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Cleaning out Refurbished Corny Kegs

 
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OkieDokie




Joined: 31 Aug 2013
Posts: 191
Location: Oklahoma

Drinking: Electric ale, Weizen

Working on: Electric lager, American Amber Ale, Dirty Blonde


PostLink    Posted: Tue Sep 10, 2013 1:54 pm    Post subject: Cleaning out Refurbished Corny Kegs Reply with quote


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So I just got some extra refurbished Corny Kegs that obviously had soda in them before (smell on purging them). The seals have been replaced and they definitely hold pressure so I am not worried if they will work or not. I am going to drop a scoop of Oxyclean in them when I get home today and let them sit for a couple of days, but will this get all the residue out?
Soda and beer might not taste that great together!
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ddc69




Joined: 13 Jan 2012
Posts: 118
Location: Parkersburg, WV


PostLink    Posted: Tue Sep 17, 2013 7:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have several kegs that were used for soda. I have not used oxyclean but have used PBW and cleaned them up with no problem. You shouldn't have a problem getting them cleaned up.
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kal
Forum Administrator



Joined: 12 Dec 2010
Posts: 11116
Location: Ottawa, Canada

Drinking: Pub Ale, Electric Creamsicle, Mild, Pliny the Younger, Belgian Dark Strong, Weizen, Russian Imperial Stout, Black Butte Porter


PostLink    Posted: Tue Sep 17, 2013 7:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

PBW is basically oxiclean on steroids so both will work. I use Oxiclean mostly - the "free" or "baby" versions that do not have any perfumes or colour in it.

See: http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/parts-list-using?page=13

To clean kegs that are empty I take the fittings off and soak them in small bowl with a few squirts of liquid oxiclean. I give the keg a quick rinse to get out as much sediment as I can (there's always a fine layer on the bottom) but I don't scrub. I put in about 3/4 of a scoop and fill it with hot tap water, and let it sit for ~2 days, then dump and rinse. No scrubbing needed. Very little work.

The timing works well: The kegs sit for the ~2 days while the beer clears with gelatine, so I always do these 2 things at the same time.

Kal

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idingle




Joined: 20 Nov 2014
Posts: 25
Location: Alberta


PostLink    Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2016 9:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've acquired 4 ball lock corny kegs. Two were pressurized when I bought them and still smelled of pop. I emptied them, rinsed them, used PBW, rinsed and starsaned them. I then tried to get them to reseal to push starsan through the beer tube and through beer lines. No luck sealing no matter twisting, flipping 180 degrees, doing it under pressure.

If I flipped them upside down they leaked, if I sprayed starsan on top while I was trying to seal with pressure they bubbled.

These were pressurized when I bought them and they held pressure for weeks while I waited to have beer ready for them.

What do I try next to get them to seal?
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Kazumichan




Joined: 07 May 2014
Posts: 177
Location: Cincinnati Ohio area

Working on: Belgium golden, Dubbel, and imperial red


PostLink    Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2016 9:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I would just buy new orings for them. They are not expensive, especially if you buy a big bag of each. Somewhere on here is a post with which sizes you need.
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kal
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Joined: 12 Dec 2010
Posts: 11116
Location: Ottawa, Canada

Drinking: Pub Ale, Electric Creamsicle, Mild, Pliny the Younger, Belgian Dark Strong, Weizen, Russian Imperial Stout, Black Butte Porter


PostLink    Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2016 9:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Kazumichan wrote:
Somewhere on here is a post with which sizes you need.

Right here:

http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=27786

Kal

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rcrabb22




Joined: 23 Dec 2010
Posts: 462
Location: Illinois


PostLink    Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2016 3:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

dingle wrote:
....

If I flipped them upside down they leaked, if I sprayed starsan on top while I was trying to seal with pressure they bubbled.

These were pressurized when I bought them and they held pressure for weeks while I waited to have beer ready for them.

What do I try next to get them to seal?


All 4 of them leak pressure but they did not before?

