Kegging: Hose Clamps

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njnear76

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I ordered a keg setup through kegconnections and it looks like they use the crimp hose clamps.

What is easier to use worm or crimp? What size worm clamp should I get if I replace them.

Thanks,
Mike
 
I'd get the ones that are standard for 1/4" lines. Make sure that you get the all stainless ones (including the screw!)... some thing like part number 5011T141 from mcmaster.com

Edit, the screw ones are ALWAYS easier to get off than the crimp ones, thus if you mess up, you can just loosen them and re-do them
 
I'd get the ones that are standard for 1/4" lines. Make sure that you get the all stainless ones (including the screw!)... some thing like part number 5011T141 from mcmaster.com

Edit, the screw ones are ALWAYS easier to get off than the crimp ones, thus if you mess up, you can just loosen them and re-do them
That's what I thought. I was a little bit disappointed that they came with the crimp. Another question how do I get the crimp ones off?
 
WHoah ease of taking them off doesnt necessarily make them better. I find that the all stainless steel screw ones are hard to find, so if I am going to order them online , I went with the Oetiker clamps like Kegconnection uses. for most of my lines, they will be permanent. To take them off, I just use a screw driver or wire cutters. I guess its preference, just saying you shouldnt be disappointed.
 
WHoah ease of taking them off doesnt necessarily make them better. I find that the all stainless steel screw ones are hard to find, so if I am going to order them online , I went with the Oetiker clamps like Kegconnection uses. for most of my lines, they will be permanent. To take them off, I just use a screw driver or wire cutters. I guess its preference, just saying you shouldnt be disappointed.
Hmmmm...

Well I'm just getting ready to keg my first beer and from what I understand, it is good practice to take everything apart to ensure everything gets cleaned well.

I'm sure all my hoses are clean since this is all new stuff, but it probably makes sense to clean the gas line and beer line between brews.

Mike
 
I have never cleaned my gas lines. The only time I would ever consider cleaning my gas lines is if beer were to somehow get backed up into the gas system.

As for the beer lines I never take those apart either. The lines and connectors get soaked toghether. No point risking a leak by dismantling what ain't broke.
 
I never clean my gas line, I've got check valves in there to make sure beer doesn't go back that way. As for the beer lines, I use pbw in an empty keg and run it through, followed by hot water, followed by sanitizer if I have some mixed. The faucets you can take apart if you like. Its a pretty simple process to clean the lines right before you keg your brew, since you have an empty keg already.
 
I have never cleaned my gas lines. The only time I would ever consider cleaning my gas lines is if beer were to somehow get backed up into the gas system.

As for the beer lines I never take those apart either. The lines and connectors get soaked toghether. No point risking a leak by dismantling what ain't broke.

Interesting. Do you take a part the disconnects or leave them whole?
 
I never clean my gas line, I've got check valves in there to make sure beer doesn't go back that way. As for the beer lines, I use pbw in an empty keg and run it through, followed by hot water, followed by sanitizer if I have some mixed. The faucets you can take apart if you like. Its a pretty simple process to clean the lines right before you keg your brew, since you have an empty keg already.

I have check valves on my system. But I'm wondering if it is still possible for beer to flow up to the valve. I admit some ignorance when it comes to check valves.:eek:
 
You can take the disconnects apart, and I probably will once or twice a year, but running pbw and water through them should be fine. If you do take the disc apart , be careful not to lose parts. I took mine apart once and lost the oring inside, not easy to find. I'm sure you can still get beer backing up, but just make is a practice not to fill you kegs past the gas in tube.
 
I rarely dissassemble the disconnects.

My process is this;

Since I use the swivel nuts, I take the beer lines loose and let them soak in a small dish tub of line cleaner. I also soak the disconnect. While that soaks, I disassemble the faucets and clean them throughly. The shank gets a wet (line cleaner) brush through.

If I am tapping similar beers consecutively, I don't clean the system between kegs. I have gone as far as 3 kegs before cleaning but, wouldn;t go any more than that by personal preference.

If I am tapping, say, a Pilsner after I had a Stout on tap. Then I would clean the system before tapping the Pils just to avoid any residuals in the lines throwing off the lighter beer.

However, at each keg tapping. I thoroughly inspect all the lines for any signs of beerstone or staining (if apparent). If I see either, I will clean them.

The only time I completely break down the disconnects is if I have had a particularly "chewy" beer run through them. Otherwise, I just submerge them in cleaner and open them to trap some cleaner in there and let them soak for a bit.
 
I've never had an issue with the worm drive clamps, and the commodity of being able to take them off has come in useful to me several times. Have a picnic tap connected to a ball lock out? swap it off to a sanke out for a party. Items like that.

I've never clean my gas lines either. You do need to ruin the crimp clamp to get it off, just use some pliers. But I also ask why you're taking apart your gas lines?
 
