CPVC or PEX or Single Tier System?

[nickmastr]

Hey Guys,

I'm drawing up some plans to build a single tier system. 60qt pots with valves for HLT and Boil Kettle, 10 gallon cooler for Mash Tun, with pumps from each vessel.

Most systems I see and research have stainless steel or copper tubing for transfer between each vessel. Is there any reason not to use CPVC, PVC, or PEX tubing for transfer between each station?

It seems this could save some significant costs, and my lack of welding/soldering skills wouldn't be an issues.

 

[cmoore2]

I know some brewers who use these materials. CPVC and PEX have maximum temperature ratings of 180-200F...depending on manufacturer. PVC is rated at less than that. Based on the temp rating alone, they may work on the pre-boil side of your system...but I myself am leary of what higher temps may leach out of the plastics and into your wort.

 

[microbusbrewery]

I know some brewers who use these materials. CPVC and PEX have maximum temperature ratings of 180-200F...depending on manufacturer. PVC is rated at less than that. Based on the temp rating alone, they may work on the pre-boil side of your system...but I myself am leary of what higher temps may leach out of the plastics and into your wort.

Ditto on CPVC, PVC, and PEX.

Have you considered silicone tubing? That's what I use and I know lots of other brewers use it as well. I also recently got to try out some high-temp tubing from Eldon James. It was similar to silicone, but definitely more kink-resistant.

 

[PDX_T]

i would never use PVC for a food application. I wouldn't even use it for cold water. PEX is HDPE. Much safer. I second silicone though, for flexibility and heat tolerance.

 

[NathPowe]

+1 for silicone tubing. Add some cam-locks for flexibility and ease-of-use.

 

[nickmastr]

Thanks for the replies guys. I will definitely take this info to my build!

 

[Beernik]

CPVC can take greater than boiling temperatures. It's the glue that starts melting around 140F. So if its under pressure and hot, you don't want CPVC. If its not under pressure, like a mash tun manifold, it's fine.

PEX has a temp vs. pressure curve.

 

[outside92129]

I have a single tier and use silicon tubing, works great. Easy to dissemble and clean, handles hot temps just fine and doesn't impart any taste.

 

[BurgBrewer]

I know California is weird about stuff but on the shark PEX fittings it states that "chemicals in this product are known to cause cancer in the state of California". Do you guys second this notion or laugh at it???

 

[BrewCanuck]

That notice is on damn near everything in California from my experience. Anything in the product or the manufacturing process that could be a potential carcinogen triggers this warning I think, enev in cases where the process renders the carcinogen inert. Meaning that under normal operation, the risk is almost nothing, the risk increases when using the product in some way other than what it was designed for.

An example in my mind would be taking brass fittings ment for water plumbing and using them to plumb a deep fat fryer.

 

[Beernik]

I know California is weird about stuff but on the shark PEX fittings it states that "chemicals in this product are known to cause cancer in the state of California". Do you guys second this notion or laugh at it???

That's because of the brass fittings, not the pipe.

But it is something to think about. Wort is acidic and can leach lead out of brass fittings. If you use plastic fittings, it isn't a problem, unless you are worried about BPA. I don't know if PEX has BPA.

Also, if you do some Internet searching, you can find lead-free brass fittings.

 

[Stealthcruiser]

So, what about "pickled" brass?
Anyone done / still doing this, and utilizing brass fittings?

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/who-has-pickled-their-brass-parts-48737/

 

[Beernik]

I had one brass valve. I didn't pickle it. But I replaced it this year with stainless valve when I switched from a manifold to a screen tube.

 

[IslandLizard]

60 quarts is not *that* big. Hard "tubing" your system will make it more cumbersome, and you got to screw your vessels down. There's nothing easier and more flexible (pun intended) than silicone hose with camlocks as connectors. If you must, you can use Triclovers.