Can I use 5/16" OD clear vinyl tubing for the beer line in my kegerator?

[mtnagel]

Probably dumb question, but can I use this for beer line in my kegerator? It's 3/16" ID x 5/16" OD. The previous line I was using was black and 7/16" OD so this is much thinner, but all the specs listed make it seem like it should be fine. Wanted to make sure before I take everything apart. TIA

 

[Bobby_M]

I wouldnt. Thinwall is pretty oxygen permeable.

 

[mtnagel]

I wouldnt. Thinwall is pretty oxygen permeable.

Interesting. Hadn't thought of that.

 

[jtratcliff]

I don't keg, so I don't know anything... Don't listen to me...

But is the amount of oxidation you'd get in the small amount of beer in a few feet of tubing that big of a deal?

Especially after the first pour?

I guess if you're drinking one pint a week or less, then that one pint will have a high percentage of potentially oxidized beer...

But you're a home brewer on HBT... Surely you drink more than that

 

[Bobby_M]

I don't keg, so I don't know anything... Don't listen to me...

But is the amount of oxidation you'd get in the small amount of beer in a few feet of tubing that big of a deal?

Especially after the first pour?

I guess if you're drinking one pint a week or less, then that one pint will have a high percentage of potentially oxidized beer...

But you're a home brewer on HBT... Surely you drink more than that

At the very least you'd have to dump a few ounces each time you poured since the beer in the line would be undrinkable. This tends to be true even with thick walled PVC. The bigger problem is that once the oxygen is in the beer in the tube, it migrates into the keg too. There's nothing there to stop it as there's a direct path into the keg. The only thing that staved off oxidation in my kegging system was to convert both the liquid and gas lines to EVAbarrier tubing.

 

[jtratcliff]

Thanks Bobby... It never occurred to me that the beer out post would let air in... I would've thought the positive pressure of the leg would've kept the air out...

And that during the pour, the flow outward would overcome any diffusive ingress...

Interesting...

I can see that the beer in the lines would eventually oxidize, but I would've thought that only the first pour each day might be affected...

And that subsequent pours in the same session would be fine... How fast does vinyl let O2 in?

 

[DuncB]

... How fast does vinyl let O2 in?

Not as quickly as silicone.

I'd go EVA all the way and save the vinyl tubing for siphoning.

 

[FredF]

I just switched to EVA with Duotight fittings and it's working very well. I wouldn't ever use vinyl for beer lines when so much better is available.

 

[mtnagel]

Well I'm glad I asked. Should have known it wouldn't be so simple

I think it's telling that all sites that sell beer line seem to sell 7/16 OD line. So I decided to return the 5/16 OD line and bought a 50" roll of 7/16" line on Amazon. That will cover me for a few changes.

Not as quickly as silicone.

I'd go EVA all the way and save the vinyl tubing for siphoning.

I just switched to EVA with Duotight fittings and it's working very well. I wouldn't ever use vinyl for beer lines when so much better is available.

Looks like it's out of stock in most places. Maybe next time.

 

[Bobby_M]

Looks like it's out of stock in most places. Maybe next time.

I have a very ample supply.

 

[Bobby_M]

Thanks Bobby... It never occurred to me that the beer out post would let air in... I would've thought the positive pressure of the leg would've kept the air out...

It's counterintuitive. The pressure inside the keg is pure CO2. Oxygen isn't bothered by it. I mean, incoming oxygen gets banged around by the Co2 plenty, but they otherwise coexist. It's kind of like how your stomach can be completely full of beer on a Saturday night but somehow the loaded cheese fries make it in anyway.

 

[FredF]

Just got mine last week from BrewHardware! Very helpful.

 

[DuncB]

It's counterintuitive.
It's kind of like how your stomach can be completely full of beer on a Saturday night but somehow the loaded cheese fries make it in anyway.

I think gravity and peristalsis help, if the loaded chips diffused in I could just stand near them and they'd get into my stomach. A terrifying thought and something for the movie special effects department.