Vinyl tubing for tap lines

[Musketear]

So, I can't seem to get the carbonation right in my kegerator. I think this is most likely due to tap lines that are to short. I visited Home Depot in search of a cheaper alternative to buying beer specific lines for $1 a foot. Home Depot had 20 ft coils of 3/16 ID - 5/16 OD vinyl tubing that seems like it should work (safe to 55 psi), however it doesn't mention if it is beverage safe.

Has anyone thought about or actually used this? Any suggestions?

 

[wolfman_48442]

I've got a couple lines of the 3/16 stuff on cobra taps. It pours fine, no off flavoring or anything like that (that I can detect), but gets really stiff in the refrigerator. A suitable temporary fix, IMO.

 

[Lost]

Get some of the accuflex tubing. Birdman brewing is selling 100ft rolls for 40 cents a foot. It's top notch tubing although a bit stiff. I'm happy with it and I paid about thirty bucks for a hundred feet because I got in while the getting was good. You'd pay about the same for a measly 20ft of the questionable crap line from home depot. Birdman's price may have gone up since but it's still 40 cents a foot if you buy 100ft and he's selling 50ft rolls now too (both have free shipping).

http://www.birdmanbrewing.com/tubing/

I know CHI company is also selling this tubing at $.36 per foot sold in 1ft increments.
http://www.chicompany.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=375_86_87&products_id=3020
looks like shipping is $8. So probably works out to about the same price per foot either way.

Why would you pay more for an inferior product?

 

[Musketear]

CHI company looks like the way I will probably go. I have 3 taps, and shouldn't need more than 10 ft for each, so my order there is about $10. Not bad!

 

[Lost]

CHI company looks like the way I will probably go. I have 3 taps, and shouldn't need more than 10 ft for each, so my order there is about $10. Not bad!

I just noticed the 1 dollar per foot was the price of the beer line.. not the home depot line which is no doubt in the .20 to .30 per foot range. So the accuflex isn't cheaper.. just in the same ball park. Clearly my reading comprehension is terrible :cross: must be all the lead from my brass fittings

Hey, and be prepared to wrestle to get that line on 1/4" barbs. I would buy some keg lube, I sure wish I had some when I did it. They sell 5/32" barbs but when I inquired about them they said they thought they'd be too small to seal the 3/16" ID line. Still, they're cheap and it might be worth buying one or two to try them out.

And one last thing, I find 9-10ft to be about the right length for a tap but there's a thread around here somewhere where everyone is using this line and discussing appropriate length and many posters are saying that 20 ish feet is right. So I dunno. For me 20ft would probably be a trickle even at 14psi.

I just wouldn't want you to come up short. Maybe try 20ft first and then if it truly is a trickle just cut it in half. It never hurts to have extra on store for when you want to add another tap or decide the line needs to be replaced.

 

[Musketear]

Well, I ordered 30 ft, which is 10 ft per tap. From what I have read around, that should be plenty... But most of that was for vinyl tubing.

And I already have 3/16 fittings

I will search from threads on AccuFlex in particular, as maybe is has a different resistance.

 

[bob1852]

Well, I ordered 30 ft, which is 10 ft per tap. From what I have read around, that should be plenty... But most of that was for vinyl tubing.

And I already have 3/16 fittings

I will search from threads on AccuFlex in particular, as maybe is has a different resistance.

There is, I think you'll need something like ~30% more, but of course, your mileage will vary...

 

[Musketear]

It looks like those using 20 ft were using 1/4 ID tubing. Hopefully I will be fine with 10 ft each, given I already ordered it!

I guess I will email them and see if they can add on an additional 15 ft....

 

[audger]

Hey, and be prepared to wrestle to get that line on 1/4" barbs

dont use lube, that makes it as easy to get on as it is to get off. you dont want it coming off. there is an easier way...

boil a quart of water. stick the end of the tubing in the boiling water for 15 seconds. slip over the barb, it will be fairly easy to stretch. once it cools, it will be perminant and often not even require a clamp to be air tight.

BUT- if you are ordering 1/4" lines and using 3/16" fittings, the lines are going to be 1/16 larger than the fittings anyway so it will slip over easily, but will require a good solid clamp.

usually i like to use 1/4" barbs with 3/16" lines and not use clamps.

home depot vinyl tubing should never be used for beer, im glad you decided to get actual beverage lines.

 

[TokyoRoad]

home depot vinyl tubing should never be used for beer, im glad you decided to get actual beverage lines.

Why not? The stuff I see has this in the description

First-run FDA-approved clear vinyl is appropriate for use in food and beverage applications.