4mm ID Beer Line (EVABarrier)

[ZmannR2]

Anyone have any experience going with line that has an ID of 4mm? Seems like it would have a lot of resistance but BrewHardware seems to recommend it:

https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/evabarriertubing4mm78.htm

Curious if the length he's suggesting of 7.8 ft is good for a 31 degree keg of 6% ipa served at 9 psi

 

[Cavpilot2000]

I'll have experience with it once I hook mine up tonight. It has resistance of something like 2.8 per foot. My calculator says just short of 4 feet for 38 degrees at 11 psi.

 

[Robert65]

My calculator said 3.6 feet for 10psi and a 10 second pour on a pint. I cut to 4 feet and indeed it's a bit slow, 3.6 would probably be spot on. Here's the calculator I like, it accounts for more factors than some. http://www.mikesoltys.com/2012/09/17/determining-proper-hose-length-for-your-kegerator/
4mm is 0.1575 inches, and it seems so far that leaving the roughness set at the default setting for vinyl works.

 

[ZmannR2]

Wow so it looks like Bobby is pretty far off on his recommendation of 7.8 ft

 

[day_trippr]

Hmm...I was afraid of this, given Solty's calculator recommendation...

 

[ZmannR2]

it seems so far that leaving the roughness set at the default setting for vinyl works.

These hoses have a "slick liner" so I'm sure it's a bit smoother.....wonder if we can find out the exact number

 

[fetidpants]

These hoses have a "slick liner" so I'm sure it's a bit smoother.....wonder if we can find out the exact number

Which roughness do you recommend using in the calculator for EVAbarrier 4mm instead of vinyl tubing (e=0.000016 [ft])?
Thanks!

 

[LarMoeCur]

I've used the 4mm in the past. Really good tubing but my one issue with the 4mm is when you stretch it over the 1/4 barbs it likes to split. I split it a half dozen times before I got it on all my fittings. Small pain to pull the tubing off and cut the spit off then start over. However, I have sense switch to the 5mm which is closer to 3/16 in size. You still have to stretch it over the barbs but no splitting. You do lose some wall thickness. I'd rather lose wall thickness then a keg of beer from a line split.

5/32=3.968mm
3/16=4.762mm
1/4=6.35mm

 

[jddevinn]

Take a look at this thread Accuflex Ultra 235 vs Kegland EVA barrier

 

[Bobby_M]

I've used the 4mm in the past. Really good tubing but my one issue with the 4mm is when you stretch it over the 1/4 barbs it likes to split. I split it a half dozen times before I got it on all my fittings. Small pain to pull the tubing off and cut the spit off then start over. However, I have sense switch to the 5mm which is closer to 3/16 in size. You still have to stretch it over the barbs but no splitting. You do lose some wall thickness. I'd rather lose wall thickness then a keg of beer from a line split.

5/32=3.968mm
3/16=4.762mm
1/4=6.35mm

I've never split 4mm when using heat. I'd rather run 5 feet of 4mm than 12 feet of 5mm.

 

[LarMoeCur]

I've never split 4mm when using heat. I'd rather run 5 feet of 4mm than 12 feet of 5mm.

I soaked the tip in near boiling water (ouch) and I still managed to split them. But then again, I've never had a delicate touch when in come to these things. How my Kezzer is set up, I've always ran 10ft of tubing. I haven't seen any difference in 10ft of 4mm over 5mm. Now you got me wondering!?! Let me pour a pint and reflect.

 

[MikeCo]

I use 6.5 feet of 4mm EVA barrier tubing for my beer lines and it works just fine. I have also not had any problemw with them splitting on the shank barbs.

 

[Bobby_M]

I soaked the tip in near boiling water (ouch) and I still managed to split them. But then again, I've never had a delicate touch when in come to these things. How my Kezzer is set up, I've always ran 10ft of tubing. I haven't seen any difference in 10ft of 4mm over 5mm. Now you got me wondering!?! Let me pour a pint and reflect.

That's probably too hot. It softens at about 140F. I'm not sure if the plastic gets damaged at hotter temps.

 

[sibelman]

9.8 feet (1/4 roll) is too long for my kegerator with tower. 5.5 is too short. Soon, I'll find the right length. I haven't split any ends yet - might have lost some hair though. I have to wonder how one length can work for both a lightly carbed stout and also a lager with more volumes of CO2.

