Stainless Pipe, Tubing, or Triclover?

Hey All-

As I am cobbling the parts together for my all-stainless Brewcart 3.0, I can't help but weigh the pros and cons of different ways to transfer fluids. Here's where I'm at, I wonder what everyone else thinks and whether they have experience with each medium:

Stainless Pipe:
-Pros: Fittings are affordable, structure is solid and can support weight, can be broken down. Thicker wall will retain heat. ID is 1/2" allowing for good flow.
-Cons: Nipples longer than 6" can get $$$! Threaded fittings allow buildup of crap, unable to build custom length without threading machine. May leak without lots of teflon tape. Less aesthetic. Ball valves must be used, which collect crap and may restrict flow.

Stainless Tubing:
-Pros: ~$3.50/ft, more affordable for longer runs. Can be bent slightly if necessary, can easily be custom cut. Smoother inside, may collect less crap than pipe. Aesthetically pleasing.
-Cons: Requires swagelok fittings, which can be $$$. Thin wall will lose heat. May not be able to support weight of fittings, may be more susceptible to leaks after moving. Connection may suffer from break/remake. ID of tube is less than 1/2". Ball valves must be used, which collect crap and may restrict flow.

Triclover Pipe:
-Pros: Sanitary (Duh). Can be broken down easily. Aesthetically pleasing. Excellent flow rate, >1/2". Diaphragm valves can be used, which are sanitary and drain completely. Modular, accessories can be added/removed. Leak free. HIGH resale value.
-Cons: Expensive, ESPECIALLY for long sections of pipe. Bulky. Cannot be custom cut or manipulated. Can be very difficult/expensive to find certain fittings.

So what do you guys think? I have no experience with stainless tubing, so I'm afraid of bending/kinking it. OTOH, I think pipe and TC may be difficult to get everything to line up correctly.

Steve, if you use swagelok you can get an elbow or 45* fitting. Why would you need to bend anything? If you use tri-clover fittings exclusively, I agree you will have to do some tube bending. I think the best alternative would be a combination of tri-clover and swagelok style fittings. You can get triclover to NPT or FNPT and swagelok tube to NPT and FNPT. Simply use swagelok where the connections are more permanent, and triclover where connection and disconnection is needed. With a combination, you will not have to bend tubing either. Stainless steel 0.035 wall tubing is not terribly expensive and is not difficult to cut. It will cut with a regular $7.00 tubing cutter. I grant you that stainless is expensive, but I think it is worth it. There is no soldering and will last forever. Even with swagelok, disconnection is easy of you want to change something. Your alternative is copper which will work just fine and is much less expensive. If you want to make it pretty simply clean the pipe after soldering and put a coat of clear over it.


Tube to NPT



Tube to FNPT



Tube 90* elbow



Tube 45* Elbow



Swagelok Tube to Hose



Tri-Clover to NPT



Tri-Clover to FNPT



Tri-Clover to Hose

I went with the combination of silicon hosing and TriClover fittings, I feel that was the best option for breaking everything down and having some flexibility in the flow routing . Very expensive though , I believe I spent about $1,600 for my TriClover stuff at St. Pats ( I know everyone hates them , but I have had no issues whatsoever ) , they have great pricing. I started with alot of brass, then stainless threaded pipe , then TriClover, don't do what I did, do it right the first time .

You can get Tri's from Swagman here at $27. I went with Tri's and high temp hose from NB. I thought about hard pipe, but went with hose since it's my first rig and I'm already to start a stainless build. I can say w/o any hesitation, I would plumb with stainless just as Sawadust said. I think stainless is worth it and if your doing all stainless why not. It is a rig that will last you a lifetime. I wouldn't worry about threaded fittings if you couple it right. It will be easy to break down and give it a good cleaning. Long winded answer for saying I would go stainless. Just a thing with me.

you gave stpats business.

mrbowenz said:

I went with the combination of silicon hosing and TriClover fittings, I feel that was the best option for breaking everything down and having some flexibility in the flow routing . Very expensive though , I believe I spent about $1,600 for my TriClover stuff at St. Pats ( I know everyone hates them , but I have had no issues whatsoever ) , they have great pricing. I started with alot of brass, then stainless threaded pipe , then TriClover, don't do what I did, do it right the first time .