You can take the disconnects apart, and I probably will once or twice a year, but running pbw and water through them should be fine. If you do take the disc apart , be careful not to lose parts. I took mine apart once and lost the oring inside, not easy to find. I'm sure you can still get beer backing up, but just make is a practice not to fill you kegs past the gas in tube.

Cool. I plan on bottling a gallon every batch anyways so it should be 4-4.5 into the keg.
 
Another note on the Otiker, or crimp type clamps.

Get a pair of tile snips and dull the cutter a bit with a file and "whalah" you have yourself an Otiker crimper on teh cheap. Whats more, since the tooth edge is so wide it's easy to twist the Otiker crimp to loosen the clamp and remove it.
 
I'd get the ones that are standard for 1/4" lines. Make sure that you get the all stainless ones (including the screw!)... some thing like part number 5011T141 from mcmaster.com

Edit, the screw ones are ALWAYS easier to get off than the crimp ones, thus if you mess up, you can just loosen them and re-do them

Why does it matter if they are all stainless or not when they have no contact with your beer? I guess if your kegerator is damp then rust would be a concern. Just seems like we go overboard with stainless sometimes
 
OK so I think I got it.

Breakdown the entire keg to clean it.
Soak the line out disconnect/picnic tap
Run cleaner through the beer disconnect/picnic tap

Breakdown the entire keg to sanitize.
Soak the line out disconnect/picnic tap
Run sanitizer through the beer disconnect/picnic tap

Breakdown the line out disconnect once every 2-3 beers.
 
Why does it matter if they are all stainless or not when they have no contact with your beer? I guess if your kegerator is damp then rust would be a concern. Just seems like we go overboard with stainless sometimes

Most kegerators will have moisture in them. Also when I clean my lines the clamps are submerged in water. Stainless is a necessity in this case. And I use aluminum brew pots.:D
 
Ha. Yeah. Do it that way for now.










And in a few months start using a spritzer to sanitize your kegs and use the beer to sanitize the beer lines.

What you are proposing is definitely reasonable and is definitely a safe practice. Just not entirely necessary.
 
OK so I think I got it.

Breakdown the entire keg to clean it.
Soak the line out disconnect/picnic tap
Run cleaner through the beer disconnect/picnic tap

Breakdown the entire keg to sanitize.
Soak the line out disconnect/picnic tap
Run sanitizer through the beer disconnect/picnic tap

Breakdown the line out disconnect once every 2-3 beers.

Sounds good, BUT. I clean the disconnect every keg. I have the small hand pump that hooks to the tap end of the system. Then I put the swivel nut end in a small bowl and pump cleaner through it. I stop when the bowl is half full and let soak for 15 minutes. It takes 30 seconds to unscrew the disconnect top and dump it in the bowl to soak. That is where I also soak the tap.
 
Just use whatever works for you, my only point was , dont hate oetiker clamps until you've gotten you're routine down. I like them cus they look professional and come in a variety of sizes that fit the line snugly. Good luck.
 
Sounds good, BUT. I clean the disconnect every keg. I have the small hand pump that hooks to the tap end of the system. Then I put the swivel nut end in a small bowl and pump cleaner through it. I stop when the bowl is half full and let soak for 15 minutes. It takes 30 seconds to unscrew the disconnect top and dump it in the bowl to soak. That is where I also soak the tap.
You only clean the out disconnect, correct?
 
Stepless Oetikers are the best deal going for the beverage professional. You slip it over the tubing, slide the tubing over the barb, position the clamp, crimp it on with your favorite crimping tool...and there you have it. It saves time over any other method. And time is money.

For homebrewers there are two other options. The worm clamp and the "clamp-tite" tool. I use the worm clamps on the shanks in my kegerator...They're not anywhere for someone to get snagged on...and I already own them. I can replace the tubing and re-use the clamps. So, I think they work well there.

I now use safety wire (stainless steel) for all my clamping needs now for everything else. Now...realize...it takes more time to tie a clamp using safety wire than either of the other two methods...but there are advantages in the long run that makes it worth it to me. 1) you can get over 200 clamps out of a $8 roll of stainless steel safety wire. 2) The clamp is nearly flush with the tubing, so you can slide the connection through bulkhead openings, and you can't really get snagged on the clamp. 3) easy to remove...you just snip the section that runs parallel to the tubing and it comes right off...in 2 seconds.

I've written the tool up somewhere on this forum as well as:

Message Board - Clamping Tool

It takes a few minutes to put a clamp on this way...but for me...not having to try to keep 10 different sizes of oetiker clamp in stock is a welcome relief...not to mention getting snagged on the pesky little "ear" sticking out. You can even single loop, double loop, triple loop your safety wire to hold just about anything, and any size. You'll like having this option around the house, the boat, the RV, the brew house... You can even use it to connect irrigation tubing in the yard...fix hose fittings...you name it.

Just thought I'd introduce another option that exists...
 
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