Kegging System Sanitation Q's

[TheKeg81]

I'm new to kegging and have a couple of questions and concerns about it all. I've searched some of my questions already and found my answers, but some remain. I recently acquired a keezer and was wondering if I would be okay to use the current lot of tubing/lines (cleaned and sanitzed of course) or should I just go ahead and replace them?

It was stored out of the weather, but still subject to moisture and humidity. The lines appear to be in good condition, but are a little sticky on the outside. I'm going to see if I can't clean that off. Also, most of the liquid lines were filled with beer/keg line cleaner and were under a slight pressure. The high pressure gas lines appear to be in good condition as well. I would think that I would be okay using these as they've only had gas in them and would be far less likely to have isses with them.

If I were to replace them all, would the hoses at Home Depot or Lowe's be good enough or do I need to find some food equipment supply house to get special beverage hoses? The reason I ask is because several of the hoses are marked as "bevflex" or something similar. I don't recall seeing that on some of the keezer/kegerator builds I've seen here.

Thanks in advance for any words of wisdom or advice you can spare.

 

[RandomBeerGuy]

I would switch out the beer lines just to rest my mind. Yes Home Depot has lines just make sure they are food grade.

 

[day_trippr]

Bevlex is a lined tubing pretty much specific to serving liquids without the dreaded vinyl flavoring. I use it on my keezer and have never gotten that off flavor, even if I've been away for a couple of weeks at a time. I doubt you'll find anything like that at a big box store...

Cheers!

 

[JuanMoore]

Gas lines should be fine, but I'd probably replace the beer lines if they had sanitizer stored in them long term. The vinyl tubing from Home Depot or other big stores will technically work, but it's much thinner walled than other beer line which means it will have much lower resistance, and it also imparts more of a plastic taste to the beer than beer line.

I'm sensitive to plastic/rubber flavors, so like day_trippr I also used a barrier tubing instead of vinyl beer line. Most people seem happy with the vinyl beer line though.

 

[Golddiggie]

I only use Bevlex for my beer lines. I also use double wall (red) gas lines (all from Keg Connection).

I would recommend replacing any worm clamps with Oetiker clamps. They grab all the way around the hose (360 degree coverage) unlike worm clamps. When I first set up my brew fridge, I had a couple of worm clamps leaking. Even though I had them as tight as I thought they should be, they leaked. I've been changing them over to the Oetiker clamps as possible (did most of the gas lines already, working on the beer lines now). You can also get these from Keg Connection, so one online store for all the hoses and clamps you need. Plus they have the tool to crimp the clamps easily (pretty cheap price too).

 

[TheKeg81]

I only use Bevlex for my beer lines. I also use double wall (red) gas lines (all from Keg Connection).

I would recommend replacing any worm clamps with Oetiker clamps. They grab all the way around the hose (360 degree coverage) unlike worm clamps. When I first set up my brew fridge, I had a couple of worm clamps leaking. Even though I had them as tight as I thought they should be, they leaked. I've been changing them over to the Oetiker clamps as possible (did most of the gas lines already, working on the beer lines now). You can also get these from Keg Connection, so one online store for all the hoses and clamps you need. Plus they have the tool to crimp the clamps easily (pretty cheap price too).

So THAT'S what those style of clamps were! I was wondering. They were used only on the gas lines and on the lines to one of the faucets. They do stay put, that's for sure. I screwed up one of my screw drivers getting them off of there.

Thanks guys, I'm just about done giving it all a good cleaning and will order all new hoses once I get measurements.

Edit: removed the original question as I found my answer.

 

[bad67z]

You can also source Oetiker clamps locally at a welding supply store or a Fastenal. For a few extra bucks you can go stainless.

 

[Golddiggie]

You can also source Oetiker clamps locally at a welding supply store or a Fastenal. For a few extra bucks you can go stainless.

The ones from Keg Connection [I believe] are stainless. I've also gotten them from McMaster-Carr in stainless. I didn't even look at the ones that were not stainless.

Also, IF you were close, I'd offer up one of the clamping tools I have that I'm not using. I have three right now and have one of the ratcheting tools on it's way.