3/8 beer line temperature tolerance

grahamotter · Post by **grahamotter** » Tue Mar 25, 2014 11:14 pm

Hi all,

Strange question which I wouldn't have thought would have been asked before (I could be wrong though)

Does anyone know the temperature tolerance for the normal 3/8 beer line? The reason I ask is because I want to add a 3rd line to my 210 cooler but am struggling to find where to buy a 3 coil replacement from. My current cooler is a 2 coil but adding another coil (or beer line adaption) wouldn't be too hard.

I've currently got 1 x 50 litre keg in my beer and wine fridge, 1 x 50 litre beer keg and 2 x 19 litre cornelius kegs for wine (for the ladies, mainly the wife) outside the fridge. Most of the year they don't need cooling but in summer they will. I can live with just one style beer for a few months but the 2 wines will need chilling. The cooler has both wines attached but if possible I would like to add the beer to the cooler to give me the choice of golden loveliness during the summer months

Thanks for your help in advance

Kind regards,

Graham

Blackaddler · Post by **Blackaddler** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 9:08 am

If I understand you correctly, you could try putting some beer line in the freezer, and see what happens.

It might get brittle, but I'd guess that at ~2C it'd be OK.

grahamotter · Post by **grahamotter** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 9:58 am

Now that is a damn fine idea!

I'll fill about 50cm of line with beer and throw it in the freezer for a couple of weeks to see how it stands. If OK I'll then freeze/thaw it repeatedly for a couple of weeks to see how it holds up. If all good, I'll put it into action.

Thanks for the help

Blackaddler · Post by **Blackaddler** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 10:52 am

I suspect that it'll be OK.

It'll be interesting to know how it turns out, anyway.

grahamotter · Post by **grahamotter** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 2:14 pm

As soon as I've tested I'll let you know.

I'm having trouble with the notification of response on here lately. For some reason when someone responds to my questions I'm not being emailed even though I have the 'notify me' box ticked

Blackaddler · Post by **Blackaddler** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 2:35 pm

Spam folder?

Fil · Post by **Fil** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 3:50 pm

beerline will be a pants conductor of heat/cold..

This is just an idea not a proven practice, tho i am using a pond pump for replacing an agitator in one chiller i use.
does you chiller have a recirc pump?? if not u can replace the agitator with a pond pump/solar pump

just drop it in the coil centre, and feed the return thru the fill hole....

then u could simply get a small ss plate heat exchanger and run the python/recirc water thru one path and probably a drink to chill thru the hot path ?? a non sparkeling wine may be the best option as the convelutions may promotre co2 release??

Blackaddler · Post by **Blackaddler** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 4:34 pm

Fil wrote:beerline will be a pants conductor of heat/cold..

It might not matter too much, if it's used for wine.

A long enough coil of beerline [with wine in it] will be sitting in the ice water bath for long enough to make the wine over-cold anyway, I'd have thought.

grahamotter · Post by **grahamotter** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 5:18 pm

It will be used for wine (probably best to use wine in the test rather than beer then)

A long enough piece should hold enough to chill a glass worth down. The line will follow 2 python lines (feed and return) around a metre to a hole I made in my fridge and then inside the fridge it will rise about 75cm to the tap. I understand that with that length I wouldn't be pouring any wine from the ice bank, but wine still in the line from cooler to tap. Hopefully the pythone lines (which are insulated) will chill the wine in the lines down enough for a decent glass

Actually.... now I think about it a bit more....

Why the hell bother chilling via the cooler ice bank if I'm not going to pour enough wine out to touch the chilled stuff? i may as well just chill the lines with the 1 metre python lines and 75cm length in the fridge

Blackaddler · Post by **Blackaddler** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 6:01 pm

Ah, I see.

If you've got a python pump in your Maxi 210, you could recirculate cold water though that length of python as well.

If this is the type of python that you've got...

...recirculating up and down the larger black tubes will definitely keep it all cold.

grahamotter · Post by **grahamotter** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 10:10 am

Yes, that's very similar to what I've got (I'll upload some photo's later when I'm not at work)

My python isn't as doesn't have as many lines as that but same principle. I've currently got the cold feed and return and 2 x 3/8 product lines. I should be able to squeeze in a 3rd 3/8 product line

Thanks for you're help

LeeH · Post by **LeeH** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 10:41 am

Would it not makes sense just to sell your 210 and buy a 310 with a recirc line? If you are patient it will cost you very little.

Or maybe I've glanced over this too quickly.

LeeH · Post by **LeeH** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 10:45 am

Also how are you propelling the wine? Nitrogen?

grahamotter · Post by **grahamotter** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 11:47 pm

I would buy a 310 but have a decent 210 with spare holes ready for a 3rd coil (I fitted a new thermostat when I first got it and it works a dream!). I've had a 310 before but with just 1 product line (which was strange!). I'd be happy to swap with anyone who fancies it??

Picture as promised. The tap badge lights up when I switch the cooler on - how 'cool' is that!?! $\:D/$ (though something other than Carling would be better!):

The python runs from the cooler on top of the fridge to the bottom on the side and then through the fridge. The product lines currently feed 2 of the 4 taps on the front. The 11 gallon keg in the fridge feeds one of the silver beer taps directly and the other silver tap is currently uncooled and runs straight into the fridge from my new can from Crusader Kegs at the other side of this photo (the photo shows the product line held against the ceiling but it's since been attached).

I use CO2 to pump the wine to the taps but at a very low level. Maybe some will be absorbed but not much as it's only going through 3/8 line so no resistance for it to battle through to get to the tap.

Thanks again for the help and suggestions (this post and all previous. This forum has really been a fountain of knowledge and advice!)

Kind regards,

Jim's Beer Kit

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