Connecting small diameter line to keg

[Pekko]

How have you connected small diameter beer line to keg? I have just switched to thinner lines (approximately 0,12 inches inner diameter) and would like to have reliable connection. Now i have two different size tubes as adaptors before the actual line.
My ball lock posts are with 1/4 threads but I will change those if needed.
I'm quite sure this has been discussed many times but didn't find exact solution.
Here is picture of current setup.

 

[khannon]

eek....
That looks like a recipe for leaks.

Are those the ball-lock to 8mm OD? The eva-barrier 8mmOD is (iirc) 4mm ID. should lead to fairly short lines..

What is the goal?

 

[McMullan]

Ideally, you want one of these, 3/8 to 3/16, part number PI201206S.

 

[day_trippr]

That skinny line might be 3mm ID EVAbarrier tubing.

https://www.kegland.com.au/evabarri...12meter-length-in-bag-beer-line-gas-line.html
If that's an 8mm or 5/16" OD flare adapter on the QD pictured above, you could get some 5/16" stem inserts to 1/4" OD tubing...like this one from DMfit...

https://www.freshwatersystems.com/products/dmfit-plug-in-stem-reducer-1-4-tube-x-5-16-stem
or this one from JohnGuest...

https://www.freshwatersystems.com/products/john-guest-reducer-stem-1-4-x-5-16-stem
Cheers!

 

[Pekko]

Thank you all for the replies!
I also realized quite quickly that this is not realible nor long-term solution.
Those posts are indeed 8 mm OD so I think i could try those Evabarrier 8/4 mm lines next. I'm pretty sure that they would fit straightly to upper end as well. 3 mm to 4 mm is hopefully not so big difference in line length.

 

[Deadalus]

What is the setup on the other end? The fewer number of fittings, the less chance for leaks. So if you need to buy a fitting, maybe not much cost difference in setting it up with least amount of fittings vs fixing an existing mismatch. Depends on your shanks though I'd say.

 

[Deadalus]

That skinny line might be 3mm ID EVAbarrier tubing.

https://www.kegland.com.au/evabarri...12meter-length-in-bag-beer-line-gas-line.html
If that's an 8mm or 5/16" OD flare adapter on the QD pictured above, you could get some 5/16" stem inserts to 1/4" OD tubing...like this one from DMfit...

https://www.freshwatersystems.com/products/dmfit-plug-in-stem-reducer-1-4-tube-x-5-16-stem
or this one from JohnGuest...

https://www.freshwatersystems.com/products/john-guest-reducer-stem-1-4-x-5-16-stem
Cheers!

I recently ordered from this vendor. They have a good selection and shipping wasn't exorbitant. They don't charge much for the fittings themselves.

 

[Pekko]

What is the setup on the other end? The fewer number of fittings, the less chance for leaks. So if you need to buy a fitting, maybe not much cost difference in setting it up with least amount of fittings vs fixing an existing mismatch. Depends on your shanks though I'd say.

Upper end is similar as the picture below. If the Evabarrier 8x4 mm fits straight to this, then there would be minimum number of fittings.

 

[Gozie Boy]

I recently ordered from this vendor. They have a good selection and shipping wasn't exorbitant. They don't charge much for the fittings themselves.

I have been considering this tubing for my 8.8 cf, 6-keg (slim torpedos) keezer as a way of eliminating tubing runs with multiple loops that even 4mm EVABarrier tubing requires. Following on from a tip from day_trippr on another thread, I've played around with line design calculators enough to be comfortable that 18 - 24 inches of the 3mm tbg will suffice, which would be perfect for my keezer.

Problem is, I don't have a solution for connecting this tubing to my faucet shanks. Anyone have a good idea? I've also contacted Kegland to see if they have some DuoTight-style adapters in the works for this 3mm x 6.35mm tubing. Will report back on what I hear from them.

 

[khannon]

There are solutions for 8mm Duotight to "beer thread", but if the nipple on that is welded to the shank, there is not much you can do. I have gotten the 8mmOD/4mmID to go onto picnic taps with similar barb by softening it in boiling water, and using a pair of needle-nose pliers to expand as close to round as I can, then adding an oetiker clamp around the whole thing. Kind of defeats the long-term thought of the "quick-disconnect", but probably still good.

 

[day_trippr]

You should be able to cobble a solution together using a fitting to connect to the shank (5/8 BSP) with a push-in diameter of 5/16" (8mm) which would allow the use of the 5/16" to 1/4" stem adapters I listed earlier.

Ie, use one of these at the shank...

https://www.freshwatersystems.com/products/john-guest-female-adapter-bspp-5-16-x-5-8-bspp
...then use one of the stem adapters to get to the 1/4" (6.5mm) tubing OD.

If one made the mistake of buying shanks with integrated barbs, just cut the barbs off with a Dremel and cut-off wheel or maybe even a hack saw...

Cheers!

 

[sibelman]

@day_trippr, I'm puzzled: after cutting off the shank barbs, how do you attach the de-barbed shanks to the beer line?

 

[khannon]

I see no issue with cutting the barbs off if they are stainless steel, but if they are chrome plated, that may cause issues?

The John Guest fitting that was listed will do the trick, or there is a kegland duotight one as well.

 

[day_trippr]

@day_trippr, I'm puzzled: after cutting off the shank barbs, how do you attach the de-barbed shanks to the beer line?

Any female 5/8" BSP (or, 7/8"-14 straight thread) fitting will screw right onto the shank...

As for plated shank vs full stainless...when I hacked off the barbs I was surprised to find my shanks were plated brass, as I had specifically ordered stainless steel everything, and the t-tower arrived pre-assembled, with a half dozen Perlick 525SS faucets in place years ago. But, tbh, by the time pictured here I was on my third keezer in ~15 years moving that same tower from keezer to keezer and the chrome in the beer path was already long gone. And now in my 70s I'm not all that concerned with a tiny bit of lead exposure

Cheers!