Line Length

[Wallachia]

Hello y'all,

I've done a bit of looking and plugged the numbers into a couple of the various kegging calculators you can find online.

I've got a Piwo Grodziskie brewed, carbed and ready to tap, and I've just stood up a new kegerator -- the length from the center of the keg to the taps is about 3' and I've got the kegerator at about 36F at the moment.

The beer's carbonation is 3.5 vols, and the calculators spit out a line length (of 3/16"ID) of an astounding 16 feet!

This beer's already famous for it's ridiculous head, so I'm trying to avoid pouring pure foam.

Just looking to see if anyone with more experience kegging could tell me if this *looks* right.

 

[IslandLizard]

16' of 3/16" ID line sounds about right for 3.5 volumes. 10-12' is about the average line length for most keezers and kegerators at 12 psi and 3/16" tubing.

You could put some restrictors ("epoxy mixers") inside the keg's diptube, those will take a few feet off.

How about using a flow control faucet?

 

[Wallachia]

How about using a flow control faucet?

I didn't know such a thing existed -- i'm perhaps understandable skeptical, how well do they work?

 

[IslandLizard]

I don't have them yet, but when you read around, people really like them.

Check these out at RiteBrew:
Perlick Flow Control
Intertap Flow Control

 

[jmcquesten]

Yes, 16 ft is reasonable. Plug your numbers into this calculator and trust the number it gives you.

http://www.mikesoltys.com/2012/09/17/determining-proper-hose-length-for-your-kegerator/