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That is expensive! I am getting away with $250 worth of swagelok fittings off of Ebay, $300 worth of triclovers from Swagman and $60 worth of stainless steel 1/2" OD 0.035 wall tubing. I grant you, if I would have had to purchase the swagelok fittings retail I would have exceeded $1600 but on Ebay you can find them brand new for a song. I used Tri-Clovers only where I know I will need to connect or disconnect often but swagelok fittings are basically compression fittings and can be reconfigured easily. No doubt, your setup is very nice and will work well also. I agree with you 100%, doing it right the first time saves time, money and agrevation.

Guy- Thanks for the prOn! When I mentioned bending tubing, I only meant that I COULD bend slightly to fudge my tolerances. I'd definitely use elbows, etc. and get a good precision fit with a hacksaw. One concern I have is the durability of 1/2" 0.035 SS tubing. There may be a section that would need to support the weight of a few valves, fittings, etc. If I went with a greater wall thickness, I'm not sure I'd be happy with the ID/flow rate, as it is around 0.4". This would effectively turn my 1/2" hardware into 3/8" .

MrBowenz- I totally agree with doing it right the first time, but seeing as this is my 3rd revision, I guess there's no turning back! I have considered using the silicon tubing I already have, and that may be a viable option...especially since you can get a peek at the fluid inside. I'd imagine it has greater insulating properties than SS as well.

I have definitely considered going with copper, but I feel like stainless is the ultimate....I would probably end up going stainless eventually anyway.

I guess there's something to be said for using a mix of fittings....if I were to use silicon, I might consider camlocks as well.

ScubaSteve said:

Guy- Thanks for the prOn! When I mentioned bending tubing, I only meant that I COULD bend slightly to fudge my tolerances. I'd definitely use elbows, etc. and get a good precision fit with a hacksaw. One concern I have is the durability of 1/2" 0.035 SS tubing. There may be a section that would need to support the weight of a few valves, fittings, etc. If I went with a greater wall thickness, I'm not sure I'd be happy with the ID/flow rate, as it is around 0.4". This would effectively turn my 1/2" hardware into 3/8" .

MrBowenz- I totally agree with doing it right the first time, but seeing as this is my 3rd revision, I guess there's no turning back! I have considered using the silicon tubing I already have, and that may be a viable option...especially since you can get a peek at the fluid inside. I'd imagine it has greater insulating properties than SS as well.

I have definitely considered going with copper, but I feel like stainless is the ultimate....I would probably end up going stainless eventually anyway.

I guess there's something to be said for using a mix of fittings....if I were to use silicon, I might consider camlocks as well.

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I don't think you would have any problem supporting a couple valves and fittings. There are a number of guys here who have build their brew stands out of 0.056 wall stainless square tube and that supports 15.5 gallon keggles full or wort and/or hot water at the same time. It is a matter of preference. Silicone tubing will work just fine but you will have to purchase more Tri-Clovers. It's always a trade off. If you go with camlocks and are concearmed with flow just make sure you get them large enough because a 1/2" camlock does not have a 1/2" opening. Good luck with your decision.

I went with all Triclamps... some silicone hose.

It is versatile, looks nice, easy removal for cleanup if need be (but I use CIP when I can) I can also see the fluid flow.

I bought 10 sets, assorted fittings (MPT, FPT, Barb) from Swagman for $28 per set.

They are excellent quality and I will admit a big reason for it is the bling factor.

The Pol said:

I went with all Triclamps... some silicone hose.

It is versatile, looks nice, easy removal for cleanup if need be (but I use CIP when I can) I can also see the fluid flow.

I bought 10 sets, assorted fittings (MPT, FPT, Barb) from Swagman for $28 per set.

They are excellent quality and I will admit a big reason for it is the bling factor.

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When you post your new brewery construction thread are you going to add a few extra bling's in the title. Enquiring brewers want to know?

Sawdustguy said:

When you post your new brewery construction thread are you going to add a few extra bling's in the title. Enquiring brewers want to know?

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Dont know if I will have a real build thread on this one... or if I will just post it in the "Show Us Your Rig" thread. It is ending up to be very time consuming just to plan the darn thing and place orders. I may start to build in February... may. Right now I have a bunch of pieces, and nothing to attach them to.

