Installing Accuflex Bev-Seal Ultra 3/16

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outside92129

outside92129

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After a few installs of Accuflex Bev-Seal Ultra 3/16" Barrier line i finally have it dialed in. It's now a snap to install, on both 3/16" and 1/4" fittings, and takes <1 min.

Heat gun
1) set to 250F
2) heat fitting, heat tubing (with hot air going into the tubing, as opposed to heating the tubing from the side)
3) insert fitting and press on. Done!
I clamped the fitting for insurance but it doesn't look like it need it. Be sure to wear gloves!

If you go too hot (say 350F) the tubing gets too soft and will collapse as you insert the fitting.

I've tried and done the following, i'm never doing any of these again:
1) pliers in the tubing to expand it
2) boiling water to heat tubing/fitting
3) boiling the pliers
4) wrestle, force, bang the fitting in
5) trim/angle the edge of the tubing to "funnel" the fitting in
6) additional combinations of the above

Some of my tubing is 1-2 years old and was installed with the plier method. It wasn't visible at the time but inserting the pliers into the tubing damaged the inner liner and after a few years of exposure the damaged area is absorbing/getting stained by the beer.
 
Great tip but I regularly use your #2 selection of soaking in boiling water for a minute or two and get the tubing on everytime:D
 
Ok, gotta call you out on this one. What does a good install look like? The best I can get is a slight bump. See attached. I can provide a higher-res picture later, in case the bump isn't obvious.


I gotta say. Trying to get this hose to work has to be the stupidest thing I've ever done for this hobby...

IMG_20131114_162758.jpg
 
Have you tried lubing the barb with keg lube? I do this for my 3/16" beer line and it works great. I think I have bevlex 200, so maybe it won't work with your line.
 
slarkin712 said:
Have you tried lubing the barb with keg lube? I do this for my 3/16" beer line and it works great. I think I have bevlex 200, so maybe it won't work with your line.
Click to expand...

Sorry, by "bump" I was referring to the "smoothness" of the install, as opposed to the depth.

I'm not opposed to using keg lube, but I'd really prefer not to risk getting any of it on the inside of my beer line.

As for what I purchased, I got this:
http://www.birdmanbrewing.com/accuflex-bev-seal-ultra-barrier-tubing-3-16-id-100ft-free-shipping/
 
Keg lube won't help with this tubing.

That "bump" is fine, it's just the tubing stretching over the barb. But I would try to seat it all the way on the down.

Once you get it started like that, I've found the easiest way to proceed is to get a small shallow pot of boiling water going, and hold the swivel nut in there (tube sticking up and out) and keep gentle but firm downward pressure on the tube. Grab the tube as close as you can to the barb without burning yourself, some gloves can help. Push too hard and the tube will kink once it warms up, but if you go slow and steady it should slight right over the barb as the barb gets hot.

I know this tubing can be a major PITA, but once you've done it a couple times it's a piece of cake. Of course the John Guest fittings suggested above are the easiest route.
 
zachattack said:
Keg lube won't help with this tubing.

That "bump" is fine, it's just the tubing stretching over the barb. But I would try to seat it all the way on the down.

Once you get it started like that, I've found the easiest way to proceed is to get a small shallow pot of boiling water going, and hold the swivel nut in there (tube sticking up and out) and keep gentle but firm downward pressure on the tube. Grab the tube as close as you can to the barb without burning yourself, some gloves can help. Push too hard and the tube will kink once it warms up, but if you go slow and steady it should slight right over the barb as the barb gets hot.

I know this tubing can be a major PITA, but once you've done it a couple times it's a piece of cake. Of course the John Guest fittings suggested above are the easiest route.
Click to expand...


Thanks, glad to know that the little bump-out on the tubing is fine. With a hose-clamp securing what little there is on the barb, would there really be an issue? I can't see it happening...

As for the boiling water trick, I'll give it a shot, I guess. Wearing gloves makes it about impossible to grip the tubing and so makes it about impossible to push, but we'll see. I had been trying to do the same thing with the heat gun, and the picture was as far as I got.

And yes, this is still a major PITA. I still may just call it quits.
 
It would probably be fine as is, but considering how easy it is to slide it the rest of the way down I'd do it just for the piece of mind. I used the Oetiker gapless hose clamps on mine.
 
:D

For me the hardest part was getting it started, once I had it on there a little like yours is it didn't seem that bad to finish it. Just try like 1/2" of lightly boiling water in a pan, the metal barb will get hot well before the tube so there's a pretty low potential for burning.
 
fwiw, in one of the many similar threads someone once mentioned that sliding the flare fitting onto a philips head screwdriver made it much easier to shove the fitting into heated tubing...

