubber washers.
• Attach the free end of the FEED LINE to the tail piece on the TOP of the Keg Connector and secure in place with a Hose Clamp (make sure the clamp is very tight because you are attaching 5/8”ID hose to a 1/2” tail piece).
• Attach the free end of the DISCHARGE LINE to the tail piece on the SIDE of the Keg Connector and secure in place with a Hose Clamp, again making sure the clamp is very tight.
• Finally, attach the remaining 14’ piece of hose to the Hose Barb on the “DRAIN” valve on the DISCHARGE MANIFOLD and secure in place with a Hose Clamp, then mark the hose “DRAIN LINE”.

Next: A a trial set-up and testing.

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