PEX in place of silicone tubing

[bagpiperjosh]

has anyone used pex in place of silicone tubing for their brewing system?

I am slowly building my elec brewery and im trying to do it as affordable as possible and was wondering if anyone has used pex fittings to transer fluids for their brew system. I dont even have a pump yet. but i dont know if its even possible or worth it to use pex in place of silicone. i plan to immersion chill my wort in the BK so it will never actually touch boiling temps. im not sure if there are any quick dissconnects for pex or not. i never really needed them before

 

[ETCS]

My cousin is a plumber by trade. I completed my single tier system with the exception of plumbing. I was talking to him about it and mentioned that I was going to use copper. He told me not to and he would get me PEX. He said that he uses it everyday on hot and cold systems when he does houses. Brewed with it this past Sunday, didn't have any issues, I'm sure the beer will turn out fine.

 

[bagpiperjosh]

My cousin is a plumber by trade. I completed my single tier system with the exception of plumbing. I was talking to him about it and mentioned that I was going to use copper. He told me not to and he would get me PEX. He said that he uses it everyday on hot and cold systems when he does houses. Brewed with it this past Sunday, didn't have any issues, I'm sure the beer will turn out fine.

you have pics of how that is plumbed in?

 

[kpr121]

You can either buy the PEX crimping tool and get the adapters to get to a QD, or they make ‘shark-bite’ or ‘gator-bite’ fittings that work on PEX. They are a push on fitting that are removable if necessary. They are very expensive though (like $8 a fitting).

 

[bagpiperjosh]

You can either buy the PEX crimping tool and get the adapters to get to a QD, or they make ‘shark-bite’ or ‘gator-bite’ fittings that work on PEX. They are a push on fitting that are removable if necessary. They are very expensive though (like $8 a fitting).

I have the crimp tool, i just didnt know if they made a quick disconnect for pex. other than sharkbite (they usually arent that quick to take off)

 

[kpr121]

I have the crimp tool, i just didnt know if they made a quick disconnect for pex. other than sharkbite (they usually arent that quick to take off)

Oh okay, I don’t think they make a QD that will connect right to PEX. You will probably have to adapt it to ½” NPT somehow. Like this: http://www.lowes.com/pd_201729-6100...22024+4294821450__s?Ntt=pex&facetInfo=Adapter

 

[kpr121]

If that link doesnt work go to Lowes and search for Item #201729

 

[scouser007]

I would not use it. I plumbed my entire house last year in PEX, and it still gives the water a certain plastic flavor and smell. I imagine if you add heat it would be terrible. Its really bad after water sits in it for a few hours. We have installed filters on any of the tap water we want to drink from. You would also have to use a lot of elbows as the stuff does not bend easily and will crimp if trying to turn a fairly sharp corner say 6 inches diameter. And yes its definetly the PEX, and I was using the brand name stuff in red and blue from a farily large plumbing store. Copper has many issues the biggest being the wort is acidic so it will break it down quickly.

I also bought the way over priced crimping tools. I will say the tools work really nice and they make a nice solid connection to all the fittings.

 

[bagpiperjosh]

I would not use it. I plumbed my entire house last year in PEX, and it still gives the water a certain plastic flavor and smell. I imagine if you add heat it would be terrible. Its really bad after water sits in it for a few hours. We have installed filters on any of the tap water we want to drink from. You would also have to use a lot of elbows as the stuff does not bend easily and will crimp if trying to turn a fairly sharp corner say 6 inches diameter. And yes its definetly the PEX, and I was using the brand name stuff in red and blue from a farily large plumbing store. Copper has many issues the biggest being the wort is acidic so it will break it down quickly.

I also bought the way over priced crimping tools. I will say the tools work really nice and they make a nice solid connection to all the fittings.

I've used pex for lots of home water line repairs and have NEVER had it kink up on me. I have also never noticed any off flavors in water. Just about every new home build uses pex. But if you aren't a fan of it, i certainly can't fault you for that.

