Transfer lines & connectors - innovative options?

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Cider Wraith

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Beginning to ferment in cornys and don't have a dedicated workspace ... setup and breakdown whenever needing to work so motivated to have the least equipment and wanting it to perform multiple tasks. Also have begun fermenter purging serving and have a spunding valve on the way to begin pressurized operations. So I'l have a need for a several differently configured lines and in addition to needing multiple lines, also like the idea of easy cleaning (And might have more than one fermenter running at a time)

For those in a similar situation, have you come up with innovative ways to configure liquid and gas lines?

Have a selection of these in both varieties ...
threaded_ball_connector.jpeg


And just ordered these
jumpers.jpeg


The thought is to have several non-specific purpose lines with barbed-to-threaded connectors that can be built/rebuilt as-needed. For example ...

4 three-foot lines (threaded connector on each end)
4 five-foot lines (threaded connector on each end)

(... a little measuring seems to show most useful existing lines so far are 3 and 5 feet)

In addition to the above lines I'd have the "jumper connectors" so if moving fast could make odd connections on-the-fly

Finally, seems like with having multiple reconfigurable lines when finished the QDs can be removed and soaked in warm water w/Starsan and lines blown-out and hung to dry ... which is nice because they seem to get thoroughly clean & dry between uses with both ends open

Incidentally, keep this dedicated to my kit ready at all times
wrench.jpeg


Appreciate feedback or criticisms or to hear of completely improved approaches. Thanks -
 
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Did a big cleanup on this thread and thought I'd bump to see if anyone had any interest .....
 
Threaded connectors (swivel nuts) are definitely nicer than barbed. Break down is quick and easy for cleaning. I have a 2' line with 2 liquid ball lock disconnects which I use for pressure transfers to my kegs. When I'm done, unscrew the disconnect and flush the line with hot water. I leave it broken down so its ready to soak it in Star-San when I need to use it again. I haven't come up with any other uses, but the threaded connectors definitely allow for it.

I also have the ball lock jumper which I purchased several years ago. I remember loving the idea of it. I may have even used it a few times, but it's dropped out of my regiment and I forget how I used it. HAHA.

I'm about to purchase a co2 Y adapter and hook it directly to my regular so I have a dedicated utility line for pressure transfers, cold crashing, and making seltzer water for the wife.

1664374104969.png
 
... so little interest 🥱 … Seems like one of the more compelling aspects of the hobby … chess with lines, connectors, kegs, pressures and transfers getting jobs done and reconfigurable ... and with fermentation as a wildcard seems like fun ... to me 😁

What was needed as shown here - to have fermenter purge server ... assembled in seconds from a cleaned line that had been rinsed and hanging dry and previously used for multiple different purposes ...
View attachment 782169View attachment 782170
That's interesting. Most people are purging kegs with fermentation co2 by filling a keg with Star-San and hooking up gas to gas, with the liquid side emptying into a bucket. When all the Star-San is purged, there's nothing but CO2 left in the keg. What's your method?
 
That's interesting. Most people are purging kegs with fermentation co2 by filling a keg with Star-San and hooking up gas to gas, with the liquid side emptying into a bucket. When all the Star-San is purged, there's nothing but CO2 left in the keg. What's your method?
Been thinking about that idea
 
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Just seeing this thread. Definitely interested in the subject.

I've also been purging by filling the keg to the tippy top with water (can do star-san, iodophor, whatever solution as well of course) and then blowing it out with CO2. I typically leave a little pressure in the keg to try and next blow-out the transfer line, and a little to blow out the return line as well.

Notes - 1) The transfer line is 1/2" PVC (not O2 proof but with short contact I'm OK with that). It goes from a ball-lock post (1/2" barb fitting) to the fermenter spigot and beer goes into the keg through the keg "out" tube so it hits the bottom of the keg and fills up from there. When I plug the post in, CO2 rushes out and hopefully clears the line, then I quickly stick it onto the spigot. 2) The return line connects the other ball-lock (another barb) to the top of the fermenter itself, to complete the loop. I put a SS bulkhead through the lid so I could gain a 1/4" flare to connect to. Some folks skip the return line and use CO2 to push the beer, I use gravity.

Hope that makes sense.

I'm very interested in having the CO2 from fermentation clear out the keg. Save a little CO2 from the tank, perhaps actually do a "better" job (Haven't researched the ppm O2 from each method but bet they are close if not even slightly better for the natural version). Just haven't quite gotten around to figuring out the fittings, O2 proof tubing (this would be very important), and so on.
 
