Draft line size

[daytondave]

I'm confused as to what size draft lines I should use in my new keezer 3/16" or 1/4". Any info on the pro's and con's of each would be appreciated.

Cheers

 

[Yooper]

Unless you have a very long distance from the kegs to the tap, say like 25 feet or more, you'll want 3/16" beer line.

 

[daytondave]

Yooper, can you explain why?

 

[Yooper]

Yooper, can you explain why?

It's restriction. In a bar with a very long run, where the lines have to be maybe 30 feet long, a smaller line will give too much restriction. For a shorter run, like in a home kegerator, you need enough restriction to balance the carbonation as well as to push the beer to the tap.

A larger line, like 1/4" line, in a short run would have the beer come out like a fire hose.

About 1 foot of 3/16" line for every 1 foot of psi on the regulator seems to be a good place to start- enough restriction to control the flow but not enough that it takes forever to pour a beer. I have 13' lines on mine, with 12 psi on the regulator most of the time. For my soda water line, which is at 30 psi, I have 30' of 3/16" line.

 

[Morrey]

My brother in law just changed his beer lines from 1/4 and went down to 3/16...his foaming issues have gone away.

 

[kh54s10]

3/16. For the reasons that Yooper listed. Plus that is what came with the kit.

 

[day_trippr]

Here's the how and why...
http://www.mikesoltys.com/2012/09/17/determining-proper-hose-length-for-your-kegerator/

Cheers!