Bev-Seal Ultra in Tower kegerator?

[beermati]

Hi - I'm looking at replacing my mini-fridge kegerator vinyl lines with either Ultra Barrier Silver or Bev-Seal Ultra lines. The 'silver' option is easiest and I've seen pros and cons.

If I go with the Bev-Seal, my question is how do you attach these lines specifically in a mini-fridge kegerator with Tower? Almost all the installs discuss keezer installs with straight shanks.

I think I would have to use my 90 degree barbs on the faucet side and I've seen some tips to help get the Bev-Seal on the barb. If there is a way to use the JG connectors in a tower, I haven't seen it.

What about the coupler side? I have a low-profile sankey d-coupler.

thanks for any assistance!

 

[IslandLizard]

Adapt to your adapters.
Use the John Guest push-fit adapters/unions, one end for Bev Seal Ultra 235 (5/16" OD) the other end for regular 1/4" beer line (1/2" OD).

Clamp a very short piece, like 2 inches of 1/4" beer line (1/2" OD) over the tower shank's barb, the other end goes into the JG fitting.

I haven't tried it, have no tower, but it should work.
There is a small chance of some turbulence occurring, going from the Ultra 235 line at 0.2" ID into the 1/4" (0.25") ID of the regular beer line, then into the barb, but I doubt it's significant.

I think the 'Silver' lines are way overpriced. And AFAIK they are not O2 tight.

The Ultra 235 lines have a PET liner, they are ultra smooth inside, take on virtually no beer color.
I use 19' per tap, coiled up on top of the kegs. A JG 90° angle adapter on the QD adapter can give you more manoeuvrability if needed.

 

[beermati]

Thanks for the reply. I have 3/16" beer lines, which I thought was standard.

On the faucet side, I've read that you can (although not easily) get the Ultra 235 over the 3/16 barb.

Your solution would be plan B, I suppose, but I also was concerned about turbulence.

What type of connector do you mean to connect the Ultra 235 to the 3/16" beer line?

I didn't think you could use the JG connectors with the vinyl beer lines and I don't see a JG reducer that goes 7/16" OD to 5/16" OD. https://www.johnguest.com/product/inch-size-tube-to-tube-fittings/reducing-straight-connector-2/

They do have a JG stem/barb: 1/4" to 3/16": PI250806S But not sure that is a good solution.

https://www.johnguest.com/product/inch-size-stem-to-tube-fittings/tube-to-hose-stem-2/

Also, I still don't know what you use on the keg coupler side. I only have sankey couplers. Do you have to use: (1) sankey to ball lock adapter, (2) ball lock with 1/4" MFL, and (3) JG 1/4" MFL to 5/16"

(1) https://www.amazon.com/Kegco-Sankey-Ball-Coupler-Adapter/dp/B01FT3HZYQ/
(2) https://www.amazon.com/Homebrew-Liquid-Ball-Disconnect-Thread/dp/B07G9H4DM4/
(3) https://www.amazon.com/John-Guest-PM4508F4S-Female-Connector-x/dp/B00TOO9I10

 

[IslandLizard]

By all means, try to stretch it over the tower's barb. A swaging tool may help you widen the line sufficiently. Then put a good clamp on it.

What type of connector do you mean to connect the Ultra 235 to the 3/16" beer line?

3/16" beer line is 7/16" OD. Sadly, there are no JG adapters that are 7/16".
Hence I suggested using a very short piece of 1/4" beer line, it's 1/2" OD. The appropriate 1/2" / 5/16" JG union can virtually butt up to the barb, forming a very small cavity that's only a tad wider. I doubt that would cause any foaming problems.

Also, I still don't know what you use on the keg coupler side. I only have sankey couplers. Do you have to use: (1) sankey to ball lock adapter, (2) ball lock with 1/4" MFL, and (3) JG 1/4" MFL to 5/16"

I use both (2) and (3). I only use corny ball locks, I have rarely a need for Sanke couplers.

I use the 3 JG fittings on the bottom (having regular beer shanks):
http://www.ritebrew.com/category-s/1917.htm

Yes, you need MFL liquid QDs. I only use CMBecker QDs:
http://www.ritebrew.com/product-p/843386.htm
I've gotten most of my dispensing hardware from RiteBrew, including 120' of the 235 Ultra line, manifolds, shanks, taps, etc.

 

[beermati]

Thanks for that detailed information! I appreciate the specifics, I built the kegerator three years ago and don't have room to brew, which means I only deal with the details when something goes wrong, or when I'm changing out parts, such as I am doing now. Thanks again!

 

[IslandLizard]

Thanks for that detailed information! I appreciate the specifics, I built the kegerator three years ago and don't have room to brew, which means I only deal with the details when something goes wrong, or when I'm changing out parts, such as I am doing now. Thanks again!

Sorry you don't get to brew anymore. Maybe sometime again?

I'm sure you can find or make up some sort of adapter to connect Ultra 235 to a Sanke coupler.
Or do as you said in your previous post, by means of a keg post adapter and an MFL QD. But then you got to deal with poppets.