5 replies to this topic

[gnef]

I am doing some research and can't seem to find a clear answer. It also doesn't seem many people use LLDPE tubing for their gasline in their serving setups.

 

I am specifically looking at Bevlex 222 tubing, which I can get in the size I would need for my fittings. I use 3/8 OD John Guest push to connect fittings for everything. I believe this tubing can work well enough with these fittings.

 

Have any of you use LLDPE tubing? 

 

I am specifically interested in flexibility and that I can use it with my fittings. I want to get as much information as possible before needing to buy a 100 or 500 ft roll of the stuff.

 

I am not too concerned about oxygen permeability, but please let me know of anything I may be missing!

 

Right now I am using clear pvc line. It works ok, but it wasn't intended for use with the push to connect fittings, and it deforms over time. I do have enough on hand, and I am ok to use it for the long term, I am just interested to see if there is a better tubing out there for what I want to do.

[Steve Urquell]

I use 1/4" LLDPE icemaker line for gas and beer line. I have meant to slowly start switching to John Guest fittings but usually end up making lines Like I always have shoving the line in a stub of heated PVC beer line. Icemaker tubing imparts no flavor in beer lines and coils well--I just ziptie the coil together.

 

The bottom pic is my old gas setup. I just switched everything over to a 6 port gas block with all LLDPE lines made like the beer lines.

 

Edited by Steve Urquell, 01 January 2018 - 01:05 AM.

[gnef]

Nice!

 

I've been using Bev Seal ultra 235 for my beerline, and I am very happy with it. It does use a PETE inner liner with a poly jacket, I believe. It is pretty stiff, and I've tried using it for gas line, which it works for, but it is pretty stiff and annoying to use for that. it is already annoying to use for beerline due to stiffness since I have 14 taps, so 14 sets of stiff lines is a bit annoying.

 

The LLDPE that you have looks like it is somewhat stiff but not too bad. It is supposed to have a fairly small minimal bending radius, if I remember correctly. I would be getting the 1/4" ID x 3/8" OD bevlex 222 for use with my John Guest fittings. It may be worth it for me to buy a spool to see how it works. A club member has an account with Foxx Equipment, so I can usually get these kinds of things through him fairly inexpensively, I just have to buy full spools of the stuff (typically 100 ft is the minimum).

 

It sounds like you are pretty happy with the tubing then if you are using it for both gas and beerline. I would only be using this for gasline, I'm just looking to see if there is anything better than the pvc type of line I've been using for over a decade for gasline.

[Steve Urquell]

Here's the gas block. Mine is all 1/4" icemaker tubing from Lowe's. The lines are stiff but are fine as long as you allow extra to slowly loop them. The 3/8" fittings should work with any 3/8" OD tubing. As far as diffusion is concerned, my beer lines will allow the beer in the line to go flat if I haven't pulled a pint off it in a couple months and I get no flavor from the line even after the beer has sat in it for months.

 

[HVB]

Here's the gas block. Mine is all 1/4" icemaker tubing from Lowe's. The lines are stiff but are fine as long as you allow extra to slowly loop them. The 3/8" fittings should work with any 3/8" OD tubing. As far as diffusion is concerned, my beer lines will allow the beer in the line to go flat if I haven't pulled a pint off it in a couple months and I get no flavor from the line even after the beer has sat in it for months.

 

What are you running for length on these lines?

[Steve Urquell]

What are you running for length on these lines?

The gas lines are 3 different lengths. 4', 3', 2'--shortest is closest to the block. The beer lines are 8'4" which is (1) 25' coil cut evenly into 3 lines.