Cheers!
 
day_trippr said:
fwiw, in one of the many similar threads someone once mentioned that sliding the flare fitting onto a philips head screwdriver made it much easier to shove the fitting into heated tubing...

Cheers!
Click to expand...


That, or chuck up a male fitting in a vise, and screw the female / barb nipple assembly, ( he-he-he...), onto the male fitting to hold it for you.
 
Azurecybe said:
The reason it doesn't fit nicely is that this line type should not be used with a barbed fitting.

The proper way is to use John Guest fittings. They are made for this line type. It's like a compression fitting and takes literally seconds to install.

http://www.freshwatersystems.com/p-2502-female-adapter-bspp-516-x-58-bspp.aspx

http://www.freshwatersystems.com/p-2574-female-adapter-flare-516-x-14-flare.aspx
Click to expand...

I'm going this route, small price to pay for easy assembly and disassembly.
 
Billsbrew said:
Will that fitting just screw on to the shank? Could it be that easy?
Click to expand...

I use these and yes it just screws onto the shank. And yes, it is just that easy. Takes 2 minutes to put it all together.
 
So for another data point, I was able to get the tubing onto the 3/16" shank nipples with only a medium amount of grumbling and cursing, using boiling water and a nail set. The 1/4" barbs on the keg disconnects just wasn't working, so I punted and bought flare QDs and the John Guest fittings. Got 'em the other day and worked like a charm. To all struggling with this stuff, I say don't bang your heads against the wall any more, just get the fittings and call it done.
 
Also. What's the difference between the flare fitting and the regular? I still don't understand that about fittings. Which one goes on the end of the shank?
 
So the first thing I should mention is that I did not buy the shank fitting.

So here's the deal. This one here: http://www.freshwatersystems.com/p-2502-female-adapter-bspp-516-x-58-bspp.aspx is the one that replaces the tailpiece/nipple. You just screw it on the end of the shank instead, and jam the tubing into it. This is the one I didn't buy, because I was able to get the tubing on my nipples that I already owned, and it's more expensive. I think, but do not know for sure, that it comes with its own o-ring to seal on the shank.

This one: http://www.freshwatersystems.com/p-2574-female-adapter-flare-516-x-14-flare.aspx is the "flare" fitting. You buy a keg Quick Disconnect that has the flare end instead of the hose barb, and this just screws right onto it, and you stick the tubing in. This is the one I have.

So if you by both for each shank/keg combo you have, you don't need a tailpiece and you don't need to try to force a barb into rigid tubing.
 
day_trippr said:
fwiw, in one of the many similar threads someone once mentioned that sliding the flare fitting onto a philips head screwdriver made it much easier to shove the fitting into heated tubing...

Cheers!
Click to expand...

Hey, I'm pretty sure that was me! :D

Phillips in the swivel nut end gives lots of extra dexterity when oushing it on. I ended up putting the screwdriver handle against my thigh and pulling the tubing towards me.

Though honestly, John Guest fittings are the way to go. When I add more taps, I'll be using them exclusively and removing the barbs entirely. \o/
 
I just finished doing an install on my new 7 tap kegerator and thought I would share the method I found worked super easy.

Get a long punch with a very slight taper. I suggest getting a new one so it does not have any imperfections from pevious use that will damage the barrier on the inside of the tubing. Heat the punch not the tubing with a heat gun. It does not need to be all that hot. Once the punch is hot insert it into the tubing it will expand very easy. Pull out the punch and insert 1/4 barbed fitting immediately. It will shrink as it cools and it happens quickly. You end up with a fully inserted barbed fitting without any distortion to the tubing.:mug:
 
wes200x said:
I just finished doing an install on my new 7 tap kegerator and thought I would share the method I found worked super easy.

Get a long punch with a very slight taper. I suggest getting a new one so it does not have any imperfections from pevious use that will damage the barrier on the inside of the tubing. Heat the punch not the tubing with a heat gun. It does not need to be all that hot. Once the punch is hot insert it into the tubing it will expand very easy. Pull out the punch and insert 1/4 barbed fitting immediately. It will shrink as it cools and it happens quickly. You end up with a fully inserted barbed fitting without any distortion to the tubing.:mug:
Click to expand...

