Demon
Well-Known Member
Despite my early concerns, I have decided to stick with 20 feet. Bumped my pressure up to 12.5psi over the past 6 days. Perfect flow and head on every glass.
Group Buy: Accuflex Bev-Seal Ultra barrier line
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temp + PSI = co2 volumes per style
line length is simply balancing YOUR system. 20' for Demon works fine, but 20FT for me and i'd be waiting 30 seconds to pour a pint of beer.
use this chart here to get your proper volumes of CO2.
http://www.kegerators.com/carbonation-table.php
now that said I have 10FT beer lines at 32F-36F depending on my keezers cycling. with my Tower taps sitting directly on the keezer lid.
the only thing line length should do is pour faster or slower, but a short line and high PSI could equal lots of foam, and a long line could equal slow pours
-=Jason=-
line length is simply balancing YOUR system. 20' for Demon works fine, but 20FT for me and i'd be waiting 30 seconds to pour a pint of beer.
use this chart here to get your proper volumes of CO2.
http://www.kegerators.com/carbonation-table.php
now that said I have 10FT beer lines at 32F-36F depending on my keezers cycling. with my Tower taps sitting directly on the keezer lid.
the only thing line length should do is pour faster or slower, but a short line and high PSI could equal lots of foam, and a long line could equal slow pours
-=Jason=-
OP
OP
Hi Ya'll
The group buy is completed! All in all it wasn't too bad, thanks for making it easy. I'll be editing the original post with information in case someone wants to follow in my footsteps and conduct another one. But the way the vendors are thinking about carrying the line it doesn't appear to be worthwhile anymore.
-ls
The group buy is completed! All in all it wasn't too bad, thanks for making it easy. I'll be editing the original post with information in case someone wants to follow in my footsteps and conduct another one. But the way the vendors are thinking about carrying the line it doesn't appear to be worthwhile anymore.
-ls
haeffnkr
Well-Known Member
Hi,
I bought this line for me new kegerator....in the design/build stage.
What kind of barbs/fitting are recommended for this line on the kegs and shanks?
I dont want them to big based on how others need to heat a shove them on.
thanks Kevin
I bought this line for me new kegerator....in the design/build stage.
What kind of barbs/fitting are recommended for this line on the kegs and shanks?
I dont want them to big based on how others need to heat a shove them on.
thanks Kevin
well good luck trying to find 3/16 OD barbs then..
1/4" is standard on the keg couplings and other fittings.
-=Jason=-
OP
OP
there are some 3/16" fittings on ebay.
![Craft A Brew - Safale BE-256 Yeast - Fermentis - Belgian Ale Dry Yeast - For Belgian & Strong Ales - Ingredients for Home Brewing - Beer Making Supplies - [3 Pack]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51bcKEwQmWL._SL500_.jpg)
I've got one at 20 too and I've come to love the way it pours. Perfect flow out of the faucet and perfect head every time. I'm gonna cut my 22 ft. down to 20.
SankePankey
Well-Known Member
Yeah. After letting my kegs equalize, I think I need longer... I'm gonna buy some more cause I think I'll be more happy around 15. I should have started much longer and paired down from there.... oh well.
Maybe I'll just start at 20 like everyone else.
Maybe I'll just start at 20 like everyone else.
SankePankey
Well-Known Member
I was unable to order from you as per your site. Please advise. I need another 100ft cause I cut it all too short. Doh!!
BirdmanBrewingCo
Well-Known Member
SankePankey,
We just opened it up for pre-orders again late last night. Please try again today and let us know if you have any problems. It should be good to go. We received orders late last night for this item after we opened it back up.
Thanks!
CidahMastah
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just curious, has anybody been able to hook these up to picnic taps? I haven't tried any of the new line yet, but was looking at my two picnic taps and thinking... that is a REALLY wide barb
The barbs on the picnic taps are about 1/4". The tubing is 3/16" ID. SOP is to warm the tubing in some hot water to soften it up, then force it onto the barb. It's a tight fit and at first glance it looks like it would not work, but with a little brute force and the hot water it will go on and stay put without a clamp. I use the 1/4" barb x flare fittings on the opposite ends. Same procedure for those.
CidahMastah
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gritsack is correct - the barbs on my party taps are flared. Maybe it will go partway on, eh, guess I will have to try to find out.
I have no problem getting the tubing completely on the barb all the way up to the butt plate. Warming the tubing up with hot water is the key.
CidahMastah
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OK cool - that was my plan to start. However I just haven't used any of the new bevseal line yet. Looking forward to it!
