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I'm thinking of doing something like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9q-DHkeM1Xk
that can do double duty as something like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=en ... yIy_g&NR=1

Has anyone built these or anything similar?
Any comments or tips you can think of?
Where's the best place to get a sump pump?

Maybe princess auto.

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I have.

I got a pump from Princess Auto, attached a ball lock fitting via hose to the output, put pump in bucket of cleaner or sanitiser, plug ball lock into gas side, plug beer line ball lock into beer side, turn on pump, place bucket under perlick faucet, open faucet, recirculate. That way I can clean my lines and a keg at the same time.

I am going to also make it so I can invert a keg over the bucket and just clean the keg, or carboy, in that fasion as well. In that case I'd have 3 outputs from the pump, one for each ball lock, and a pvc or copper tower to extend up into the keg to spray the inside.

RubberToe wrote:I have.

I got a pump from Princess Auto, attached a ball lock fitting via hose to the output, put pump in bucket of cleaner or sanitiser, plug ball lock into gas side, plug beer line ball lock into beer side, turn on pump, place bucket under perlick faucet, open faucet, recirculate. That way I can clean my lines and a keg at the same time.

I am going to also make it so I can invert a keg over the bucket and just clean the keg, or carboy, in that fasion as well. In that case I'd have 3 outputs from the pump, one for each ball lock, and a pvc or copper tower to extend up into the keg to spray the inside.

exactly what I'm thinking... do you remember what you paid for the sump pump?

This one. They were on clearance a couple months ago for 50% off because it was at the end of the season. I'm not sure what they have left.

And now I feel like building a bottle washer to do a dozen bottles instead of spending $50 for a bottle tree and vinator.

I bought this one from Princess Auto a few weeks ago when it was on sale for $39.99. I haven't bought the fittings to put a keg washer together yet.

http://www.princessauto.com/pal/product ... ility-Pump" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Nice.

Think either/both of those can handle caustic or other good cleaning chemicals, and/or heat? Only one of them has specs, and says 50C. Keggermeister's got a killer keg cleaner, and he is using a SS March pump that uses a reservoir of heated caustic.

Nice little setup, though I've never had an issue with the 5 minutes it takes to clean a keg & fermenter.

I've been running hot 11% caustic through my little giant, and it hasn't died yet. But maybe it will lol...

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RubberToe wrote:This one. They were on clearance a couple months ago for 50% off because it was at the end of the season. I'm not sure what they have left.

Do you find that the little fountain pump has enough bollocks to do the job? It'd be cool if they did b/c they're like $15 some places

I have some copper lying around from the apartment I'm renovating, otherwise I wouldn't bother with the bottle washer. I also have a fermenting bucket that I'll no longer use for fermenting, so I really just need the sump pump and it looks like home hardware has the best regular price

I have no experience with using caustic. Is it necessary if I'm cleaning the kegs/carboys right after I empty them?

It's got plenty of power for what I'm doing now but I haven't tried it with an inverted keg / carboy yet. I can see me wanting to upgrade though, especially if I build a bottle washer.

First rinse.

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Caustic wash with little giant pump. Cleans too easy.

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Got any pics of your spray ball or whatever?

Just a 3/8" ss tube with a slit in the end. Not even by design, just used a piece from the scrap heap.

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So X is the pump drawing caustic from the bucket and spraying it into the carboy and it's like a continuous spray of caustic into the carboy... and are you using PBW as your casutic?

so you could just flatten the end of the tube, or partially pinch it closed so it fans out

erslar00 wrote:So X is the pump drawing caustic from the bucket and spraying it into the carboy and it's like a continuous spray of caustic into the carboy... and are you using PBW as your casutic?

Yup, but I'm using caustic, not PBW.

bluenose wrote:so you could just flatten the end of the tube, or partially pinch it closed so it fans out

There's many ways to do it, that wasn't by design and will likely be changed.

These were the kegs before cleaning, and they came out spotless without using a brush.

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see through kegs?

carboys