Been thinking about that idea ... interesting... but wondered what PSI will the server be at when pushing out the last Starsan? And then, when the last Starsan is evacuated, is there an extended massive blow when the unconstrained C02 purges out?
With my set up I connect the fermenter to the gas post of a fully filled keg of san star (future serving keg). I then use a jumper to connect the liquid post to the liquid post of a clean empty keg.... The fermentation pressure pushes the san san star from the serving keg to the empty which in turn will be the serving keg for the next batch (and now sanitized ahead of time).... Since I'm using the liquid posts to transfer and have a misc hose connected to the last gas post, It acts no different then a large airlock...
 
Is there any reason to avoid using barrier tubing (e.g. EVAbarrier) and push-in fittings vs FFL? I would expect those ball lock jumpers to be somewhat restrictive compared to another joiner.
None at all. push fittings make interoperability as well as cleaning a million times easier.
as to the jumpers, Im with @wsmith1625 here. Bought them, rarely use them. They seemed great, but really not that useful.
 
They work. If you use duotight don't use star-san on them however or they crack.

As for lines... supposedly EVA barrier but to be honest I'm not 100% sold. Better I'm sure against O2 but perhaps not perfect. Not a ton of options there.
 
I've been considering straight PTFE. Not bendable at all, I'd have to cut to length and set up the chain of fermenter - keg appropriately (stack of books or something more stable) so that one line could go perfectly into the next. It's not very flexible, but it can change shape somewhat with heat applied and retain it afterwards.
 
look- any system is going to have its postives and negatives. for the push fittings, the positives are easy of assembly/cleaning, interoperability, and assuming you use eva tubing, the best oxygen protection you can get outside of rigid metal tubing.

but the negative is that the tubing itself isnt nearly as flexible as vinyl/pvc, and if you have to join it to another system like hose barbs, it can take a little effort to make the connection. (but once connected, its rock solid) and the tubing/connectors themselves can be a bit pricey vs vinyl/pvc alternatives.


@AlexKay i think bevseal ultra is the same base material as eva. they feel the same, bend the same, cut the same, react the same to heat/cold, etc. same oxygen barrier type use. but its sized american style- by ID, by inches. (as opposed to OD in mm for eva)
 
could you please elaborate on the specifics of your lines/fittings? Thanks! -
1/2" tubing from fermenter spigot to keg. Spigot is sized 1/2" perfectly for it but I add a clamp to be sure. Keg ball lock has a 1/4 flare swivel to 1/2" barb where I attach the other end of the tubing with another clamp.

1/4" line (leftovers from not even sure where) is my return line. Similar setup at the keg, ball lock has a 1/4 flare to 1/4 barb with hose clamp. For the fermenter connection I did much the same but 2 tricks - 1) the flare / barb fitting is a few inches long and U-shaped so the line doesn't kink and 2) I found a bulkhead fitting that I stuck into the fermenter lid, NPT on one side to grab the lid and the same 1/4" flare on the other.

Can't do pictures right now but could if needed.
 
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Looks like I'm a bit late to the party. :D

I do alot of what you were considering already. The article posted above where @doug293cz does magic with numbers is just GOLD! All the math showing where any 19L/5gal batch of wort with SG above 1.040 can easily generate 440L of gaseous CO2, which by the process of diffusion can purge an air-filled keg to low-ppb levels of O2 over the course of a standard fermentation. Just need a gas-gas jumper and a bubbler line to a jar off the beer side.

Then, toss a spunding valve in the middle.

You can still direct all of that excess CO2 from the spund right into your eventual serving keg. The CO2 held back by the spunding valve shouldn't be enuf to offset the diffusion purge.
 
Now, in my head I'm combining multiple ideas from above...

Say you spund a batch to 20 PSI.
This time, do a water/starsan purge of the serving keg, so only ~20L of CO2 would be needed to purge.

Then, once the serving keg is purged... move the spunding valve.
Use a gas-bev jumper, and place the spunding valve on the gas serving post.

Now you can pressurize serving up to at least 20 PSI.
Heck, go crazy and purge a bunch of tanks and daisy chain them together.

Takes just one, maybe a bit of a second CO2 keg to push a closed transfer, right?

I'll need to mull this over further...
 
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