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Paque
Joined: 07 Jul 2013 Posts: 15 Location: Rimouski
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Link Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2015 4:51 pm Post subject: Blowing water out |
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Hi,
Beside the compact shop vac, do you guys use different technique to blow water out of pumps, herms coil, valves, etc...
I'm just trying to find if there is a cheaper way than the compact shop vac...
Thanks!
Simon
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huaco
Joined: 05 Apr 2012 Posts: 1506 Location: Burleson Texas
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Link Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2015 5:16 pm Post subject: |
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The pump heads are simple to take apart. I make it a practice to remove them and open them up after each brew day. Rinse them and let them air dry. The next day, I'll re-assemble and re-install.
As far as the HERMS coil, after a through rinse with fresh water, I usually leave it full of water. There is no way for gunk to grow if it's full of water. Naturally though, don't do this if it will be exposed to the elements below freezing...
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Castermmt
Joined: 03 Jan 2011 Posts: 863 Location: Lowell, In
Drinking: Steelhead Porter, Alt-Toids, Hefty-Weizen, Terry's Kolsch, African Amber, Pumpkin Ale, Double Dog Ale
Working on: Janet's Brown Ale, Terry's Kolsch, Pilsner
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Link Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 12:10 am Post subject: |
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I picked up a small shop vac for $30 from Lowes a while back that works perfectly for most brewing task. I use it to help when cleaning my boil kettle, cleaning the sparge water out my HERMS coil, after flushing my wort pump with starsan and any other general cleaning task during my brew day. Best $30 Ive spent. I just looked at my Chicago area Craigslist and found 87 new and used shop vac's for sale very inexpensive.
Hope this helps, Castermmt
_________________ http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=24836
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Paque
Joined: 07 Jul 2013 Posts: 15 Location: Rimouski
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Link Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 4:33 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the advice guys!
Castermmt, can you post a pic of your shop vac or tell me the model number please?
Thanks,
Simon
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foomench
Joined: 21 Feb 2012 Posts: 704 Location: Longmont, CO
Drinking: Pinot barrel aged quad
Working on: Flanders oude bruin in barrel, Flanders red fermenting to refill the barrel
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Link Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 4:45 pm Post subject: |
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After pulling the CO2 tank from my walk-in to do some keg cleaning and purging and then having to fine tune the CO2 level after putting it back, I've decided I need two CO2 tanks. I'm going to leave one in the cooler and never touch it until it needs to be swapped. I'm going to have a second in the brewery for cleaning kegs, pushing beer out of the Fermenator, taking on trips where I take a keg, and for blowing the water out of my pumps at the end of a brew day.
_________________ Brewery equipment photos (et al) here: https://picasaweb.google.com/114861423235799103704
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Tungsten
Joined: 06 Dec 2014 Posts: 318 Location: Buffalo, NY
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Link Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 5:44 pm Post subject: |
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foomench wrote: | After pulling the CO2 tank from my walk-in to do some keg cleaning and purging and then having to fine tune the CO2 level after putting it back, I've decided I need two CO2 tanks. I'm going to leave one in the cooler and never touch it until it needs to be swapped. I'm going to have a second in the brewery for cleaning kegs, pushing beer out of the Fermenator, taking on trips where I take a keg, and for blowing the water out of my pumps at the end of a brew day. |
I think you'll be happy you did it. I've got two for carbonation/serving of beer (one active and one backup that I keep filled) and one "general purpose" tank for everything else that you mentioned. It was tough to get myself to spend the money, but I'm thrilled that I did.
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mnoltimier
Joined: 10 Oct 2011 Posts: 60 Location: Berthoud, CO
Drinking: Big Nut Brown Ale, Sky Pond Pale Ale, Smashin' Punkin, Berlinner Weisse, Vienna Lager, Hopulence IIPA, Helles Angels
Working on: Maude Flanders Red, Gallagher's Watermelon Wheat
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Link Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 6:08 pm Post subject: |
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We got a little off topic here but I also have a secondary CO2 tank that I use regularly. I have a 3 way splitter on it, 1. Keg post for beer gun 2. Gas pin lock disconnect used for purging air out of kegs when racking 3. Rubber stopper that fits airlock hole on conical to push out cold stubborn yeast.
