Beer FOB Maintenance What You Need To Know
A foam on beer FOB is a piece of equipment that helps you avoid wasting profits. This device will shut off the flow of foam when your keg blows. The FOB allows the line to stay packed full of beer instead of foam and help keep lines flowing at all times. Make sure this piece of equipment is always working correctly. To do this you need to know how to maintain it properly!
Here's a Draft Beer System Repair and Solutions Checklist for your Bar
Maintaining A Beer FOB:
Maintaining a FOB is pretty simple. You should check your fobs for any wear and tear every couple weeks when you are cleaning a remote beer system. FOB's should be disassembled quarterly and cleaned completely. To do this, take the FOB off its mounting bracket, break it down, soak in a caustic solution for at least 15 mins, rinse and put back together.
During regular scheduled beer cleans every 2 weeks. Check the FOB to make sure everything is in working order and there isn't extreme build up of yeast or mold in the FOB. Cleaning with a recirculating pump is best practice when running caustic and acid through a beer system.
This is best practice for a FOB.
How to Clean a Beer FOB
- Disconnect the Beer Fob from the draft beer system by unscrewing the beer nuts to the beer coupler and the beer nut to the beer trunkline. Hold a bucket below the FOB to catch beer exiting from the FOB.
- Remove the FOB from the wall mount by pushing up. This will cause the FOB to release from the bracket
- Work over a table or surface when you are disassembling the FOB.
- Loosen the vent assembly on top of the FOB. Pull out the compression spring and Oring. You might need a knife or flathead screw driver to get this loose.
- Loosen the FOB chamber from the base as well as the O-ring.
- Remove the Cap with pliers. Push the snap lock forward to release it. Remove cap from the FOB assembly.
- Use a soft cloth if needed to wipe organic matter off the glass. Don't use a hard brush because this could scratch it.
- Mix a 2-3 percent solution of Caustic in warm water. Place all parts in this solution for at least 15 minutes to soak completely
- Take a nylon brush and scrub parts in the solution. Check the gaskets that are in good working order. If they're damaged in any way replace them. Also check the compression spring.
- After scrubbing rinse the parts thoroughly with cold water. Put FOB back together.
- When you clean a FOB it's also good to look over any other dispensing equipment that may need service. Such equipment as a beer coupler, beer pump or Flojet reversal valve.
- Lastly, after the FOB is back on the wall mount. Purge the FOB and fill the viewing glass with beer so that the float is up.
Summary
The Beer Fob is an essential piece to a long draw or remote beer system. Make sure to run caustic through the FOB every 2 weeks with a recirculating pump. This is the best way to clean a remote beer system. Every quarter take the FOB apart completely and soak in a bucket of 2-3 percent caustic. Rinse the FOB, put it back together, and charge it when it's reinstalled. Doing these things will make sure your FOB stays fully operational for years to come, and your draft beer tastes great.
