| Author |
Message |
    
Kevin Kowalczyk
Intermediate Member
Username: Itsfunbrewingbeer
Post Number: 273
Registered: 10-2007
Posted From: 67.167.4.225
| | Posted on Friday, August 22, 2008 - 05:12 am: | 
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How often do you take yours apart? I never even thought about it until I was having trouble siphoning from a carboy to a keg. I connected the tube from the racking cane to the black beer out connect to avoid oxidation, but was getting no flow. I realized there must be blockage when it worked fine with a new disconnect. I took the clogged one apart and cleaned it out. This never ocurred to me to do before--I had never read anything about it, and had just run sanitizer solution through it before using. |
Chris Storey
Junior Member
Username: Stuts
Post Number: 67
Registered: 07-2004
Posted From: 76.75.116.121
| | Posted on Friday, August 22, 2008 - 10:33 am: |
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How much gunk did you find in it? I didn't think they would plug up. Maybe I should take a look at mine. I have been using the same ones for 10 years now.
Chris |
Kevin Kowalczyk
Intermediate Member
Username: Itsfunbrewingbeer
Post Number: 274
Registered: 10-2007
Posted From: 67.167.4.225
| | Posted on Friday, August 22, 2008 - 02:38 pm: |
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There wasn't a ton of gunk, but obviously enough of something got in there to keep the siphon from flowing. Mine may have been more gunk prone because I put beer through them backwards when siphoning from the fermenter to the keg as mentioned above. |
Bob Wall
Senior Member
Username: Brewdudebob
Post Number: 1634
Registered: 11-2004
Posted From: 24.248.74.254
| | Posted on Friday, August 22, 2008 - 03:13 pm: |
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I take them apart and soak them in iodophor before I tap a new keg. I store mine in a parts-bin in my garage, so I have to make sure no creepy crawlies made a home in there. I'd hate for a dirty connector to ruin a batch.
I learned not to soak the threaded connectors in StarSan as they are chrome-plated and will turn black and discolor from the acid. The barbed connectors will survive StarSan though... |
Kevin Kowalczyk
Intermediate Member
Username: Itsfunbrewingbeer
Post Number: 275
Registered: 10-2007
Posted From: 67.167.4.225
| | Posted on Friday, August 22, 2008 - 03:36 pm: |
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I'm just surprised I have never seen this mentioned before. |
Bill Pierce
Moderator
Username: Billpierce
Post Number: 9144
Registered: 01-2002
Posted From: 69.157.28.93
| | Posted on Friday, August 22, 2008 - 04:18 pm: |
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On a few occasions I have disassembled QDs, once just to see how they were made and a couple of times to see if there was anything that seemed less than sanitary. I've never noticed any problems with mine, but I give them a pretty good washing and flush each time I change a keg.
On the other hand, cobra taps should be rather frequently disassembled and given a thorough cleaning. They can get nasty and cause infections if left alone for too long. |
Mike Mayer
Advanced Member
Username: Mmayer
Post Number: 831
Registered: 12-2002
Posted From: 67.39.201.121
| | Posted on Saturday, August 23, 2008 - 12:27 pm: |
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Ditto what Bill said. It really doesn't take that much effort to disassemble and clean, so that's what I do ever time I change kegs. |
Connie
Senior Member
Username: Connie
Post Number: 1252
Registered: 10-2000
Posted From: 76.17.52.96
| | Posted on Saturday, August 23, 2008 - 01:29 pm: |
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Bill, does that mean that you disassemble and clean, or just wash the outside and flush the inside with forced liquids? |
Bill Pierce
Moderator
Username: Billpierce
Post Number: 9149
Registered: 01-2002
Posted From: 24.150.192.193
| | Posted on Saturday, August 23, 2008 - 04:50 pm: |
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The latter, Connie. I don't find it necessary to disassemble the QDs, merely flush them well with cleaning solution, rinse water and sanitizer. |
Brews and Views Archive 2008 
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