braided vinyl tubing from keggle to CFC

broadbill · 11-07-2008, 04:06 PM

Hi all,

finally have my keggle assembled with a weldless bulkhead. The bulkhead has a barb hose attachment on the outside for a draining the keggle. My plan is to put a use a piece of braided vinyl to drain the keggle into my CFC.

I had to heat up the vinyl tubing (dunked into hot water) to get it to slip onto the barb hose attachment on the bulkhead but now its tight on there. I know I can heat it up again to pull it off, but I was hoping to have it slide on/off easily enough that I could leave it on my CFC and slip the hose onto the keggle bulkhead when I'm ready to drain.

What does everyone else use? I thinking I could heat it up again while on the barb hose attachment, and it might permanently deform so it will slide on/off. Any other tricks?

Thanks in advance!

**ShortSnoutBrewing** · 11-07-2008, 04:09 PM

I use QD's on my keggles. Quick on off. I don't have the link, but got them from McMaster-Carr

**FSR402** · 11-07-2008, 04:22 PM

Seeing how you will be running 212* wort thru that I would NOT use a vinyl tube. You will be melting it and that will leach bad stuff into your beer.

Use silicone that's rated for the hight temps. Or as I have mine is a compression fitting hooking the CFC right to the valve.

**Chriso** · 11-07-2008, 05:01 PM

I disagree. I use Braided Vinyl, potable water grade from Menards/Home Depot, going from boil kettle to CFC and have had no problems. And I'm not dead yet. I agree that for safety of mind it *could* be a good idea. But it's not mandatory, in my opinion.

(That being said, FSR, I like how you have yours set up. If my setup were a little more stationary / well-thought-out, I would probably do the same thing as you've done. Props to you.)

@ The OP, I've never had trouble removing hose - in fact, due to stretching, I have to cut 2" off the end of my hose every, oh, 5 or 6 batches, because it starts to not seal as well. Did you buy too tight of a hose diameter size, possibly? If so, you'll probably have to cut it off the barbed fitting *every* time, or invest in some quick-disconnects as the others have mentioned.

broadbill · 11-07-2008, 05:28 PM

Thanks for all of the responses!

@kilted brewer: yeah, I thought of QD, but I'm brewing tomorrow and so I was looking for a more fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of answer!

@FSR: silicone will definitely be the tubing of choice in the next go-round. But I find the braided vinyl holds up nicely. I hear what you are saying about vinyl and leaching, but with everything I've read most peoples' conclusion is "well, it could be a problem, but I still use it" I guess you can have the same criticism of silicone...

@christo: Interesting you have to cut off sections because of stretch. I bought the braided vinyl w/ a 3/8ID to fit over the 3/8copper of my CFC. I just looked and it appears the bulkhead has a 1/2 barb fitting...so there is my problem right there! I could go buy 1/2" ID hose, but then it would be too big for my CFC...maybe I need to find a 3/8 barb fitting now...

**Chriso** · 11-07-2008, 05:31 PM

Yep - I had to do the same thing. It's probably a 1/2" ball valve, using a 1/2" NPT - 1/2" barbed fitting. Replacing it with 1/2"NPT x 3/8" Barbed should solve it. I found my fitting for less than $3 at a Home Depot/Menards/etc.

As far as cutting the ends - Like I noted, I do it rarely - 5-6 or more batches between each time it needs cut.

I use the same braided vinyl hose to go MLT->kettle, and kettle-> CFC, so it gets double use. If it's going to be used kettle->CFC only, I would expect it to last well over 10 brews before needing to trim the end.

**conpewter** · 11-07-2008, 05:34 PM

Brewing tomorrow would cut it close, but just so you know McMaster has amazingly fast shipping.

**FSR402** · 11-07-2008, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by broadbill

@FSR: silicone will definitely be the tubing of choice in the next go-round. But I find the braided vinyl holds up nicely. I hear what you are saying about vinyl and leaching, but with everything I've read most peoples' conclusion is "well, it could be a problem, but I still use it" I guess you can have the same criticism of silicone...

My dogs like to eat their poo but that does not mean they should or that it's good for them.

I used to use the vinyl tube to run my sparge water from the HLT thru the mainfold and I know that at 170* it was melting the hose a little which can't be good.

For the time being I'm sure you'll be fine but I would want to change it out as soon as I could.

**BigKahuna** · 11-07-2008, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FSR402

For the time being I'm sure you'll be fine but I would want to change it out as soon as I could.

I've done 4 or 5 batches now with my new cfc, and I've been using the vinal tubing. I swear I can taste an "off" flavor that reminds me of a new blow up raft that I had as a kid. It's very light, and not noticeable except once in a while...it just is there.
I ordered 5 foot of Silicone hose from Austin Home Brew yesterday.

**FSR402** · 11-07-2008, 11:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigKahuna

I've done 4 or 5 batches now with my new cfc, and I've been using the vinal tubing. I swear I can taste an "off" flavor that reminds me of a new blow up doll that I had as a kid. It's very light, and not noticeable except once in a while...it just is there.
I ordered 5 foot of Silicone hose from Austin Home Brew yesterday.

I'm sure it's the tube that's giving it to you.

Oh and fixed it for you.