Corney keg make-over, how far is too far?

[Bullhog]

I have amassed about 7 kegs over the years, and I recently had 2 beers get an infection that I am ultimately blaming on the kegs as everything else was new. Time for some deep cleaning. I started changing out plactic bits with an o-ring kit, but I realized that there is a lot more to replace than the standard 5 ring kit provides (the 5 being the main o-ring, the 2 posts and 2 drop tubes). There are also the poppet o-rings, which I would think would be the most likely to have bad things growing on them, and the pressure release valve o-ring. So after discovering that, I have noticed staining on the inside of some of my lids that can't be scrubbed away. I was thinking about doing some stronger caustic soaking over night, but lets say I can't get the staining off. Should I buy a new one? Am I going too far or not far enough?

 

[Jayjay1976]

Immerse all removable parts in a strong PBW solution at ~160f for a few hours. To really scrub the inside of the keg, buy a new toilet brush and attack it with BKF. Boil those posts, poppets, and PRVs thoroughly. Avoid "upgrading" with new universal poppets or new PRV valves, they will both leak on you at the worst possible moment. The moment will arise when you've just kegged up your prized NEIPA and you're trying to force carb it, that's when the universal poppets will shear off an oring or your new, all-stainless PRV will burp out its seal completely leaving your vulnerable new beer exposed to oxygen as you frantically dig out the original components that came with the keg.

Trust in your sanitation practices, resist the urge to replace parts.

 

[Bullhog]

resist the urge to replace parts

Ok this is great advice! Thank you. I was going to start replacing.

 

[Jayjay1976]

Ok this is great advice! Thank you. I was going to start replacing.

Just replace the inner and outer post orings, and if you have trouble getting a lid to seal properly replace the large oring with one of the softer, white silicone orings. I get mine from AIH, dunno who else sells them. Same place I get my used (loose handle or base) kegs for about $30 each. You're an experienced kegger so it goes without saying, but be sure to always use a little bit of keg lube on all the rubber bits.

 

[gnef]

Immerse all removable parts in a strong PBW solution at ~160f for a few hours. To really scrub the inside of the keg, buy a new toilet brush and attack it with BKF. Boil those posts, poppets, and PRVs thoroughly. Avoid "upgrading" with new universal poppets or new PRV valves, they will both leak on you at the worst possible moment. The moment will arise when you've just kegged up your prized NEIPA and you're trying to force carb it, that's when the universal poppets will shear off an oring or your new, all-stainless PRV will burp out its seal completely leaving your vulnerable new beer exposed to oxygen as you frantically dig out the original components that came with the keg.

Trust in your sanitation practices, resist the urge to replace parts.

How many universal poppets have you had fail on you? I've actually been gradually replacing my stock poppets with the universal ones as I have leaks, and I haven't had a leak or problem with the o-ring shearing like you've stated.

I did buy some new inexpensive PRV's though, and the one I've tried was definitely temperamental.

What I usually do for keg cleaning, is rinse it out with hot water, purge the dip tubes with water (I built a manifold that uses house water pressure to do this with keg disconnects), and then I fill with hot water and add a scoop of oxyclean. I burp the poppets to get some oxyclean in them, and then let it soak overnight. The next day (sometimes longer), I rinse out everything, and do another water purge of the dip tubes. I then let the keg dry, and I pressurize with CO2 for storage - I do this so that when I go to use a keg, I check the pressure, and if it is empty, I know I have a leak somewhere.

 

[Transamguy77]

I am in the same boat as you in terms of amassing kegs over the last several years and I am in the process of cleaning and replacing all 5 o rings. I also bought a dip tube cleaning brush to make sure nothing is in the tube.

@jayjay good call on the soaking and boiling, I will definitely be doing that!

 

[Jayjay1976]

I have mostly firestone kegs and a couple of cornelius kegs. The posts are different between brands and to some extent between older and newer kegs of the same make. The interior geometry on the firestones have a conical taper at the top, this tends to blow the orings out between the poppet pin and the hole in the top of the post. Pushing down on the pin momentarily with a screwdriver can sometimes get it to seat again, other times it only makes it worse. I don't think toroidal shaped orings are appropriate here, or maybe they are too soft. The PRV failure is a similar stuation; venting a keg @40 psi was enough to shear off the oring altogether. The original design uses a solid piece of rubber on the end of the pin which cannot be forced out of place the way an oring can. All four sets of universal poppits and stainless PRVs went straight into the scrap parts bin. ~$25 down the drain