How often do you replace your tubing?

[Shoegaze99]

Just a general question out of curiosity. Entering my 10th batch with my current set of tubing. It looks fine, maybe a bit foggy on the inside. Thinking about replacing it, though. Only costs a few bucks, after all.

So what kind of schedule do folks keep as far as rotating out the old and bringing in the new?

 

[nefarious_1_]

Star San can make tubing appear cloudy, but it doesn't mean it's dirty. But, when in doubt, change it I guess.

 

[ASantiago]

My usual method, probably not very helpful to you, is to change the tubing when I get paranoid about it. But that doesn't happen very often.

I use Star San and it does make plastic cloudy (tubing, airlocks, etc). I wouldn't let that be the reason for replacement.

 

[shelly_belly]

I haven't replaced mine yet but I think I will at the 2 year mark. I do occasionally pull a string with a piece of wet cloth on it through them.

Edit: A vacuum cleaner helps to get the string in the tube.

 

[Shoegaze99]

I haven't replaced mine yet but I think I will at the 2 year mark. I do occasionally pull a string with a piece of wet cloth on it through them.

Edit: A vacuum cleaner helps to get the string in the tube.

BANG. I did not posting expecting to get an awesome tip, but sure enough here is an awesome tip. Thanks.

 

[NorthRiverS]

I just copied and pasted that tip too. . . .

NRS

 

[cinderbike]

I replace it when it starts to look 'worn out'. But rather than throw it away I have it trickle down and use it for my sours, and throw the current sour tubing away. That way I always have 2 sets.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

I just bought a Rifle cleaning kit, which consists of a tee handle, multiple sections of aluminum rod that screw together, and an assortment of mops that are perfect for cleaning the gunk from the inside of the blowoff tube.

 

[TheBroonery]

8 years of brewing and I'm still using the same racking tube. I clean it after, and sanitize it before, every use. My primary bucket is that old too. The other equipment has been acquired since, but I haven't seen the need to replace any of it yet.

 

[Qhrumphf]

I just bought a Rifle cleaning kit, which consists of a tee handle, multiple sections of aluminum rod that screw together, and an assortment of mops that are perfect for cleaning the gunk from the inside of the blowoff tube.

Bought for brewing, or bought for rifle? I don't think Hoppes No. 9 is the right kind of hops for beer... Yeah, I'd like to keep my cleaning rod with traces of bore solvent out of my brewing equipment.

 

[hops2it]

I haven't replaced mine yet but I think I will at the 2 year mark. I do occasionally pull a string with a piece of wet cloth on it through them.

Edit: A vacuum cleaner helps to get the string in the tube.

Darn fine thinking right there.

 

[AR-Josh]

I like the idea of getting a long piece of string and pulling a sanitized rag or something through the tube. I would not use any type of metal in it though as I would be afraid of scratching the plastic and giving bacterial nasties a place to hide. That's my opinion.