Switching gas lines to EvaBarrier / Duotight

[day_trippr]

@day_trippr when you say 'plastic liner', did you remove the liner from your fridge when mounting?

No - I don't think that could even be done on a full-size top-freezer unit without utter destruction as a result
I just barely drilled through the liner...

Cheers!

 

[Deadalus]

Are you suggesting using no valve on the regulator output, since there are valves on the manifold outputs? I kind of like being able to have a regulator output valve, just another place I can cut the output. Good idea with repurposing the plugged off area of the manifold, I could re-purpose that for an extra CO2 line for closed transferring or whatever.. today I just disconnect a CO2 line from one of my 2 kegs when I need CO2.


I've drilled through the top in the past, when installing a dual-tap tower and had no issue. Here's what the internals look like, making me think all of the refrigeration business is handled with that evaporator in the back.. Thinking the enclosure itself is just an insulated box.
View attachment 867702

Up to you regarding the shutoff valve off the regulator, just mentioning options. The adapter is ~$4-5 cheaper, the shutoff can help isolate leaks.

That 1/4" NPT x flare is a useful adapter if you don't use it keep it and don't lose it.

 

[RyPA]

No - I don't think that could even be done on a full-size top-freezer unit without utter destruction as a result
I just barely drilled through the liner...

Cheers!

So you just have the screw threads holding it?

Up to you regarding the shutoff valve off the regulator, just mentioning options. The adapter is ~$4-5 cheaper, the shutoff can help isolate leaks.

That 1/4" NPT x flare is a useful adapter if you don't use it keep it and don't lose it.

Yeah, for now I'm going to keep it sealed off. Maybe down the road I will add another CO2 line for closed transferring or whatever.

This one? https://www.morebeer.com/products/brass-flare-fitting-14-mpt.html
Yeah I plan to keep it in my beer hardware box, along with a ton of other stuff I accumulated over the years.

 

[day_trippr]

No. I explained how they are mounted...

Cheers!

 

[wepeeler]

If you're going to swap out a fitting anyway, why not just go with @day_trippr s first suggestion and swap out the whole regulator valve to one of these:
View attachment 867690
https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/bv14check.htm
...keep it EVABarrier from start to finish?
..just my 2-cents.

That's exactly what I did.

Just for the OP, be sure your evabarrier tubing is 100% seated into the duotights. The new duotights are not as easy as just jamming the evabarrier in. You need to twist it going into the duotight to get proper seating. Trust me, I lost a 15# and 20# CO2 tank to slow leaks...

 

[RyPA]

That's exactly what I did.

Just for the OP, be sure your evabarrier tubing is 100% seated into the duotights. The new duotights are not as easy as just jamming the evabarrier in. You need to twist it going into the duotight to get proper seating. Trust me, I lost a 15# and 20# CO2 tank to slow leaks...

So as you are pushing it in, turn the tubing? I have not had an issue with my duotight beer lines.

 

[mac_1103]

new duotights

When did "new" start? The duotight connections in my kegerator are less than a year old. I just pushed them in and none of them have leaked yet.

 

[wepeeler]

So as you are pushing it in, turn the tubing? I have not had an issue with my duotight beer lines.

Yes. I ordered replacement duotight fittings, and they were all updated. They required me turning them as I was pushing the tubing in to seat all the way in.

 

[wepeeler]

When did "new" start? The duotight connections in my kegerator are less than a year old. I just pushed them in and none of them have leaked yet.

I ordered some replacements less than 6 months ago and the plastic is darker. It's more difficult to push in the evabarrier now. Twisting helps.

 

[mac_1103]

OK. Seems like if you twist the tubing the steel teeth might damage it.

 

[wepeeler]

OK. Seems like if you twist the tubing the steel teeth might damage it.

Never had an issue. I've taken the tubing out a few times. The tubing is very tough.

 

[RyPA]

OK. Seems like if you twist the tubing the steel teeth might damage it.

The one I recently received appears to be the same shade of grey as the one purchased a year ago. This is the flare to 8mm evabarrier variant.

Twisting also makes me a bit nervous, i am going to go straight in and then check for leaks.

 

[odie]

I think those fittings that incorporate a ball valve, the threads are straight, not NPT, and there is a plastic seat that seals against the ball. Sometimes there is a sealant/thread locker on the threads too.

 

[RyPA]

I think those fittings that incorporate a ball valve, the threads are straight, not NPT, and there is a plastic seat that seals against the ball. Sometimes there is a sealant/thread locker on the threads too.

Yeah I ended up buying a new valve for the regulator and a new manifold that has flare fittings. This allows me to just attach the flare to duotight adapters.

 

[Ballaratguy]

I’m in the process of replacing all duotight fittings
I’ve found that if the hose isn’t dead straight coming out of the duotight it will leak (both gas and liquid)
Going back to hose barbs and clamps

 

[mac_1103]

I’ve found that if the hose isn’t dead straight coming out of the duotight it will leak (both gas and liquid)

I have not had this problem and my gas an beer lines are all coiled up inside my kegerator. I do use these but I'm not sure if that matters. It is important to cut the tubing straight so it seats fully and lets both o-rings seal.

 

[RyPA]

I’m in the process of replacing all duotight fittings
I’ve found that if the hose isn’t dead straight coming out of the duotight it will leak (both gas and liquid)
Going back to hose barbs and clamps

I have both liquid lines on duotight and have had no leaks. As @mac_1103 said, having perfectly straight cuts and seating the end of the line onto the duotight rubber gasket perfectly flat is critical.