I will say though, I would not buy TriClamps from anyone but Swagman, he gives them away

Pol, you really oughta take pictures as you go. You'll look back and wish you had! Even if you post a build thread at the end, it'll definitely be inspirational for the rest of us!

The Pol said:

Dont know if I will have a real build thread on this one... or if I will just post it in the "Show Us Your Rig" thread. It is ending up to be very time consuming just to plan the darn thing and place orders. I may start to build in February... may. Right now I have a bunch of pieces, and nothing to attach them to.

I will say though, I would not buy TriClamps from anyone but Swagman, he gives them away

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Plus he is a great guy. His looked a lot better than the ones I got from someone else.

I dont know how he can pay for material for $27 per set, let alone his time, and turn a small profit

Bobby_M said:

you gave stpats business.

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I must be stupid ..sorry for my poor advice ...

ScubaSteve said:

Pol, you really oughta take pictures as you go. You'll look back and wish you had! Even if you post a build thread at the end, it'll definitely be inspirational for the rest of us!

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Lots of photos now and to come. I would be glad to share photos.

The Pol said:

I dont know how he can pay for material for $27 per set, let alone his time, and turn a small profit

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That's the thing. He likes doing it and it isn't about profits. I bet he only makes $3-$4 a set. He is $12 cheaper than everyone else, plus the quality is better. I have 12 sets and I'm using hose. Kind of wish I gad hard piped. Next one I'm welding the pipe and not having threads. Bling, Bling........Oh that's your line.

Dog House Brew said:

That's the thing. He likes doing it and it isn't about profits. I bet he only makes $3-$4 a set. He is $12 cheaper than everyone else, plus the quality is better. I have 12 sets and I'm using hose. Kind of wish I gad hard piped. Next one I'm welding the pipe and not having threads. Bling, Bling........Oh that's your line.

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I know, he loves doing it... that is my point, he does it for free basically and they are beautiful. He was excellent when I changed my order about 8 times... or 9

That's how I got mine so fast, you couldn't make up your mind. Thanks by the way!

Dog House Brew said:

That's how I got mine so fast, you couldn't make up your mind. Thanks by the way!

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Yes, you owe me.

I went with the stainless pipe and silicone hose. I did use a couple tri-clamps but most of it is clean in place. If you do use pipe make sure you get 3 piece ball valves. If you get it piped up and a fitting leaks you can unbolt the valve and just tighten it up a quarter turn without spinning your valve handles.

Dog House Brew said:

That's the thing. He likes doing it and it isn't about profits. I bet he only makes $3-$4 a set. He is $12 cheaper than everyone else, plus the quality is better. I have 12 sets and I'm using hose. Kind of wish I gad hard piped. Next one I'm welding the pipe and not having threads. Bling, Bling........Oh that's your line.

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No offense to swagman as his prices are the lowest, but can you name someone charging $12 more for a gasket, two fittings and a clamp with lower quality?

The only other "home made" source I am aware of is not $12 higher for a set.

The commercial ones I have seen are all extremely high quality and have a virtually flaw free surface on the interior, which swagman's fitting lack.

I'm not going to name anyone out of respect for them. I stated that the quality was less than what I recieved from Swagman. When purchasing for me it isn't about price, it is about the quality you get. After looking the price difference was $10 and what difference does it make anyway?

Dog House Brew said:

I'm not going to name anyone out of respect for them. I stated that the quality was less than what I recieved from Swagman. When purchasing for me it isn't about price, it is about the quality you get. After looking the price difference was $10 and what difference does it make anyway?

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Thats fine, I just have had my hands on tri-clamp stuff from multiple commercial vendors and they are all flawless and expensive. I assume the quality among the side business DIY vendors probably does vary.

$40 for two fittings and a clamp is getting into the commercial price category and I thought you were knocking the quality of the commercial stuff.

Yah, Dog House was speaking of non commercial Tris... and a purchase that he had peronally made in the past from them.

Swagmans hose BARB Tris have welds on the INSIDE, they are clean welds but they are not a machined finish. However the THREADED Tris have OUTER welds and therefore the inner surfaces are all clean, no welds, no imperfections.

Yeah, they arent commercial Tris, but they are much better than the QDs that I have used in the past, relatively inexpensive, and I could get them in FPT, MPT and Barb combinations easily to fit my needs.