This sounds like very a good idea. We might have to try it. (even though we've primarily moved to using John Guest fittings when possible)
 
So it could just be the home-brew that I have already consumed today; but I fail to see how either of the John Guest connects would attach to the faucet end of the keg serving line. It is easy to see that http://www.freshwatersystems.com/p-2574-john-guest-female-adapter-flare-516-x-14-flare.aspx 5/16 to 1/4 flair will except the Bev-Seal Ultra 235 line (it slides in one end and just stays there. It is also easy to see how the ball lock connecter will screw in the opposite side of the Bev-Line on that connector. What I fail to see is how the heck a barbed serving faucet will be connected to the http://www.freshwatersystems.com/p-2502-john-guest-female-adapter-bspp-516-x-58-bspp.aspx 5/16 to 5/8ths connector. It just does not look possible. Perhaps I have the wrong faucet? I have a two piece black plastic faucet that will separate into two parts (by unscrewing) with a plastic barb. I figure I need a different barb, the LHBS (homebrewheaven) had no such critter.
Could someone explain what the 5/16 to 5/8ths connector is good for? It looks like I could attach a garden hose to it….
Off for another home-brew and to ponder.
Cheers
 
Aonghus said:
So it could just be the home-brew that I have already consumed today; but I fail to see how either of the John Guest connects would attach to the faucet end of the keg serving line.
Click to expand...

We're using faucets attached to beer shanks.

gallery_204_22_245941.jpg


The 5/16 X 5/8 BSPP PI451015FS screws directly onto a beer shank.

shankjg.jpg


Aonghus said:
What I fail to see is how the heck a barbed serving faucet will be connected to the http://www.freshwatersystems.com/p-2502-john-guest-female-adapter-bspp-516-x-58-bspp.aspx 5/16 to 5/8ths connector. It just does not look possible. Perhaps I have the wrong faucet? I have a two piece black plastic faucet that will separate into two parts (by unscrewing) with a plastic barb. I figure I need a different barb, the LHBS (homebrewheaven) had no such critter.
Could someone explain what the 5/16 to 5/8ths connector is good for? It looks like I could attach a garden hose to it&#8230;.
Off for another home-brew and to ponder.
Cheers
Click to expand...

Faucets do not have barbs. You seem to be describing a picnic (cobra) tap.

keg-picnic-tap.jpg


Picnic tap's don't make any sense with rigid lines. The line costs more than the tap itself. Same for a set of John Guest fittings.
 
Perfect! Thanks guys. Due to space constraints I am using a picnic faucet. It all makes perfect sense now. I just don't like the gunk that can get in the flexible lines and was wanting a line I could clean out instead of throw away when it got gunky. Usually I have the line in constant use, but when I give my liver a break in Febuary (my dry month) I replace the line. Cost is not a consideration here, only space.
 
I have successfully pushed a picnap tap onto BevSeal. I have one as my backup tap to my backup line to my backup faucet.

Just gotta get it hot and pliable first. May take several tries.

Good luck!
 
Thadius, what parts did you use to get a 90d 5/16 x 5/8 BSPP fitting? Making a 90d turn with the beveled sucks, and yours look like the right solution!

-Kevin

thadius856 said:
We're using faucets attached to beer shanks.

gallery_204_22_245941.jpg


The 5/16 X 5/8 BSPP PI451015FS screws directly onto a beer shank.

shankjg.jpg




Faucets do not have barbs. You seem to be describing a picnic (cobra) tap.

keg-picnic-tap.jpg


Picnic tap's don't make any sense with rigid lines. The line costs more than the tap itself. Same for a set of John Guest fittings.
Click to expand...
 
Unfortunately, that's not my picture.

You'd just need an elbow with 5/16" stem x 5/16" push, as linked above.

They make non-elbow stems that can adapt to smaller hose. All of my gas lines are 1/4" OD poly, so I add a 5/16" stem x 1/4" push to connect them to the 1/4" OD tubing. I have to do this because they only make 3 fittings that have a 1/4" MFL connection, and the smallest takes 5/16" OD tubing.
 
Just in time. I was going to replace my generic pvc lines today with bev seal, but couldn't find the time. I have a heat gun so I'm hoping it goes well.

I'm not interested in the fittings as I'm cautious as to what touches my beer. I just feel better about only stainless steel and the bev seal line coming in contact. I've seen where some acetal polymer is food safe depending on application, but some isn't.
 
Question from the peanut gallery. Why not upsize to the 1/4"ID Bev-Seal product? is there an advantage to having 1/4"ID barbs and 3/16"ID tubing?
 
milldoggy said:
1/4 resistance is .3, 3/16 is 2.0. Need a lot more length to balance a system with 1/4.
Click to expand...

Thanks - balancing the system is new to me. Now what about the opposite - 3/16"ID tubing on a 3/16"ID barb (such as the 630SS combo with SS shank that beveragefactory has for $56.95 per combo)?
 

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