 

[day_trippr]

fwiw, I have ~50 push-to-connect fittings in service, mostly JohnGuest, with six DMfit tailpieces and 3 Duotight 14" FFL to tubing on regulators. I have zero problems with any of them, and inside my keezer at least there are plenty of sub-optimal tubing entry angles going on.

I think one can reduce the potential for leaks by ensuring the tubing is fully inserted into the fitting, and the best way to make that happen is to use a sharpie and draw a circumferential line to show the full insertion depth on all tubing ends. For JG fittings, that's 7/10ths of an inch from the end. From my own experience I've come close to believing I had a line fully inserted but upon checking found that was far from true.

In theory the Duotights should be even more accepting of a less than straight-in insertion with their dual O-rings...if the line is inserted the full depth...

Cheers!

 

[pvpeacock]

I just found out that MoreBeer plans to carry the Evabarrier red and black colored 8mm tubing sometime in the near future. See https://kegland.com.au/products/eva...lV2iY-wkVUnb2qxZ6UzO8TlTKR-ll0ocDnOoU5ZINMvyg
I plan to wait until this is available to replace my gas lines. I find that having different colors for beer vs. gas is a big help in my keezer (together with using different color o-rings on my corny keg posts).

 

[RyPA]

I just found out that MoreBeer plans to carry the Evabarrier red and black colored 8mm tubing sometime in the near future. See https://kegland.com.au/products/eva...lV2iY-wkVUnb2qxZ6UzO8TlTKR-ll0ocDnOoU5ZINMvyg
I plan to wait until this is available to replace my gas lines. I find that having different colors for beer vs. gas is a big help in my keezer (together with using different color o-rings on my corny keg posts).

Interesting, Ill likely replace my recently purchased clear lines with these red ones and use the clears for bev replacement down the road..do evabarrier lines ever get stained? Mine still look perfect after 1+years.

 

[pvpeacock]

My liquid lines are still clear after a few years of use. Just rinse them with PBW and hot water every few kegs. I use this to flush the lines. Makes it a breeze. https://www.morebeer.com/products/b...Fqhc5zAk77d0JMxthP97vxWnybr9llTsaAg3SEALw_wcB

 

[RyPA]

My liquid lines are still clear after a few years of use. Just rinse them with PBW and hot water every few kegs. I use this to flush the lines. Makes it a breeze. https://www.morebeer.com/products/b...Fqhc5zAk77d0JMxthP97vxWnybr9llTsaAg3SEALw_wcB

Cool yeah i clean by beer lines using that same device between kegs, makes it super easy. I haven’t let my evabarrier lines soak in pbw yet because i didn’t see a need. I prefer to not remove the lines from the duotight connectors too many times, since i know they have a nice seal, but i may be over thinking it

 

[mac_1103]

I find that having different colors for beer vs. gas is a big help in my keezer

I find that I can see the beer in the liquid lines which makes it pretty easy to tell which are which. But color coding is cool. When did this stuff come out?

 

[Ki-ri-n]

......until you have beer backup in a gas line. If it's not clear, how would you know it needs cleaning?

Personally I use different colored zip ties on the ends of all my lines.

 

[RyPA]

......until you have beer backup in a gas line. If it's not clear, how would you know it needs cleaning?

Personally I use different colored zip ties on the ends of all my lines.

Doesn’t the color of the QD also tell you what the line is? Why use a zip tie?

 

[Ki-ri-n]

Yes, but you can differentiate between multiple gas/beer QDs or which tap the QD belongs too.

 

[RyPA]

Yes, but you can differentiate between multiple gas/beer QDs or which tap the QD belongs too.

But the goal is identifying what is in the line, beer or gas, not which tap its for. For that I have a little sticker on the QD.

 

[RyPA]

Success, now just crossing my fingers for no leaks.

I did notice a difference in the 1/4" flare to duotight connectors when comparing those I bought over a year ago to the ones I just received.. The older ones have a gray ring where the tube goes in, and the newer ones it is black.

 

[pvpeacock]

I would love to convert once the red EvaBarrier hose becomes available, but my 6 way and 2 way gas manifolds have barbed valves on them and, despite by best efforts, I can't remove them. I have tried unscrewing the barbed valves to replace them with threaded valves, but can't get them to budge. I do not want to spend the money to buy new manifolds which can be expensive, particulary since my current gas set up is working just fine.

 

[Willy]

I just found out that MoreBeer plans to carry the Evabarrier red and black colored 8mm tubing sometime in the near future. See https://kegland.com.au/products/eva...lV2iY-wkVUnb2qxZ6UzO8TlTKR-ll0ocDnOoU5ZINMvyg
I plan to wait until this is available to replace my gas lines. I find that having different colors for beer vs. gas is a big help in my keezer (together with using different color o-rings on my corny keg posts).

I bought a pack of different colored rolls of tape. Had the whole Roy g biv colors plus gray and black.
All the gas lines have a blue tape near the post connector and all the beer lines have orange.

In addition to that - taps 1-6 follow the Roy g biv sequence with a tape wrap every 8" or so.

Makes it easy to decipher gas line 3 - the one with blue on the end and yellow stripes. Etc.