Do they all leak pressure from the lid or the ball/pin lock connectors?
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kal
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Joined: 12 Dec 2010
Posts: 11116
Location: Ottawa, Canada

Drinking: Pub Ale, Electric Creamsicle, Mild, Pliny the Younger, Belgian Dark Strong, Weizen, Russian Imperial Stout, Black Butte Porter


PostLink    Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2016 6:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

When re-assembling, did the lids and other parts all go back on to the same kegs they came off of?

Reason I ask is when using used kegs there are slight differences in brands as well as dings/dents that occur over time that can lead to improperly sealed kegs if you start to mix and match parts. It can be difficult to get things to seal right sometimes.

Because if this when I wash more than one at a time and soak the little bits and pieces, I make sure to mark which parts are for which keg. I do this with a little of tap on the keg and matching bowl. Example: https://www.instagram.com/p/BCmP0MSIKvw/?taken-by=theelectricbrewery

Sometimes hooking up high pressure (like 30PSI) can help knock things into place. In some cases even the orientation of the lid can matter if the lid and/or keg's been deformed or dented a bit.

Kal

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idingle




Joined: 20 Nov 2014
Posts: 25
Location: Alberta


PostLink    Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2016 3:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rcrabb22- the two kegs I bought unpressurized sealed up fine and have my first batch of Electric pale ale carbonating now.

The ones I bought pressurized are the ones leaking and only at the lid.

Kal- I made sure to keep the fittings separate for each keg, although I didn't keep track of lid orientation. I've tried both ways without success. I have some replacement O-rings on order so I'll try switching those out when they arrive. Would an extended pressurized period have caused flattening of the lid O-ring?
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kal
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Joined: 12 Dec 2010
Posts: 11116
Location: Ottawa, Canada

Drinking: Pub Ale, Electric Creamsicle, Mild, Pliny the Younger, Belgian Dark Strong, Weizen, Russian Imperial Stout, Black Butte Porter


PostLink    Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2016 3:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Not sure. Whenever I pickup a new corny the first thing I do is always replace all of my o-rings including the lid ring (5 in total). Never had any issues.

I do recommend using red silicone o-rings instead of the black nitrile rubber (Buna N) o-rings that manufacturers normally use as silicone stays softer at lower temperatures so there's less chance of leaks.

Link to the 5 you need (including lids) here: http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=27786

Buy extras for the small dip and post ones as they can sometimes tear.

Kal

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jcav




Joined: 21 Sep 2011
Posts: 205
Location: Central Florida


PostLink    Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2016 1:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

kal wrote:
Not sure. Whenever I pickup a new corny the first thing I do is always replace all of my o-rings including the lid ring (5 in total). Never had any issues.

I do recommend using red silicone o-rings instead of the black nitrile rubber (Buna N) o-rings that manufacturers normally use as silicone stays softer at lower temperatures so there's less chance of leaks.

Link to the 5 you need (including lids) here: http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=27786

Buy extras for the small dip and post ones as they can sometimes tear.

Kal


Thanks for posting this Kal, I bought some using your links. We need a "Like" button!.......

John

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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


PostLink    Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2016 5:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You should be sealing them with about 30 PSI every time you open or close them. The seals work from the pressure inside the keg. Once all leaks are sealed you can drop/bleed the pressure down to about 8 to 12 PSI.
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kal
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Joined: 12 Dec 2010
Posts: 11116
Location: Ottawa, Canada

Drinking: Pub Ale, Electric Creamsicle, Mild, Pliny the Younger, Belgian Dark Strong, Weizen, Russian Imperial Stout, Black Butte Porter


PostLink    Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2016 7:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Castermmt wrote:
You should be sealing them with about 30 PSI every time you open or close them. The seals work from the pressure inside the keg. Once all leaks are sealed you can drop/bleed the pressure down to about 8 to 12 PSI.

A quick hard pump of high PSI like this can certainly help sometimes.

That said, I've never done it nor had leaks from the lids.

Kal

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Our new shop with over 150 new products: shop.TheElectricBrewery.com
We ship worldwide and support our products and customers for life.
Purchasing through our affiliate links helps support our site at no extra cost to you. We thank you!
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