6 replies to this topic

[gnef]

Since the walk-in is nearing my target temperature, I have started looking more into my tubing.Right now I am using pvc tubing 3/16x7/16, and honestly, either my palette is not that sensitive, or my tubing has been fine for me. I plan on using all new pvc tubing when I take the shanks out of the current kegerator, and mount them in the walk-in cooler. I think I have enough on hand to at least start the transition.I have been doing some reading on homebrewtalk, and some of them have gone through just about all types of tubing because they can taste the plastic leeching out into the beer.I am thinking that I will just continue to use pvc for now, it is the cheapest, and has been working for me for years now. Can any of you taste the plastic in your beers though?just to be complete - some of the beerline that they are going to is: Accuflex Bev-Seal Ultra barrier line and tygon b44-4x, both of which are signifcantly more expensive. Do any of you have experience with either of those types of tubing?

[passlaku]

Morebeer sells this stuff:https://morebeer.com/view_product/16367//Beer_Tubing_3_16%22_ID_Roll_of_100It rocks. It remains pliable even though it is cold.

[Dean Palmer]

There are countless tubing options, but what you need in a simple kegerator for serving beer is 3/16" ID "beverage rated" tubing. That satisfies the basic need for tubing that will not impart flavors to the beverage. Few home hobbyists need more than this. Do not accept anything not specified for beverage such as the PVC hose from the hardware stores.Past that you can really geek out and spend time and money on tubing that you may never utilize to its capabilities.The tubing you listed is used in major commercial and multi-beverage installations. There are many reasons why it is beter, but few reasons why the home hobbyist should care unless they have a special need. Some folks I know have this special need due to the installs.1. Depending on the product, it can have gas barriers to prevent oxidation of product, especially for long runs for beer and juice where the product sits in the lines for a long time, or it is s long run.2. The product has a flavor crossover issue. This is especially true for soft drinks and such syrups. Just the gasses from the lines being beside each other in a bundle can transfer root beer to lemon line drinks.3. Specialized super-smooth surfaces for sanitation compliance. Standard beverage lines are fine for hobbyists as we can replace them in a snap if they become too funky from improper care, and not the case for a major install and bundled lines.4. Ability to run ANY beverage through the tubing, and then run a completely different one with no flavor residuals. Anyone who has run root beer on their kegerator knows that those lines will need to now be dedicated to root beer, or replaced before serving another beverage. Not a requirement for the hobbyist because swapping lines can be as simple as unscrewing a flare fitting and placing in a line for the proper beverage. Not so when you have a 30ft bundle of glycol-chilled lines in your wall.So,,, lots of things the more expensive lines can do, but homebrewers rarely if ever need this. If your install includes a groups of lines bundled together and a long run or complicated install, the high-end lines are what you need. If you can remove and replace lines easily, you can just use regular beverage tubing.Any high quality beverage tubing will deliver the proper taste protecting, but the high-end stuff will ensure perfection that may never result in a better taste.Hope that helps!

[Dean Palmer]

Also... If the cost to use the best is minimal, go for it! It could make the difference of having that first few ounces have an off flavor from sitting for a few days in the lines, but then again I generally dump a few ounces if nothing has been served for days.Also, no lines in existence will taste good if you don't regularly run the proper beer line cleaner and sometimes acid cleaners. There is no options here, and you can't run other chemicals such as sanitizers or PBW to get the same result. Most peoples' taste issues are caused by their lack of following industry standard cleaning practices. Only beverage line cleaners can break down the compounds in the lines.

[No Party JKor]

Morebeer sells this stuff:https://morebeer.com..._ID_Roll_of_100It rocks. It remains pliable even though it is cold.

Here is the equivalent McMaster part number: 5233K55. $10 less per 100' roll from McMaster.I use the braid reinforced PVC tubing (5238k728). It has a much higher pressure rating than the straight PVC tubing. I don't ever want to have to worry about popping the tubing. For $0.02/ft more I get a pressure rating of 350psi, instead of 78psi.

[gnef]

https://www.usplasti...3&catid=736That is the stuff I currently use. It isn't listed under the 'beverage' section of their site. The 3/16x7/16 is already .28/foot, so I will see if I can swing something nicer.Thoughts on what I currently have though?

[gnef]

I have a new idea for tubing:I have been thinking about transitioning to acetal John Guest fittings ( https://www.usplasti...74538&catid=832 ), but the only size that is close is a 1/4'' flare (this would go on the quick disconnect), to 3/8'' tubing.US Plastics has 3/16x3/8 tubing, but would the resistance be the same as the 3/16x7/16 tubing?