I DID love my old QDs, but SS QDs are quite pricey and they restrict the flow to a larger degree than the threaded Tris. The Tris look cooler too, which is a small factor.

I see a lot of people going to those CamLok things, though last I looked they were out of stock at the supplier selling them for a few bucks. They dont restrict flow as much as a QD combo and are relatively cheap as well... cheaper than any TriClamp I have seen.

It suppose it all depends on what you want. I try to consider max flow rate, cost and lastly the aesthetics of the build. Id love to use hard plumbing, but since most of my plumbing will not be visible, I am going with silicone as it is easy to connect and remove and bend around in tight places.

I agree with POL on the max flow. I didn't want anything on my build to slow down the max flow rate. I thought why have pumps and not have the ability to keep everything 1/2" ID. I may not always use the full flow, but it is nice to know there are no restrictions. This is why I used so many welded fittings in my build as not to use a bunch of 90's and tees that would alter the flow. Just me

Max flow for what? You in a race to vorlauf? The only application I think it matters is for whirlpool chilling. You're not going to recirculate mash at anything close to full rate.

In my closed wort cooling system I want max flow... that is where my concern lies. I went with a 50' x 1/2" SS coil mounted with TriClamps in the BK for my new systems cooling device. Recirc the ice water, recirc the kettle. Let the BCS monitor cooling water and BK wort temps.

Wow, that sounds pretty sweet...I DO like the simplicity of an IC. Did you wire the coil together some way so it stays low-pro? I'd hate to wrestle a 50' snarl of hop-coated stainless! Dude, if you could somehow deliver enough pressure (city water might suffice), a modular (add/remove via qd) spray-ball would be effing sweet. If your drain were at the bottom of the vessel, you truly would be able to CIP.

Do you know how rigid 1/2" SS coil is? I cant bend it... by any means. It isnt like copper where you have gaps between the coils. When you pick it up by the top coil, all of the coils STILL remain touching. That stuff is HARD TO BEND. It is not flexible at all. I dont know how the guys on here that bought SS tubing are bending it, the coil I have is extremely hard.

The kettles are Blichman, so they almost drain from the bottom, less than .2 gallons dead space.

It is 11" from top to bottom of the coils, 50' long!

Bobby_M said:

Max flow for what? You in a race to vorlauf? The only application I think it matters is for whirlpool chilling. You're not going to recirculate mash at anything close to full rate.

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Pol answered it. I know you can't recirc the mash at full speed. I wanted everything else to be all 1/2" ID that's all. Same way for my CFC and water recirc for my HLT. Really the 1/2" hose barbs on the Tri's look a little smaller than 1/2" ID, but I haven't measured them.

They make hand benders that will bend your coil. How tight, space between the coils, are you wanting them to be? I have not bought my HERMS material yet. I wanted to go SS and this is what was keeping me from it

Forget the last post, just saw a pic of your coil. Stainless is perty ain't it! They do make hand benders similar to a larger scale break-line bender.

Yeah I bought the coil already coiled. Cutting off the garden hose attachments, using SS 90's and Tri's to attach it to the inside of the kettle so that it can be removed easily.

I cannot imagine bending this stuff, it is VERY rigid. It would look like doodie if I tried.

Were you able to get it mounted to the 90 fittings? This is how I want to mount mine. I have the Swag fittings.

Dog House Brew said:

Were you able to get it mounted to the 90 fittings? This is how I want to mount mine. I have the Swag fittings.

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McMaster Carr SS compression to 1/2" MPT

Yeh I bought those on Ebay. Just wondered if you were able to cut the coil and get it mounted. Were did you buy your coil? Good idea to use that for the coil.

Dog House Brew said:

Yeh I bought those on Ebay. Just wondered if you were able to cut the coil and get it mounted. Were did you buy your coil? Good idea to use that for the coil.

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I got it at Midwest... not many ppl carry 50' SS coils

No, I really don't know how rigid SS coil is....I know it's significantly harder than copper....I'm interested because I may use it to hard plumb my rig.....and I'm worried about mangling it, so I'll probably just use elbows, etc. to keep it clean.

The Pol said:

I got it at Midwest... not many ppl carry 50' SS coils

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Cool Thanks