Silicone tubing for CO2

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Silicone tubing for CO2

Post by f00b4r » Fri Jul 07, 2017 8:51 am

Just about to rebuild my kegerator and considering switching my gas lines inside the fridge to either 3/16 beer line or the new silicone tubing that the Malt Miller sells, in order to make it easier to get the kegs in and out and reduce and shear forces on the lines.
I will use Oetiker clamps to secure them tightly but does anyone have any experience of using silicone tubing for gas lines and any issues with leaks?

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Re: Silicone tubing for CO2

Post by Jocky » Fri Jul 07, 2017 9:29 am

I'm sure someone else will be able to confirm, but I'd think that stuff is too weak and flexible - any decent amount of pressure and it'll blow up like a balloon or split.
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Re: Silicone tubing for CO2

Post by f00b4r » Fri Jul 07, 2017 10:59 am

Thought that might be a problem but I was sure I had seen people mention using it for beer lines, maybe it was only on beer engines at low pressures.

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Re: Silicone tubing for CO2

Post by Fil » Fri Jul 07, 2017 2:28 pm

you may get success with a short length under low serving pressures, but i would expect a catastrophic failure should the pressure setting slip and let anything higher through. If your after a neater more manageable tube, consider the 3/16" microline, being thinner its much more maliable without kinking and will coil in a tighter area.

It will have a pressure reducing effect so you may need to bump up the gas somewhat to compensate..
ist update for months n months..
Fermnting: not a lot..
Conditioning: nowt
Maturing: Challenger smash, and a kit lager
Drinking: dry one minikeg left in the store
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Re: Silicone tubing for CO2

Post by PeeBee » Fri Jul 07, 2017 11:59 pm

I'd considered using silicon tubing for gas somewhat dodgy, but I happily use it for beer-line. So this post caught my attention.

Sure enough you can get it, and quite cheaply (such as https://www.amazon.co.uk/HERITAGE-100M- ... 3ZFM038NSR). I use 6mm of polyurethane tubing for all my gas lines, a lot more flexible than the "usual" rigid 3/8" stuff. But it can be a bit variable, some of it being complete rubbish. I'm not convinced the silicon stuff would expand catastrophically under pressure. But I am worried that it can't be used with the usual connectors like these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nylon-Pneumat ... 1428401633.

Might give it a go though (like I've been messing with the nylon pneumatic stuff, but it's only good for straight-ish lengths - that stuff is really rigid).

Of course, if using these small bore tubes gives you the willies you can keep on wrestling with the rigid 3/8" stuff. Your choice, your money. Try telling the aquarium bunch they are doing it all wrong a should be using stiff 3/8" mdpe tube too.
Cask-conditioned style ale out of a keg/Cornie (the "treatise"): https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwzEv5 ... rDKRMjcO1g
Water report demystified (the "Defuddler"; removes the nonsense!): https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/ ... sp=sharing

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Silicone tubing for CO2

Post by f00b4r » Sat Jul 08, 2017 9:05 am

Hmm I have a bunch of 3/16 line so think I might go that route. Cheers guys.
However, if you do try it let us know how it works out.

McMullan

Re: Silicone tubing for CO2

Post by McMullan » Sat Jul 08, 2017 4:11 pm

I wouldn't recommend 3/16 beer line for CO2. This is what can happen:
image.jpeg
I'd recommend something like this. No concerns about higher pressures, e.g. to force carbonate.

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Re: Silicone tubing for CO2

Post by PeeBee » Sat Jul 08, 2017 5:10 pm

McMullan wrote:I wouldn't recommend 3/16 beer line for CO2. This is what can happen:
...
Crikey! I tried to find the pressure rating of MDPE tubing but couldn't come up with it - perhaps someone will? But it is high, very high. What the hell were you doing!

I'd be happy the pipe burst, because the next thing to go would be the keg and that might take a bit of explaining (If you are still part of this world to do the explaining).