 

[day_trippr]

fwiw, I run four kegs @11 psi on 6.5 foot 4mm ID EVAbarrier lines (pales/ipas/neipas), one keg @15 psi on 9.5 feet (usually a wheat beer), and the last keg @35 psi on 6.5 feet (my stout on beer gas). Reliably solid pours on all, year 'round. The "half-foot's" are the short sections to splice in my flow meters atop the kegs. All lines connected with PTC fittings from either John Guest, DMfit or Duotight...

Cheers!

 

[LarMoeCur]

That's probably too hot. It softens at about 140F. I'm not sure if the plastic gets damaged at hotter temps.

So, what you are saying is I'm to hot!

 

[day_trippr]

lol!

 

[marc1]

9.8 feet (1/4 roll) is too long for my kegerator with tower. 5.5 is too short. Soon, I'll find the right length. I haven't split any ends yet - might have lost some hair though. I have to wonder how one length can work for both a lightly carbed stout and also a lager with more volumes of CO2.

You can use a short length of 5mm to make it easier to attach and then join that to the 4mm tubing. They have the same OD so they slide into the same fittings

 

[Summa_Brewologica]

I’m hoping someone here would have some insight:

I have built a 4 keg kegerator. Two kegs are level with the taps and the other two are about 2 feet below the taps. For the ones that are level with the tap (the middle of the keg being level with the tap) I typed in the diameter of the 4mm Evabarrier tubing into a calculator and it is telling me about 4.5 ft of tubing.

My physics might be off but wouldn’t having a keg level or maybe slightly higher than the taps require MORE resistance rather than less? I have 23 feet of 4mm I cut evenly to four 5.75 ft sections since I see 5.5 ft seems to be the standard starting point for most applications.

 

[odie]

I run all my lines at 10ft. I can serve high PSI beers without issues and I don't worry about a slower flow on low PSI beers.

 

[Summa_Brewologica]

I run all my lines at 10ft. I can serve high PSI beers without issues and I don't worry about a slower flow on low PSI beers.

Dang. Guess I’m gonna have to buy another roll. Maybe I’ll get the 39 ft one this time.

 

[MikeCo]

Try the 5.75 foot lines and see how they work. They may be ok. I'm running 6.5 foot 4mm EVABarrier lines and they work fine.

 

[Beerstein]

I'm using the 4mm with 7 foot runs. I wanted a slightly longer line for a slower poor. It takes about 12 seconds to fill a pint.

I ferment drier than most people, so I run about 1-2 psi higher than a normal beer would.

 

[Summa_Brewologica]

Try the 5.75 foot lines and see how they work. They may be ok. I'm running 6.5 foot 4mm EVABarrier lines and they work fine.

I have and I’m getting quite a bit of foam. I’m wondering if it’s because gravity isn’t a factor, really. It’s the opposite problem where it actually has a slight momentum from gravity because of the keg location. It’s not an insane amount but it’s enough that it makes the beer flat.

 

[Summa_Brewologica]

I'm using the 4mm with 7 foot runs. I wanted a slightly longer line for a slower poor. It takes about 12 seconds to fill a pint.

I ferment drier than most people, so I run about 1-2 psi higher than a normal beer would.

I don’t necessarily ferment drier but I do prefer slightly higher carbonation than most people probably do. I might add a couple feet and see if that helps.

edit: drier, not higher

 

[Beerstein]

I don’t necessarily ferment higher but I do prefer slightly higher carbonation than most people probably do. I might add a couple feet and see if that helps.

It's easier to add more and trim it down. Harder to go the other way.

 

[Summa_Brewologica]

It's easier to add more and trim it down. Harder to go the other way.

I thought I was based on the 5.5 ft recommendation. It can’t hurt to keep a bunch of extra around, anyway. It’s pretty affordable stuff.

 

[Beerstein]

I thought I was based on the 5.5 ft recommendation. It can’t hurt to keep a bunch of extra around, anyway. It’s pretty affordable stuff.

It goes fast too. I think it's the couplers where they make their profit.

 

[odie]

Dang. Guess I’m gonna have to buy another roll. Maybe I’ll get the 39 ft one this time.

I think I just split the roll between my taps and it worked out to around 10ft each. You can't cut it longer once you've cut it shorter. Splices do not help, they cause turbulence and aggravate the foaming.

 

[Bobby_M]

5.5 works a treat on my system. I run about 11psi at 36-38F.