How Long Are Your QD/1/2" Silicon Hoses?

I have 18' of silicon hose from B3 (only took 7 weeks). I have one pump now.

I had arbitrarily guessed 6' lengths, but am wondering, before I lay Craftsman Handicutters to it, how long everyone else went.

Reason being I plan on a dedicated single tier rig, but have been in traditional garage bench and floor configuration for awhile, and don't see a rig in the near future.

So what are your lengths, for either scenario?

I have 4-5ft runs for all my hose. My reasoning? None really - I figured it would be long enough without being too long.

I brew on the sidewalk in front of my apartment right now. Similar to the garage scenario, but less comfortable.

My advice would be to keep the hoses as short as possible, especially on the suction side of the pump. Short hoses = reduced resistance. My hoses were way longer than necessary when I first got my pump. Since then I've shortened them up with a significant improvement in pump performance. Priming seems to be easier too.

Unfortunately I bought QD's before some posted here that they found that some QD 90's were helpful for hose use, but I had already bought straights.

Since I don't have a rig yet, I can't build the hoses specifically for them, not knowing the routings, so that my lengths are optimum. When I have the rig, I figure to just remove or cut the ends at the straights where I prefer 90's, but in the meantime I'm looking for brew rig owners that have gotten farther than myself in this.

Henry

Is that a Walther PPK maybe? Nice pistol. As Vince would say, "You know those Germans make good stuff"

5ft on mine. Long enough for intlet or out let to reach any make disconnect, or the sink. Also I plumbed in a pipe over my brew-rig that runs through a good carbon filter and ends in a ball-valve with a male QD on it. I use it to fill the HLT and then anytime I need to rinse the pump (like after brewing) or if I loose my prime I can just attach the inlet QD to it and flush it out really well.

Make them as long as they need to be... I think that your rig configuration will determine the proper lengths. Everybody's will be different.

Lay your stuff out on the floor in the way you intend to build your rig and use that as your guild line...The longest hose on mine is five foot and that is for the whirlpool recirculate on the chiller. You can see some of my hoses in this pic but not the long one that runs to the chiller...Hope this helps.
Pat
http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/232/img144121.jpg

I just got into this game as well.. I only ordered 10ft from McMaster Carr.. but I'm confident that its more than enough... Hey Lehr... Not The Momma! from NB and More Beer forum here... Nice to see a familiar face... er.... Handle... lol

Keggle -> Pump Input: 4'
Pump Out -> Keggle: 6' (my MLT sits up fairly high, and I fly sparge)
MLT -> BK (gravity drain): 2'
CFC -> Carboy: 3'

Here it is in sparge mode:

One mistake I made in setting up my system was to not account for the various stages of brewing.

I cut all my hoses for a perfect fir during the Mash, but when I went to Sparge, I found my return hose on the HLT was a little short for reaching the MLT and the MLT exit hose was a bit short for reaching the Boil Kettle.

Be sure to try all of the configurations before cutting.

Linc

Bowtiebrewery said:

I just got into this game as well.. I only ordered 10ft from McMaster Carr.. but I'm confident that its more than enough... Hey Lehr... Not The Momma! from NB and More Beer forum here... Nice to see a familiar face... er.... Handle... lol

Click to expand...

How's that fest beer comming along buddy ?

Pat

Catt22 said:

Henry

Is that a Walther PPK maybe? Nice pistol. As Vince would say, "You know those Germans make good stuff"

Click to expand...

Walther P5 9MM

In all my years, I have never seen a silicon hose. However, I have seen seen plenty of silicon wafers, and silicone hoses.

[Sorry, it's Monday, and I'm just being a d|ck....]

jpc said:

In all my years, I have never seen a silicon hose. However, I have seen seen plenty of silicon wafers, and silicone hoses.

[Sorry, it's Monday, and I'm just being a d|ck....]

Click to expand...

Yeah, you are, sorry, I left off an 'E'.

So, can you offer any advice?

lehr said:

How's that fest beer comming along buddy ?

Pat

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Great! Its so damn good... I'll have to post some pix of the brew stand when its finished... It doesnt look very refined mostly because its wood but it definitely serves a purpose...