What not to do with silicone tubing

[stee6043]

I've been working on my bar/brewing area for the better part of two years now. It's been an entire basement remodel with a bar/bar back area dedicated to brewing. This weekend I finally started assembling the electric brewing gear I've had for 12+ months (copying Kal's setup, with his panel).

Well in case anyone was wondering the silicone tubing many of us use in the electric brewery setup DOES NOT hold a whole lot of pressure. I setup my brewing area with a separate water source for brewing. It's filtered but not softened (I have well water). I have a quick disconnect on the shutoff for this source and planned to use the standard hoses from the Electric Brewery setup to send water to whichever pot needed it.

I left the water on and closed one of the shut offs on the pot I was filling and carried on with whatever plumbing I was working on at the moment (a leak no doubt). Well that silicone tube popped like a balloon after about 30 seconds. Damn near gave me a heart attack.

So....in case you were wondering, food grade silicone tubing of the size Kal recommends is not exactly setup for 50psi. Looking back, it's obvious. But I never gave it a thought pre-burst.

 

[Yooper]

Oh, no! That's terrible. Did it make a huge mess, or did you somehow stop the water right away?

 

[user 125772]

you need something similar to a washing machine or dishwasher fill hose for that application.
Must've been loud when it popped !

 

[stee6043]

I was standing within reach of the shut-off so it didn't make a terrible mess. A little more water on the new floor than I would have liked but it cleaned up easily. The first of many spills I'm sure!

It sounded exactly like a balloon popping. Fortunately the piece of tubing that went flying went towards a wall and not me.

I'm going to be setting up a couple different hoses (reinforced type, garden maybe) for this type of application shortly. My latest Amazon order of fittings should deliver this Wednesday. Hoping for my first electric brew over Christmas, if not sooner.

 

[Hello]

I'd get a food grade RV hose or whatever they're called. Glad this wasn't a total catastrophe for you!

 

[GotPushrods]

Well that silicone tube popped like a balloon after about 30 seconds. Damn near gave me a heart attack.

Public service announcement: After a statement like that, your VERY FIRST INSTINCT should be to get a camera and take pictures! Do not squander these opportunities on trivial matters like cleaning up a huge mess. I could give a short extension for spilled bodily fluids or growing electrical fires.

That is all.

:rockin:

 

[stee6043]

Public service announcement: After a statement like that, your VERY FIRST INSTINCT should be to get a camera and take pictures! Do not squander these opportunities on trivial matters like cleaning up a huge mess. I could give a short extension for spilled bodily fluids or growing electrical fires.

That is all.

:rockin:

Were it not for the wood floors I would have considered such a reaction. The amount of water that escaped as a result of my stupidity here was not trivial. Fortunately I had a stack of towels nearby. Immediately upon bursting I was standing in a 1/2" of water. It moved pretty quickly from there.

But that does not excuse my lack of documentation of the incident.

 

[schematix]

That's why all the websites where you order this stuff say CAUTION it's not for pressure! And it's even less capable when hot.

Normal household water pressure is on the order of 80-120psi, and that tubing doesn't stand a chance. Even dead heading a March pump into the tubing is going to get you a balloon (ask me how I know).

Your best bet for supply lines are either potable water RV hoses, or reinforced silicone tubing (internal braid). The later is ridiculously expensive ($12/ft), but is very awesome.