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foomench
Joined: 21 Feb 2012 Posts: 704 Location: Longmont, CO
Drinking: Pinot barrel aged quad
Working on: Flanders oude bruin in barrel, Flanders red fermenting to refill the barrel
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Castermmt
Joined: 03 Jan 2011 Posts: 863 Location: Lowell, In
Drinking: Steelhead Porter, Alt-Toids, Hefty-Weizen, Terry's Kolsch, African Amber, Pumpkin Ale, Double Dog Ale
Working on: Janet's Brown Ale, Terry's Kolsch, Pilsner
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mvakoc
Joined: 19 Sep 2011 Posts: 152 Location: Evergreen, CO
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Link Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2015 4:19 am Post subject: |
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foomench wrote: | After pulling the CO2 tank from my walk-in to do some keg cleaning and purging and then having to fine tune the CO2 level after putting it back, I've decided I need two CO2 tanks. I'm going to leave one in the cooler and never touch it until it needs to be swapped. I'm going to have a second in the brewery for cleaning kegs, pushing beer out of the Fermenator, taking on trips where I take a keg, and for blowing the water out of my pumps at the end of a brew day. |
That is exactly what I do with my two 20# tanks. I don't use the second for clearing the pumps (I just tilt them to get most of the water out -- this seems to be fine) but I do use it to blow through the HERMs coil after draining and tipping the HLT to get out what I can manually. I little CO2 blows out a lot of water that would have otherwise been left behind.
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HopCityBrewers
Joined: 25 Dec 2014 Posts: 11
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Link Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2015 3:17 am Post subject: |
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I have a small air compressor that I use to blow the water out of my pump and CFWC after of course a PBW and fresh water rinse at the end of a brew day. After its "dry enough", on go the dust caps (cam lock QD fittings) and al set for the next brew day. I always start with a purge with fresh water through each unit before starting a brew.
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Paque
Joined: 07 Jul 2013 Posts: 15 Location: Rimouski
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Link Posted: Tue May 12, 2015 5:46 pm Post subject: |
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mvakoc wrote: | That is exactly what I do with my two 20# tanks. I don't use the second for clearing the pumps (I just tilt them to get most of the water out -- this seems to be fine) but I do use it to blow through the HERMs coil after draining and tipping the HLT to get out what I can manually. I little CO2 blows out a lot of water that would have otherwise been left behind. |
What do you use to connect the gas line to the ball valve?
Thanks!
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Tungsten
Joined: 06 Dec 2014 Posts: 318 Location: Buffalo, NY
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Link Posted: Tue May 12, 2015 8:40 pm Post subject: |
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Paque wrote: | mvakoc wrote: | That is exactly what I do with my two 20# tanks. I don't use the second for clearing the pumps (I just tilt them to get most of the water out -- this seems to be fine) but I do use it to blow through the HERMs coil after draining and tipping the HLT to get out what I can manually. I little CO2 blows out a lot of water that would have otherwise been left behind. |
What do you use to connect the gas line to the ball valve?
Thanks! |
I never thought about connecting it. I just line it up the best I can by hand and switch the gas on. "Point & shoot!"
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foomench
Joined: 21 Feb 2012 Posts: 704 Location: Longmont, CO
Drinking: Pinot barrel aged quad
Working on: Flanders oude bruin in barrel, Flanders red fermenting to refill the barrel
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Link Posted: Tue May 12, 2015 9:00 pm Post subject: |
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Tungsten wrote: | I never thought about connecting it. I just line it up the best I can by hand and switch the gas on. "Point & shoot!" |
That's what I'm doing now as well, but I figured I could get a barbed fitting adapter to go from my 1/4" gas line to a QDC. The point & shoot method seems like a bit is being wasted.
_________________ Brewery equipment photos (et al) here: https://picasaweb.google.com/114861423235799103704
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Paque
Joined: 07 Jul 2013 Posts: 15 Location: Rimouski
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Link Posted: Wed May 13, 2015 12:37 pm Post subject: |
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How much pressure (PSI) is needed?
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