 

[scouser007]

Maybe there is a brand issue at work here, may not all be created equal athough I would assume the name PEX means a certain polymer composition.
I tried to do a few turns in the walls so 16 or so on center and straight out to a hose barbe etc and it did not go so well.
I used the products from these guys:
http://www.schumacherseiler.com/index.asp
Its possible the manifold is the issue, but I doubt it as the smell and taste is the same as when I smell or lick (yes I said it) the tube. I wish I could think of another way to say all of that.
My last thought is maybe when you heat it up the plastercisers (sp?) come out of the tubing quickly and you are good to go.

 

[ETCS]

you have pics of how that is plumbed in?

They are in the link below:

https://picasaweb.google.com/115716...hkey=Gv1sRgCL6zgcvU2-WgQg#5729516221052443218

 

[bagpiperjosh]

They are in the link below:

https://picasaweb.google.com/115716...hkey=Gv1sRgCL6zgcvU2-WgQg#5729516221052443218

some of those fittings don't look familiar to me at all.. like the one in the big pic and it looks like you have a sharkbite coming off of the kettle, im assuming you dont need to remove the fitting often?

 

[itsme6582]

Everyone keep in mind PEX is only rated to 200 degrees

 

[bagpiperjosh]

PEX is only rated to 200 degrees

read the original post

 

[itsme6582]

I feel like I just got slapped in the back of my hand with a ruler.

 

[Frankiesurf]

I would not use it. I plumbed my entire house last year in PEX, and it still gives the water a certain plastic flavor and smell. I imagine if you add heat it would be terrible. Its really bad after water sits in it for a few hours. We have installed filters on any of the tap water we want to drink from.

I have PEX in my house. The plastic flavors lasted on and off for about a year and a half. Decreasing through time. Now, three years later, no taste comes through at all.

 

[bagpiperjosh]

I feel like I just got slapped in the back of my hand with a ruler.

serves you right!

 

[scouser007]

lol, hey if it works for you go with it.

 

[ETCS]

some of those fittings don't look familiar to me at all.. like the one in the big pic and it looks like you have a sharkbite coming off of the kettle, im assuming you dont need to remove the fitting often?

I've never seen them either. We used a flair out tool that flairs out the end of the PEX and that fits over the barbed end of the Valve/Tee. Yes, I don't have t remove the fitting often, however, I don't find it very hard to remove the PEX out of the shark bite fittings.

 

[audger]

Copper has many issues the biggest being the wort is acidic so it will break it down quickly.

if by 'quickly' you mean over the course of a few decades of constant brewing, you might find the walls of your copper pipe have lost a slight amount of total thickness....

but from a health standpoint, its moot to use copper pre-fermentation because the yeast will utilize all available elemental copper and you will be left with almost none in your finished beer. some evidence actually suggests using copper in the brewing process is beneficial (vs using 100% stainless). people have been brewing in copper kettles for centuries.

 

[scouser007]

I did not know that about the yeast, thats really interesting. As far as breaking down, I was not thinking about blowing holes in tubing, more a blue oxidize scum on the tubing. I have OCD and would be forced to shine it up.

I have wondered in the past if the copper kettles were impating a flavor, as the breweries I have been too that have been using them always have a certain acidic tang in the beer. I am fairly cetain its just crappy beer, not the kettles And like you suggest there is not enough particulate matter, probably ppb range at most.

As far as the topic at hand after reading through the posts there must be a difference in the PEX. There is no way you can miss it, especailly given someone else knows what I am talking about. I will say the stuff that I used did have a strong smell right from the beginning. So if you are going to use it I think I would make my self look like a lunatic and get right in there and see what you are buying. It will hold a lot more pressure than silcone, its probably a lot more robust, and it costs a lot less.

 

[ETCS]

Everyone keep in mind PEX is only rated to 200 degrees

According the the link below (page 5 of the .pdf) Crosslinked Polyethylene (PEX) is rated to 210 for Non-Pressure continuous flow. So PEX should be good for any brewing system.

http://plasticpipe.org/pdf/tn-11_temperatue_limits_for_thermoplastic_non_pressure.pdf