Corny Keg, maintenance Options

[Billg]

What do you do to maintain your kegs? - I usually just fill with oxyclean and hot water after a keg has kicked. Then let it sit filled with iodophor. I jump the iodophor from keg to keg (for a couple kegs). I empty, fill with gas and store.

How often do you replace your o-rings? I usually replace when i realize there is a leak (after I replace my 20# tank 'cause I'm a dumbass)

Do you use silicon spray and if so which ones ? I use keglube but would like to get other's ideas....


And last but not least....do you have the part numbers for mcmaster corny orings?? I don't....

[Billg]

http://www.brewboard.com/index.php?showtopic=34669 answers my last question.......

[Push Eject]

I do something very similar, storing my kegs clean, sanitized and under a small amount of pressure to seal the lid.

That is, except for the ones that suffer my laziness and sit around with 100mls of old beer in them for months. (IMG:style_emoticons/brewboard/smile.gif)

[dagomike]

I like to store mine clean and dry, so I pull everything apart, soak in cleaner, scrub, rinse, then let them dry. Then put them back together and stack them. I've replaced a few of the dip-tube o-rings when they got worn/frayed. Other than that, everything is in good shape.

[Rainman]

I try to store my kegs full! When they kick I don't do anything with them except set them aside. If the beer was clean to begin with, there shouldn't be anything nasty in there when you go to reuse it. If they're still holding pressure when I'm ready to refill, then I just clean, lube (keg lube, not spray), sanitize and refill. If they're not holding pressure then they get a little more scrutiny to find the leak.

[Oldfart]

I try to store my kegs full! When they kick I don't do anything with them except set them aside. If the beer was clean to begin with, there shouldn't be anything nasty in there when you go to reuse it.

That's my thinking too. Lots of folks clean their kegs when they blow, and then clean them again just before refilling them. I used to do that, seemed like double work, so now they're cleaned only once, just before use.

Also, I've stopped taking them apart, haven't had my dirty hands inside of a keg for maybe a year now, and no longer use soap or other cleaning compounds. I made a little nozzle by partially crushing a piece of 3/8" OD tubing, that's clamped to a hose that I use in the laundry tub to blast keg crud away with very hot water. Then the dip tube / OUT post get flushed with that same hot water at full city water pressure. The keg insides sparkle after that. The lid gets a soak in StarSan, then the StarSan, maybe a pint or so, is dumped in the keg, via the OUT post. The StarSan gets swirled around in the keg, the keg is drained, and then is immediately filled with new beer, right on the StarSan foam.

Like Rainman, if a keg loses pressure, it will need to come apart. Never had that happen, though.

(IMG:style_emoticons/brewboard/cheers.gif) OF

[cbbrown40]

I have been using kegs for over ten years now and just clean them out and store dry. I have never taken a keg apart in my life and have never had one fail me or give me bad beer because of this. I fill with water and a little starsan and blow threw the entire system with a little C02 pressure and store dry I have never used a keg lube either but ensure the rings are wet when I seal. Just me but it has always worked. I have a friend that takes his apart every time and seems like he has problems everytime. (IMG:style_emoticons/brewboard/sarcasm.gif) KISS (IMG:style_emoticons/brewboard/sarcasm.gif) Keep It Simple Stupid is my method