60 replies to this topic

[Slainte]

Did you take them out and look at them? I would try and clean them, and if they work and don't leak, I don't see why you couldn't use them.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

Did you take them out and look at them? I would try and clean them, and if they work and don't leak, I don't see why you couldn't use them.

I looked at the gas poppet on the uglier of the two kegs and it looks okay I think. I was mostly just referring to if they would ever REALLY be clean. The rubber absorbs things and never lets go. I have a lid o-ring from a root beer keg that to this day still smells like root beer (attempted multiple cleanings and I've had it for over a year).

[ChefLamont]

I have always thought that there was plastic (not rubber) on the poppets. I always change out the o-rings on soda kegs, but I have never changed out the poppets. hmmmmmmmm

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

I have always thought that there was plastic (not rubber) on the poppets. I always change out the o-rings on soda kegs, but I have never changed out the poppets. hmmmmmmmm

you might be right - I was ASSuming

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

okay - oxiclean barely even touched the insides of one of these kegs. I wiped the inside of the keg after soaking and the paper towel is coming out with brown stuff on it. Will TSP or something similar take care of this?edit: is it possible for me to get my hands on some caustic b/c I want to annihilate everything.

[shaggaroo]

You should be able to get caustic (i.e. lye) at the hardware store. Just be sure to get the pure stuff, I think Red Devil is pure sodium hydroxide (lye). 8 oz in 5 gal should be a good place to start. Just be careful, rubber gloves, eye protection should be enough. And be aware that the water will heat up when you add the lye and it dissolves.

[MolBasser]

I ordered some non-refurbed (and not cleaned) cornies from B3. HOLY CRAP FILTHY! I had no idea how dirty these things would be. One of them had a 3" layer of God knows what in the bottom of it and it had leaked in the box and covered the tops of the two kegs with goop. They were completely covered with grime on the outside. So last night after receiving them I gave them a preliminary rinse with the hose outside (just to get the big chunks off of everything) and then I stuck them upside down in a plastic bin with oxiclean with the intent of just cleaning the outside rubber part on the top of the keg. This morning I just flipped them over to do the same to the bottom outside of the kegs.This is the part that disturbs me - if I touch the rubber handles my hands turn freakin black. I wiped it with a paper towel and it turns pitch black. I'd really like to get these things in a condition such that I feel like they are clean enough to bring inside the house to get a more formal internal cleaning with hot water.Does anyone have any tips for this initial cleaning b/c I've never had to do it? Is there a household product I should be using the clean the outside rubber bits?

Caustic./thread.(go get your self some red devil lye at the store and have at it)MolBasser

[EWW]

Caustic./thread.(go get your self some red devil lye at the store and have at it)MolBasser

They discontinued red devil in the us market. If you want straght caustic you will need to find a place that carries soap making supplies.Caustic is used in the production on meth so most stores stopped stocking it due to pressure from the Feds. Some stores will have "roebic crystal drain opener" which is pure lye, but it is hard to find.

Edited by EWW, 12 December 2009 - 01:51 PM.

[MolBasser]

GODAMN DRUG WAR!!!This is so effing lame. Holy crap this pisses me off.MolBasser

[3rd party JKor]

I got some Five Star Liquid Line Cleaner, it's a 38% NaOH solution.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

I got some Five Star Liquid Line Cleaner, it's a 38% NaOH solution.

So I got my hands on some TSP so I'm going to mix that with oxyclean and see if that does the job...how much oxiclean and tsp do you guys use for a single 5 gal keg filled to the brim?

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

So I got my hands on some TSP so I'm going to mix that with oxyclean and see if that does the job...how much oxiclean and tsp do you guys use for a single 5 gal keg filled to the brim?

So I went with 2-3 tablespoons of of oxiclean and about 1-1.5 tablesspoons of TSP. I also bought a toilet brush today - have at you filth!!!

[Kremer]

So I went with 2-3 tablespoons of of oxiclean and about 1-1.5 tablesspoons of TSP. I also bought a toilet brush today - have at you filth!!!

that sounds like a good enough amount. I have a dedicated toilet brush also that I use for kegs. it has the longest and sturdiest handle I could find.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

So I just noticed that the in and out poppets look different on my firestone keg. Is this normal? My cornellius poppets all look the same as far as I can tell.

[shaggaroo]

How do you mean different? I know all my gas-ins have little notches cut in the corners, whereas the liquid-outs do not.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

How do you mean different? I know all my gas-ins have little notches cut in the corners, whereas the liquid-outs do not.

the liquid out poppet has a very thin plastic/rubber sealing part while the gas in poppet looks closer to a cornelius style poppet.

[shaggaroo]

the liquid out poppet has a very thin plastic/rubber sealing part while the gas in poppet looks closer to a cornelius style poppet.

Interesting, I've not seen that before... have you looked for pictures of it at all of the usual sites?

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

Interesting, I've not seen that before... have you looked for pictures of it at all of the usual sites?

one looks like this: the other looks like this one: I guess I could take a picture...

[shaggaroo]

OK... my brain was farting earlier, you wrote poppets and I read posts... oy... anyway, I would think that if it works, then its OK... my guess, is they (previous user/company/whatever) needed to replace the poppet, that's what they had, so in it went. For the record though mine look like the lower picture.

[gnef]

They should both definitely be the same. If they are different, they replaced it with an incorrect one, and it happens to work for now. Figure out what kind of keg it is, and replace the incorrect poppet with the correct style.Also, I have bought pure lye from Ace Hardware, it is in the plumbing section for removing clogged drains.Remember, if you use caustic, always add the lye to the water, not the other way around.And yes, there is a rubber gasket on the poppet, in addition to any plastic and stainless.