Need help with fitting from Mcmaster Carr

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Dgonza9

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 20, 2010
Messages
1,182
Reaction score
12
Location
Evanston
I recently ordered a pin lock connection set from cornykegs.com. Unlike my other connectors, these are both 1/4". I had originally gotten the 5/16 inch barbed connector for the gas line. HERE's a PHOTO OF IT. As it happens, my co2 distributor is 5/16.

Can anyone help me locate an adapter fitting from Mcmaster Carr? I just can't seem to find one.

I'm also planning on buying 50' of this beer hose

Anyone have off flavors from this kind of hose? It's just so much cheaper than the beer line from homebrew stores.

Many thanks, guys.:rockin:
 
That tubing should be fine, although you might want a thicker wall, it is FDA certified and specified for use with food and beverage. Polyethylene is in everything...

As for the adapter, if its just a gas line side use a plastic male x male hose barb of different IDs and a short 1-2" piece of small ID tubing between the two, http://www.mcmaster.com/#barbed-tube-fittings/=8nwjdj. Not the cleanest looking but likely the cheapest and fastest. If it's beer side, you're going to have issues with the ID change and foaming regardless of what you do.
 
I would use a 1/4" flare x 3/16" compression fitting. These should be available. The female flare nut will fit the 1/4" male threads on the connector and the poly tubing will work with the compression side. That fitting may be hard to locate, but it anyone has it, McMaster-Carr will I am fairly certain.

The poly tubing is safe for beverage or water use. The biggest problem you will have is that it is not very flexible. It's kind of semi-rigid and springy. You can bend it, but it will kink if bent too sharply and it sort of wants to retain its coiled shaped as packaged. This may or may not be a problem depending on your set up. I'd go with real beer line and spring for the extra cost. It's not that bad really and the beer line lasts indefinitely, so it's a one time purchase sort of thing.
 
I see the 1/4" flare nut

The compression fitting seems kind of pricey, though.

I may have been unclear as I need the compression fitting for 5/16" GAS line. For this price I might as well order the 5/16" qc from Micromatic.

Still not sure what to do. Maybe I'll just try a load of teflon tape and a tight clamp on the 1/4" gas QC.
 
1/4" hose wil fit over 5/16" barb....put it in a cup of hot water for a few seconds and it will stretch....I do it all the time
 
I guess I'm going to buy some 1/4" gas hose and stretch it over the 5/16th inch barb on the co2 distributor manifold with some hot water.

Thanks for all the input. Seems like the best idea.
 
Back
Top