Beer line diameters

[Matt in Birdham]

I've finally decided to start kegging and scored myself some bargain kegs from a fellow forum member.
I'm now looking to get the rest of the bits, and been doing the usual reading around etc.

To start with, I plan on using a large fridge in the garage. I can easily fit the kegs in, and will just put the CO2 cylinder in as well. Until I get a keezer sorted, I thought I might just go ghetto and run a line to a plastic party tap and keep the whole lot in the fridge..

My question now is about beer line diameter, and the length I need - and confusion around ID and OD.

Everything I have read about calculating beer line length has been on US forums, and the calculators talk about the internal diameter of the line, which makes sense. All of the UK stockists I have looked at quote their lines as external diameter, which might make sense when talking about fittings but isn't much use for calculating the length required.

I mostly brew pale ales which I carb to 2-2.5 vols, so I guess I will have a keg pressure of 10-12 PSI. This would mean something like 6' of 3/16 ID line to leave me with 1 PSI at the tap. I don't know what line that is sold here will actually have an ID of 3/16 - the closest I got was a close-up of some 5/16 OD line which had 0.212 ID, which is about 3.3/16 - maybe close enough, but the change from 3/16 to 1/4 ID is massive when it comes to how much pressure is dropped (3PSI/foot versus 0.85PSI foot). Also there is the added complication that vinyl drops more than poly, and the lines I have seen here look more like poly.

So I guess the upshot is - how much line, and of what UK available OD, do I need to run to a party tap in a fridge at 6C to serve beer at 12PSI? And does that sort of rig sound OK? (I have longer term plans for a keezer and some Perlick taps - my Dad is heading to the US for a few weeks and I am hoping I can get some sent to him whilst he is out there).

Also, planning to order a 5kg bottle of gas from this mob: http://www.gas-uk.co.uk/. Anyone had any experience?

cheers,
Matt

[Secla]

I can't help with the Od/id dilemma but I get gas from gasuk and as long as you can be in for there next day delivery you should be all good

[Matt in Birdham]

I can't help with the Od/id dilemma but I get gas from gasuk and as long as you can be in for there next day delivery you should be all good

Cool - thanks. They seem like the most convenient option since I can't find anyone obvious around here (Chichester) to pick up from. I don't know how competitive the prices are but £15 a refill that should apparently last me 6 months or so doesn't sound too bad. Still mulling the 5l (3.75kg) or 10l option, but I think I'll go with the small one as it will be easier to store.