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Author Topic: Disassembling cobra taps for cleaning?  (Read 6914 times)

Offline roguejim

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Disassembling cobra taps for cleaning?
« on: October 22, 2011, 04:47:45 pm »
Do you guys disassemble your cobra taps for cleaning/sanitizing, or just loosen them and let them soak?

Offline euge

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Re: Disassembling cobra taps for cleaning?
« Reply #1 on: October 22, 2011, 07:51:40 pm »
Clean? Soak? Not in a long time... But it's a good idea.
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Offline mabrungard

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Re: Disassembling cobra taps for cleaning?
« Reply #2 on: October 22, 2011, 08:41:07 pm »
Absolutely!  The silicone plunger of the cobra tap will become contaminated with a variety of organisms.  You do need to unscrew the unit and make sure that any accumulations are removed and the plunger is disinfected to the degree possible. 

I find that the silicone will become so embedded with 'stuff' that I have to abandon the thumb tap and replace it with another.  Since they are only a few dollars, its not a big deal to toss and replace it. 

Do take them apart after each keg's worth and give them a good cleaning.  That will extend their replacement interval.

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Offline bo

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Re: Disassembling cobra taps for cleaning?
« Reply #3 on: October 22, 2011, 09:33:51 pm »
Wished I could buy parts for them.

Offline rob_f

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Re: Disassembling cobra taps for cleaning?
« Reply #4 on: October 23, 2011, 07:20:28 am »
You need to open them up to let out the big chunks of slime that grow in there.   :o
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Offline mabrungard

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Re: Disassembling cobra taps for cleaning?
« Reply #5 on: October 23, 2011, 10:18:52 am »
Wished I could buy parts for them.

I also wish that were the case.  But in consolation, the price for a new plastic picnic faucet is already pretty low depending who you're buying it from.  I see that I can get them for $4 each.  Consider that the cost of just the silicone end piece and just set the extra faucet housing aside.
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Online denny

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Re: Disassembling cobra taps for cleaning?
« Reply #6 on: October 23, 2011, 11:06:26 am »
Every time the keg kicks, I disassemble and clean both the cobra tap and the QD.  It's too easy to do to let it slide.
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Offline Thirsty_Monk

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Re: Disassembling cobra taps for cleaning?
« Reply #7 on: October 23, 2011, 07:34:06 pm »
Wished I could buy parts for them.

I also wish that were the case.  But in consolation, the price for a new plastic picnic faucet is already pretty low depending who you're buying it from.  I see that I can get them for $4 each.  Consider that the cost of just the silicone end piece and just set the extra faucet housing aside.

If I recall it right Foxx Equipment has an replacement parts.
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Offline bo

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Re: Disassembling cobra taps for cleaning?
« Reply #8 on: October 23, 2011, 08:04:08 pm »
Wished I could buy parts for them.

I also wish that were the case.  But in consolation, the price for a new plastic picnic faucet is already pretty low depending who you're buying it from.  I see that I can get them for $4 each.  Consider that the cost of just the silicone end piece and just set the extra faucet housing aside.

If I recall it right Foxx Equipment has an replacement parts.

Nope, unless I looked in the wrong place.

Offline roguejim

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Re: Disassembling cobra taps for cleaning?
« Reply #9 on: October 24, 2011, 01:16:19 am »
Every time the keg kicks, I disassemble and clean both the cobra tap and the QD.  It's too easy to do to let it slide.

Yeah, I meant the quick disconnect of the line.  The reason I ask is that I tried to get extra parts for the quick disconnect having lost them somewhere during the disassembling/cleaning process.  When I asked the guy at Brewers Discount for parts, and told him how I had lost them, he couldn't believe that anyone would take them apart for cleaning.  So, I thought maybe there is some other way to clean them other than disassembling.  Hence, I thought maybe just loosening and soaking the quick disconnect would be sufficient.

Online denny

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Re: Disassembling cobra taps for cleaning?
« Reply #10 on: October 24, 2011, 09:36:43 am »
I thought maybe just loosening and soaking the quick disconnect would be sufficient.

It might be.  Try it and let us know.
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Offline Slowbrew

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Re: Disassembling cobra taps for cleaning?
« Reply #11 on: October 24, 2011, 09:41:39 am »
I disassemble and give all the parts a quick soak after each use.  I don't use the cobra tap very often and would rather spend a few minutes each time than find something really nasty 4 months later.

Paul

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Offline morticaixavier

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Re: Disassembling cobra taps for cleaning?
« Reply #12 on: October 24, 2011, 10:10:30 am »
so does all this mean I am flirting with disaster by simply running a keg of hot PBW then cool idophor through the cobra taps after each use? Guess it's time to break everything down for a proper cleaning!
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Online denny

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Re: Disassembling cobra taps for cleaning?
« Reply #13 on: October 24, 2011, 10:49:40 am »
so does all this mean I am flirting with disaster by simply running a keg of hot PBW then cool idophor through the cobra taps after each use? Guess it's time to break everything down for a proper cleaning!

I broke my taps and QDs down the first time after using them for maybe 3 years.  They were very grungy inside! 
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Offline beersk

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Re: Disassembling cobra taps for cleaning?
« Reply #14 on: October 25, 2011, 12:56:37 pm »
so does all this mean I am flirting with disaster by simply running a keg of hot PBW then cool idophor through the cobra taps after each use? Guess it's time to break everything down for a proper cleaning!

I broke my taps and QDs down the first time after using them for maybe 3 years.  They were very grungy inside! 
Well that's not very encouraging.  I run oxiclean through the lines after a keg kicks, let it sit for a bit, then rinse with water.  Then run Starsan through.  So my lines are probably gunked up then...
Jesse