Thanks for the tips
Kegworks stocks stainless 3/16" tailpieces. I ordered one set to ensure they were truly smaller than my 1/4" tailpieces and they were...so I ordered enough for my other lines.
Bernie
Bernie
Do people NORMALLY use 1/4" barbs with 3/16" line? Why is that?
I still haven't built my keezer, so luckily I won't be buying a bunch of 1/4" barbs that will just need replacing.
What do you guys mean by flared/tapered? Isn't that basically what DEFINES a barb?
I actually have a similar problem with my William's oxygenation kit. The line seems to be 3/16, when most companies supply 1/4" line, and I can't push it past the first barb on the regulator. Heck, even getting it to that point initially, and repeatedly heating up the end of the vinyl tubing in hot water, was a bitch. And it still falls off easily when tugged/pulled in any manner.
I still haven't built my keezer, so luckily I won't be buying a bunch of 1/4" barbs that will just need replacing.
Gritsak said:
CidahMastah said:
What do you guys mean by flared/tapered? Isn't that basically what DEFINES a barb?
I actually have a similar problem with my William's oxygenation kit. The line seems to be 3/16, when most companies supply 1/4" line, and I can't push it past the first barb on the regulator. Heck, even getting it to that point initially, and repeatedly heating up the end of the vinyl tubing in hot water, was a bitch. And it still falls off easily when tugged/pulled in any manner.
Barbs exist in "level" and "flared" designs - "level" meaning the barbs are all the same diameter, "flared" meaning the barbs increase in diameter the further towards the base...
Cheers!
day_trippr said:
Ah, okay.
I can't really recall right now ever seeing a tapered barb. Unless it's barely noticeable like with most NPT fittings, but I can't think of a good reason for such a slight taper on a barb.
SankePankey
Well-Known Member
Really, the 1/4" ones work fine with the screwdriver / heatgun (or otherwise) technique. I just ordered more barbs and didn't bother looking for 3/16". I'm getting a great seal with the 1/4" barbs with tubing melted on and no clamps... and I certainly am manhandling them. One of my shank ends came undone from moving stuff around, but the seal on the nipple was still good.
+1 IMO, the 1/4" barbs will provide a much more reliable connection without the need for clamps. Installing the 1/4" barbs on 3/16" tubing is not as difficult as it initially appears.
mb2696
Well-Known Member
well...i just got a perlick 525SS faucet and now it's shooting out like a rocket (was using the standard cheap-o chrome faucet). i'm guessing the lower resistance of this faucet is why some of you need ~20ft?
CidahMastah
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Ah, okay.
I can't really recall right now ever seeing a tapered barb. Unless it's barely noticeable like with most NPT fittings, but I can't think of a good reason for such a slight taper on a barb.
just and FYI:
http://stores.kegconnection.com/Detail.bok?no=224
that is the flared/tapered barb we were talking about
There's not much of a difference between 3/16" and 1/4", just 1/16" in relative diameter. Most people use vinyl tubing, which is much stretchier than the plastic tubing, such as we are discussing in this thread.
I used the 3/16" tail pieces for my connections. I worked with a saucepan of boiling water and heating both the tubing and the tail piece. To get the tail piece started into the tubing, I first flared the end of the tubing with a small needle nose pliers. With the warmed up tubing and tail piece (heck, it was rather hot!), I was able to force the tubing around the very top of the tail piece. Once I got it started, I stuck it back in the boiling water to heat it some more, then I would take it out and grasp the tubing close to the end and hammer the tubing down around the tail piece by driving them down into the counter top. No problem getting the tubing flush on the tail piece with just a couple of heatings. It won't need a clamp. In fact, I doubt it is coming off unless I cut it off. I did notice that you can flare the end and stick it back in the water and it will shrink back to the original size...so remove from water, flare end with needle nose and get onto that tail piece.
Also...be careful. My stuff was hot enough to cause discomfort. I tried to use a towel to steady the tail piece and keep the heat off my hands.
Bernie
PS Don't forget to put your hex nuts on the line before adding that second tail piece!
I used the 3/16" tail pieces for my connections. I worked with a saucepan of boiling water and heating both the tubing and the tail piece. To get the tail piece started into the tubing, I first flared the end of the tubing with a small needle nose pliers. With the warmed up tubing and tail piece (heck, it was rather hot!), I was able to force the tubing around the very top of the tail piece. Once I got it started, I stuck it back in the boiling water to heat it some more, then I would take it out and grasp the tubing close to the end and hammer the tubing down around the tail piece by driving them down into the counter top. No problem getting the tubing flush on the tail piece with just a couple of heatings. It won't need a clamp. In fact, I doubt it is coming off unless I cut it off. I did notice that you can flare the end and stick it back in the water and it will shrink back to the original size...so remove from water, flare end with needle nose and get onto that tail piece.
