Beer Forum

I built a keg washer.

Last weekend I built a keg washer. Having used a couple and seen a couple I made some changes and built my own. I went to the Depot and grabbed a Grill grate. I headed over to the garbage can area, figuring that a garbage can would be better than a bucket or one of the cheap ass blue tubs. The grill I grabbed was a large one and when I got there noticed the
20 gallon garbage can, perfect. Ran back and grabbed the 19" grate and headed back to the garbage cans. The 19" grate fit perfectly on the ledge in the garbage can.

I bought some PVC fittings, a sump pump, and some hose. On the way home from the Depot I stopped at my LHBS and picked up some Ball Lock QDs, flare fittings, and some PBW.

I cut one of the cross pieces on the grate for the cleaning tube to come up into the keg/carboy. Assembled everything.

The flow is from
the sump pump ->
hose to NPT fitting ->
3/4" PVC ->
3/4" X fitting with 1/4" hose barbs on side ports ->
3/4" NPT threaded ->
3/4" PVC with holes drilled in it.

To use I

• take the top piece of PVC with the holes and screw it into the the base with the pump (I added this break so I can take it apart and store it all in the garbage can with the lid on it).
• Heat up water(10-12 gallons) in the HLT.
• Pump the water into the washer, then add PBW.
• Attached QDs to keg, put keg over cleaning tube, and plug in pump.
• For Carboy I put my Carboy drainer on the grill at put Carboy over cleaning tube.
• For Sankes I just put them over cleaning tube.
• Run for 10-15 minutes, and the kegs come out sparkling clean. The carboys could use some scrubbing if they are nasty dirty.

When cleaning is done

• Empty PBW solution,
• Disconnect top cleaning tube,
• Put everything in garbage can,
• Put lid on and store under brew table.

Cost more than some, but I am VERY happy with the results. You could get a sump pump online cheaper. I was able to clean 10 cornies, a sanke, and two carboys in less than 4 hours while doing a bunch of other stuff.


This is the collection of parts for the top of the sump pump.

The sump pump, grate, and garbage can.

The adapter to go from the garden hose fitting on the pump to 3/4" PVC.

The fittings assembled.

The disconnect. This lets me remove the top tube for storage, or I can put in a different cleaning tube. After using this I am going to make another tube out of 1/2" PVC for the Carboys, the 3/4" does not allow the PBW to flow back out.

Assembled in garbage can for test fitting.

Disassembled for storage.

All closed up. Like this it fits under my workbench that I have outside by the brewery.

Do you know if you can sit a Blichmann 14.5 gallon Fermenator on that? HD says that can is 19.5" wide, and the Fermenator is 18.5". I'm assuming that 19.5 is the outside dimension of the lid, probably including the handles, so it probably won't work. But if it does, that would be an incentive over some of the pre-builts out there.

Nice job, BTW.

Well done sir!

spiderwrangler wrote:Well done sir!

Thanks

foomench wrote:Do you know if you can sit a Blichmann 14.5 gallon Fermenator on that? HD says that can is 19.5" wide, and the Fermenator is 18.5". I'm assuming that 19.5 is the outside dimension of the lid, probably including the handles, so it probably won't work. But if it does, that would be an incentive over some of the pre-builts out there.

Nice job, BTW.

A sanke fits on it easily.

Nice! Your pump setup looks almost exactly like mine but I'm struggling with supporting and balancing kegs or carboys over a 5 gallon bucket.

I'm going to home depot tomorrow to rig the garbage can and grill grate.

animaldoc wrote:Nice! Your pump setup looks almost exactly like mine but I'm struggling with supporting and balancing kegs or carboys over a 5 gallon bucket.

I'm going to home depot tomorrow to rig the garbage can and grill grate.

The trash can has turned out to be a great find. Several friends in my club have built the same setup and been very happy.