[benamcg]

I have a jockey box with a 2 outlet cold plate that needs a quick clean before the next party.  Shortly after each use I take a keg filled with Star San solution and run the lines for a while.  Then I close the tap and let it be until the next use.  I haven't used the box for about 3 months and the lines looked like they had a little white/mucousy appearance inside the lines.  I took all the lines apart and soaked them in iodophor (BTF) and seem to be fine now.  However, since I am dispensing for people other than me, I would like to make sure that I am not going to have party guests with intestinal distress or have any residues affecting the taste of the beer. 

I will probably not risk it and just replace the lines, but the cold plate was also packed with the solution.  I would think that since it is no-rinse Star San that it should be OK, but if it is not OK to store Star Stan for longer periods, any recommendations on cleaning it?  I have BTF, Star San and PBW. 

Any thoughts on what "normal" jockey box maintenance should be. 

Thanks
Ben

[james]

Treat it like you would any tap lines.  I flush mine with hot water when I get it home, then use co2 to blow out the lines/plate.  Before my next use I'll recirculate BLC through it, then keep it packed with sanitizer till I get to an event.

[morticaixavier]

to be clear, neither idophor nor star san are cleaners. the only cleaner you have listed is PBW and I think that if you mixed up some hot PBW and ran that through a couple times it would clean everything out nicely.

[garc_mall]

If you stored Star-san in your lines for 3 months, it breaks down the plastic, which is what the white mucousy stuff is.

Other than that, I have no advice.

[tschmidlin]

It doesn't break down the plastic - I was under the same impression until someone from 5-star cleared it up for me.  What happens is that over time the surfactant (soap) comes out of solution due to the interaction with the plastic, causing the plastic to get gummy with that stuff.

[Thirsty_Monk]

It doesn't break down the plastic - I was under the same impression until someone from 5-star cleared it up for me.  What happens is that over time the surfactant (soap) comes out of solution due to the interaction with the plastic, causing the plastic to get gummy with that stuff.

Good to know.

[Jeff M]

It doesn't break down the plastic - I was under the same impression until someone from 5-star cleared it up for me.  What happens is that over time the surfactant (soap) comes out of solution due to the interaction with the plastic, causing the plastic to get gummy with that stuff.

So does rinsing and/or cleaning the surface remove the gummyness to no ill effect?

[garc_mall]

It doesn't break down the plastic - I was under the same impression until someone from 5-star cleared it up for me.  What happens is that over time the surfactant (soap) comes out of solution due to the interaction with the plastic, causing the plastic to get gummy with that stuff.

So does rinsing and/or cleaning the surface remove the gummyness to no ill effect?

I haven't been able to remove the gumminess to save my life. If I leave tubing in starsan too long, it goes in the trash.

[tschmidlin]

It doesn't break down the plastic - I was under the same impression until someone from 5-star cleared it up for me.  What happens is that over time the surfactant (soap) comes out of solution due to the interaction with the plastic, causing the plastic to get gummy with that stuff.

So does rinsing and/or cleaning the surface remove the gummyness to no ill effect?

I haven't been able to remove the gumminess to save my life. If I leave tubing in starsan too long, it goes in the trash.

Same with me - it gets pretty nasty, and even if I could get it off the outside I wouldn't trust the inside.  Into the trash it goes.