Also...be careful. My stuff was hot enough to cause discomfort. I tried to use a towel to steady the tail piece and keep the heat off my hands.
Bernie
PS Don't forget to put your hex nuts on the line before adding that second tail piece!
SankePankey
Well-Known Member
Hey Folks-
Just wanted to share my line lengths in the kegerator for anyone who cares. I may tweak the specs a little bit (which is why I made so many of them) but all 5 are really pouring nice as is, so. Here they are and what's on tap. I'm sure you can guess I made the small ones first, not on purpose.
6 PSI - 7'
7 PSI - 8'
8 PSI - 9'
9 PSI - 10'
10 PSI - 11'
11 PSI - 12' - Oatmeal Stout
12 PSI - 13'
13 PSI - 14' - Belgian PA
14 PSI - 16' - RyeIPA
15 PSI - 18'
16 PSI - 20'
23 PSI - 30' - Berliner Weisse
30 PSI - 40' - Seltzer
(actually, my seltzer is at 35 PSI and I like it to pour a little faster since there's no foam. 40' works good)
Some folks were reporting that 20ft for 12.5 PSI was appropriate. I'm not finding that. I don't have that much head/rise though. Got 5 kegs in a 7.2 magic chef, so like 6" head and ~ 12" distance from taps. Chamber is at 40 degrees.
Also, the method described before using a heat gun, screwdriver, dunking in water, etc. has yielded that many sets (so times 2 - for a total of 26 barbs) with ZERO leaks or do overs. No clamps. And the line is pretty rigid, so during the install there were plenty of opportunities for a leak to be sprung (from manhandling and placement).
Just wanted to share my line lengths in the kegerator for anyone who cares. I may tweak the specs a little bit (which is why I made so many of them) but all 5 are really pouring nice as is, so. Here they are and what's on tap. I'm sure you can guess I made the small ones first, not on purpose.
6 PSI - 7'
7 PSI - 8'
8 PSI - 9'
9 PSI - 10'
10 PSI - 11'
11 PSI - 12' - Oatmeal Stout
12 PSI - 13'
13 PSI - 14' - Belgian PA
14 PSI - 16' - RyeIPA
15 PSI - 18'
16 PSI - 20'
23 PSI - 30' - Berliner Weisse
30 PSI - 40' - Seltzer
(actually, my seltzer is at 35 PSI and I like it to pour a little faster since there's no foam. 40' works good)
Some folks were reporting that 20ft for 12.5 PSI was appropriate. I'm not finding that. I don't have that much head/rise though. Got 5 kegs in a 7.2 magic chef, so like 6" head and ~ 12" distance from taps. Chamber is at 40 degrees.
Also, the method described before using a heat gun, screwdriver, dunking in water, etc. has yielded that many sets (so times 2 - for a total of 26 barbs) with ZERO leaks or do overs. No clamps. And the line is pretty rigid, so during the install there were plenty of opportunities for a leak to be sprung (from manhandling and placement).
mb2696
Well-Known Member
thanks for posting that sanke.
i too only have about 6" of head as well and am finding that 20' is far too long. also -- what kind of faucets do you have?
i too only have about 6" of head as well and am finding that 20' is far too long. also -- what kind of faucets do you have?
SankePankey
Well-Known Member
525s with 4" 3/16 shanks. I put flare adapters (usually used for kegs) instead of barbs on the ends of the shanks so I could swap lines w/o taking apart the shank (which would require me taking off the insulation to get at the lock nut).
How much length might you add for say another 12" of rise (18" total)? I remember the chart that I originally used to set my system up a few years ago, but I wonder if those numbers would not be appropriate with this line?
SankePankey
Well-Known Member
I dunno. My experience is just with the one kegerator.
I could guess, but what do I know. I'd think you would want less length for more rise, though. Maybe you should try 1 ft per PSI. For my setup it seems to follow something like 1.15 ft per PSI.
Do a search for ' Beer Line Length and Pressure Calculator.xls ' and that could help you. It sort of helped me, but not really all that much.
I could guess, but what do I know. I'd think you would want less length for more rise, though. Maybe you should try 1 ft per PSI. For my setup it seems to follow something like 1.15 ft per PSI.
Do a search for ' Beer Line Length and Pressure Calculator.xls ' and that could help you. It sort of helped me, but not really all that much.
