What about right-angle beer line?

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Belgian Samurai

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Hi,

Any reason I can't/shouldn't use a right-angle DuoTight connector directly behind the faucet shank? As you see in the picture, it would allow me to snake the beer lines more efficiently and aesthetically pleasing. Would it cause the beer to foam?

Also, FWIW, (at the time of this post) my supplier is out of 1/4 return ball valves which will be added behind shank straight valves. The purpose of the straight connectors behind the shanks is for easy removal to clean faucet assembly.

Thanks,
Belgian Samurai

PXL_20210623_192459116.jpg
 
While the 2nd post shows a clear reason for using them, I'm not sure the original post shows a configuration that would actually be improved using 90° couplers.

The lines are coiled atop the kegs (which is good) and it looks like nearly a straight shot to the shanks and the related straight couplers. To use 90°s there you'd have to drop the line down then have them come back up. I don't think that's going to be a win.

In any case, the general rule of thumb wrt input turbulence to a pump is to provide 3x straight entry after an in-line elbow.
Given the barbed-shank adaptation I think that's probably covered if the 90° couplers simply replace the existing straight ones...

Cheers!
 
While the 2nd post shows a clear reason for using them, I'm not sure the original post shows a configuration that would actually be improved using 90° couplers.

The lines are coiled atop the kegs (which is good) and it looks like nearly a straight shot to the shanks and the related straight couplers. To use 90°s there you'd have to drop the line down then have them come back up. I don't think that's going to be a win.

In any case, the general rule of thumb wrt input turbulence to a pump is to provide 3x straight entry after an in-line elbow.
Given the barbed-shank adaptation I think that's probably covered if the 90° couplers simply replace the existing straight ones...

Cheers!
Let me see if I understand what you were saying.

I googled why to have beer lines sit atop your kegs, but didn't see any immediately specific answers. What about coiling the loose 6ft beer line around its respective keg. What is the concern for such a short travel distance to sit atop the keg? Also, yes, the 90° connectors would replace the current straight connectors.
 
@Belgian Samurai
I'm wondering what are the blue bits that you have on your existing straight duotights, they are between the main body and the flange that you have to push down to release the tube? You don't have them on the connectors to the ball locks.
 
@Belgian Samurai
I'm wondering what are the blue bits that you have on your existing straight duotights, they are between the main body and the flange that you have to push down to release the tube? You don't have them on the connectors to the ball locks.
@DuncB I learned about those blue clips for RO systems from this post:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/thread...rier-system-for-my-keezer.691407/post-9088084
The DuoTight connectors have a double O-ring in them to seal the tubing connection, which is sufficient, but some people, me included, prefer a secondary layer of stability. They're about $5/100 on Amazon, so I bought them. I'm going to write a praising product review and usage tips on HBT about EVAbarrier+DuoTight connectors as soon as I'm done with these upgrades. I have learned so much from everyone here.

You'll find the linked product in the above linked post. Cheers!

EDIT:
P.s. They might be spun around to the back side of the ball lock connectors in the picture, but they're on there.
 
Last edited:
@Belgian Samurai
Thanks I see them now. Not something I've had an issue with, thankfully, a good straight cut and I make sure they are rammed in the correct amount.
Yes, I agree! @ If you have inserted to tubing until it bottoms-out against the bulkhead, there will not be any problems. The first day I used this setup, I had CO2 leaks in a couple of the connectors and when I checked them, I found I was able to push the tubing in farther.

As the tubing arrives coiled and has a curve to it, I make sure the crescent clips are on the inside of the curve to help balance the pressure on the O-rings. Is it unnecessary? Probably, but it doesn't hurt to add them. Over kill? Possibly. Haha

Edit: typos
 
the duotight connection is "fully" made when you insert the tubing all the way- AND- pull the tubing back out. there should be a gap between the collar ring and the body. that's why i advised using the clips.

and sure enough, its makes a difference. in a commercial setting there were gas leaks and lost beer when they werent used. (couldnt find the clips, ordered more, ups guy didnt show, HD/lowes/Ace didnt have them) granted, you're gonna get more jostling and swapping kegs around in a bar, but the principle is the same. very cheap insurance. as noted above.
 