(EDIT: I give up looking for the pressure rating, but most of the fittings are good to 16 bar. For brewing anything over 2 bar is astronomical! At a pinch you might use 16 bar between primary and secondary regulators, but most primary regulators wouldn't deliver more than 4 or 5 bar anyway. However, if the MDPE tubing gets hot...).
Cask-conditioned style ale out of a keg/Cornie (the "treatise"): https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwzEv5 ... rDKRMjcO1g
Water report demystified (the "Defuddler"; removes the nonsense!): https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/ ... sp=sharing

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Re: Silicone tubing for CO2

Post by f00b4r » Sat Jul 08, 2017 7:24 pm

McMullan wrote:I wouldn't recommend 3/16 beer line for CO2. This is what can happen:
image.jpeg
I'd recommend something like this. No concerns about higher pressures, e.g. to force carbonate.
I would never force carbonate on the 3/16 line (that would be in standard 3/8 line).
Surely I shouldn't expect issues like that on serving pressure?
Also the stuff you linked to is tempting in terms of being reinforced but is thicker than 3/8 line and I am guessing less pliable or is that not the case?

McMullan

Re: Silicone tubing for CO2

Post by McMullan » Sat Jul 08, 2017 9:05 pm

The OD (of what I use, which is very pliable) is slightly smaller than 3/8:

image.jpeg
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image.jpeg
Last edited by McMullan on Sat Jul 08, 2017 9:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.

McMullan

Re: Silicone tubing for CO2

Post by McMullan » Sat Jul 08, 2017 9:18 pm

PeeBee wrote:
McMullan wrote:I wouldn't recommend 3/16 beer line for CO2. This is what can happen:
...
Crikey! I tried to find the pressure rating of MDPE tubing but couldn't come up with it - perhaps someone will? But it is high, very high. What the hell were you doing!

I'd be happy the pipe burst, because the next thing to go would be the keg and that might take a bit of explaining (If you are still part of this world to do the explaining).

(EDIT: I give up looking for the pressure rating, but most of the fittings are good to 16 bar. For brewing anything over 2 bar is astronomical! At a pinch you might use 16 bar between primary and secondary regulators, but most primary regulators wouldn't deliver more than 4 or 5 bar anyway. However, if the MDPE tubing gets hot...).
Yep, '16 bar' is printed on the tubing. It may have been a manufacturing flaw? I wasn't pushing much pressure through it. I'm not sure this type of tubing is designed for CO2. It might be too permeable for CO2? Any localised release, even under low pressure, might cause things to heat up too much then bang! Followed by a change of underwear.

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Re: Silicone tubing for CO2

Post by Fil » Sat Jul 08, 2017 9:56 pm

McMullan wrote:I wouldn't recommend 3/16 beer line for CO2. This is what can happen:
image.jpeg
I'd recommend something like this. No concerns about higher pressures, e.g. to force carbonate.
Dully noted!!
my suggestion to use it was based on it being ok for beer!! i guess its the same risk as with the silicone tube then anything above serving pressure and trouble..
ist update for months n months..
Fermnting: not a lot..
Conditioning: nowt
Maturing: Challenger smash, and a kit lager
Drinking: dry one minikeg left in the store
Coming Soon Lots planned for the near future nowt for the immediate :(

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Re: Silicone tubing for CO2

Post by f00b4r » Sat Jul 08, 2017 11:00 pm

McMullan thanks for the pictures and further info, I think I am sold on that reinforced stuff then as it was really the pliability that I was looking for.

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Re: Silicone tubing for CO2

Post by demig » Sat Jul 08, 2017 11:23 pm

f00b4r wrote:McMullan thanks for the pictures and further info, I think I am sold on that reinforced stuff then as it was really the pliability that I was looking for.
Same here that looks loads better than the solid tubing I have.

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Silicone tubing for CO2

Post by f00b4r » Sun Jul 09, 2017 7:09 am

I was just trying to work out if EWL stocked it ;)
Even the link McMullan gave does not work out too bad if you consider not needed all the JG adapters to step down to 3/16 line.

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