Where are you folks finding the right-angle male-to-female connectors? The usual places seem to have male-to-male, but I can't find the other very easily.
 
the duotight connection is "fully" made when you insert the tubing all the way- AND- pull the tubing back out. there should be a gap between the collar ring and the body. that's why i advised using the clips.

and sure enough, its makes a difference. in a commercial setting there were gas leaks and lost beer when they werent used. (couldnt find the clips, ordered more, ups guy didnt show, HD/lowes/Ace didnt have them) granted, you're gonna get more jostling and swapping kegs around in a bar, but the principle is the same. very cheap insurance. as noted above.
Oh, after bottoming-out, you should back out the tubing just a hair?! Noted! Thank you for that clarification. I haven't been doing so and haven't had any issues so far, but I'll keep a close eye on it. Cheers!
 
that's the word we got from the engineering folks who sell the duotights. i didnt know that when i first got the stuff, and never had any problems at home. but in a commercial setting with lots of movement we had issues.

but as you noted, they're so friggin cheap its like why not? kind of puzzled why the shops dont sell them. or at least my local doesnt......
 
Where are you folks finding the right-angle male-to-female connectors? The usual places seem to have male-to-male, but I can't find the other very easily.
Or maybe it's female-to-female I can find. How do you describe them, anyway? But still: where are you finding the opposite-gender right-angle connectors?
 
Both Williams Brewing as well as Bader Brewing supply houses carry DuoTight connectors. (Is it okay to post site links since I'm not self-promoting?)

Regarding the male-to-female connectors, are you talking about the 90° connectors? Aren't they considered female to female, but one side is push-in and the other threaded? Or are you talking about a different connection and I'm completely missing the point? Haha
 
Both Williams Brewing as well as Bader Brewing supply houses carry DuoTight connectors. (Is it okay to post site links since I'm not self-promoting?)

Regarding the male-to-female connectors, are you talking about the 90° connectors? Aren't they considered female to female, but one side is push-in and the other threaded? Or are you talking about a different connection and I'm completely missing the point? Haha
Right, see, the only type I can easily find is like this:
Bader
where you insert tubing into each side of the elbow (making it a female-to-female). For the pictures that Spartan and Kona are showing, the elbow has a female end (which tube gets inserted into) and a male (which is just a tube that inserts into the beer-thread-to-duotight fitting.)
 
the "male" side is called a stem. dont recall seeing them from duotight, but your typical john guest and other makes definitely offer them. can find them at home depot/lowes even.
 
Right - John Guest 5/16" stemmed push-in adapters can be quite handy for 90° applications.

[...]
I googled why to have beer lines sit atop your kegs, but didn't see any immediately specific answers. What about coiling the loose 6ft beer line around its respective keg. What is the concern for such a short travel distance to sit atop the keg? Also, yes, the 90° connectors would replace the current straight connectors.

Primarily the notion of stacking excess line atop a keg is to keep the temperature of beer in the line somewhat close to what's in the keg and avoid issues like frozen beer lines, gas-trapping loops, etc. Also, experience has shown having a consistently "up-hill" path from keg post to faucet shank results in the best pour quality, probably because it allows CO2 bubbles that develop in the line (from temperature changes, primarily) to travel upwards all the way to the faucet where accumulation of a gas pocket does the least harm...

Cheers!
 
interesting about the clips. Why are they not included with the fittings if that's how the connection is supposed to be made.
 
fwiw, this is my go-to url for finding fittings, especially PTC fittings.
https://www.freshwatersystems.com/collections/fittings
As for the clips, they're optional, and the manufacturers use that as an opportunity to break them out as an extra-priced item.

I use them all over my RO system, but that has to deal with hydraulic pressures up to 90psi. In the brewery my beer gas system is sitting at 35 psi, everything else is down in the 10-15 psi range, so I'm not as motivated to clip everything there...

Cheers!
 
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