Best draft line for 3/8" John Guest fittings?

[Mer-man]

I want to buy line for 3/8" JG fittings for my 3-tap kegerator. I want to be able to coil the lines.

I clean my lines by running hot caustic, then hot water, then sanitizer.

What is the best product I can buy in bulk? And where should I get it in the USA?

Thanks!

 

[Mer-man]

Bump. Looking for recommendations

 

[IslandLizard]

3/8" OD? That's not common here.

Most vinyl beverage line we use is 3/16" ID (7/16" OD) like Bevlex 200.

There is a semi rigid line called Bev Seal Ultra that has thin walls, with a PET liner. It is 0.2" ID (5/16" OD), and fits 5/16" JG fittings. The line coils up to about 12" in diameter. A little tighter with some persuation.

 

[Mer-man]

https://www.themaltmiller.co.uk/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=575

I wonder if 7/16 would work

 

[Mer-man]

It is SK266-001 3/8"

 

[Mer-man]

Which is the same part number as this http://www.ritebrew.com/product-p/843481.htm

Huh. Same part number but different sizes?

 

[IslandLizard]

I don't see any JG part numbers on the RiteBrew site. But yes, those 3 JG adapters RiteBrew has are what we use with that 5/16" OD semi rigid beverage line (Bev Seal Ultra). They're made from Acetal, it's a strong inert kind of plastic. They're light grayish beige.

 

[Smellyglove]

John Guest has a 3/16" OD LLDPE tubing used for beverages. If you have 3/8" John guest you can get a standard JG reducer to get the dim down to 3/16". At least here in Norway this 3/16" is "homebrewers standard" how we fit our lines. Normally you'd just use about up to 6ft of it to balance your lines.

 

[day_trippr]

[...]Normally you'd just use about up to 6ft of it to balance your lines.

Normally, that results in about 50% of the posts to this forum...

Cheers! (1 foot of 3/16 solid vinyl tubing per PSI will stop that )

 

[Smellyglove]

Normally, that results in about 50% of the posts to this forum...

Cheers! (1 foot of 3/16 solid vinyl tubing per PSI will stop that )

I think it's funny because I didn't get it, when reading your second line. Let me go find my helmet.

 

[bdogg171]

3/8" OD? That's not common here.

Most vinyl beverage line we use is 3/16" ID (7/16" OD) like Bevlex 200.

There is a semi rigid line called Bev Seal Ultra that has thin walls, with a PET liner. It is 0.2" ID (5/16" OD), and fits 5/16" JG fittings. The line coils up to about 12" in diameter. A little tighter with some persuation.

That's what I use with my JG fittings

 

[Ruvort]

John Guest has a 3/16" OD LLDPE tubing used for beverages. If you have 3/8" John guest you can get a standard JG reducer to get the dim down to 3/16". At least here in Norway this 3/16" is "homebrewers standard" how we fit our lines. Normally you'd just use about up to 6ft of it to balance your lines.

Is this the tubing you are referring to?: http://www.johnguest.com/product/lldpe-tubing/imperial-size-lldpe-tubing/

Have you (or anyone else) used this tubing before and how does it compare to the Bev-Seal Ultra tubing?

Thank you

 

[IslandLizard]

Aside from the JG site I found a lot of information, as well as a decent source for various JG fittings (they sell 10-packs) and many other products on Freshwater Systems.

Here's a direct link to their JG product line.

Disclaimer:
I have no connection to this company, whatsoever.

Anyway, I'm not sure that LLDPE line can be used to dispense beer. The inner diameter of 1/8" sounds great though, lots of resistance. But how's the internal smoothness and O2 permeability? Isn't that the kind of line used for supplying water to refrigerator icemakers?

I use Bev-Seal Ultra for dispensing beer, no experience with this kind of tubing for that purpose.

40 years ago I installed 1000s of feet of thin semi-rigid plastic (nylon?) tubing for high pressure pneumatic applications. It surely beat the price of copper, even then.

 

[Smellyglove]

Aside from the JG site I found a lot of information, as well as a decent source for various JG fittings (they sell 10-packs) and many other products on Freshwater Systems.

Here's a direct link to their JG product line.

Disclaimer:
I have no connection to this company, whatsoever.

Anyway, I'm not sure that LLDPE line can be used to dispense beer. The inner diameter of 1/8" sounds great though, lots of resistance. But how's the internal smoothness and O2 permeability? Isn't that the kind of line used for supplying water to refrigerator icemakers?

I use Bev-Seal Ultra for dispensing beer, no experience with this kind of tubing for that purpose.

40 years ago I installed 1000s of feet of thin semi-rigid plastic (nylon?) tubing for high pressure pneumatic applications. It surely beat the price of copper, even then.

I belive it's a pretty standard beer line, but correct me if I'm wrong. From this link, under accreditations:

"Accepted by almost all the world’s beer and beverage producers and by the manufacturers of drinks dispense equipment, John Guest products have quality and performance approvals from leading testing and acceptance authorities."

I'd chose the natural / non colored line.

 

[Smellyglove]

I thus the tubing you are referring to?: http://www.johnguest.com/product/lldpe-tubing/imperial-size-lldpe-tubing/

Have you (or anyone else) used this tubing before and how does it compare to the Bev-Seal Ultra tubing?

Thank you

Yes, that's the one. I haven't used JG tubing, but somethink just like it, just made in germany, which I've been using for years. Not sure if it's LLDPE, but at least LLDPE is a better choice then LDPE, which to my unserstanding is a pretty common tubing to use with beer.

 

[alexavery]

This is what I use...
http://www.birdmanbrewing.com/accuflex-bev-seal-ultra-barrier-tubing-3-16-id-50ft-free-shipping/

JG fittings:

http://www.birdmanbrewing.com/shank-connector-for-accuflex-bev-seal/

http://www.birdmanbrewing.com/1-4-mfl-connector-for-accuflex-bev-seal/

 

[Supabrew]

I have a 5-tap kegerator and would LOVE to replace the barbs behind the faucets with JG fittings. I haven't taken a close look at the fittings and I've never fussed with removing them.

What I do know is that I hate using a heat gun to fit the Ultra line over the fittings, and although I have the technique down now, I want to make swapping length of line easier for future-me.

Do you guys know if/how to replace the hose barbs with JG fittings in the kegerator tower? Fortunately, it's accessible in there since the top unscrews.

Old thread, I know, sorry for being super late to the party; I didn't think this question warranted a new conversation.

Edit: would I have to change all the shanks? Not sure if the barbs are removable

 

[gnef]

There are two things I would recommend you to check. One, you've already mentioned - many of the tower shanks have the integrated barb, which means you either saw it off, or you purchase new ones that just have the 5/8 BSPP threading.

The second thing, is to check to see how much clearance you have inside the tower. I'm not sure if the most common diameters will be enough for you. You will need to be able to fit the 5/8" BSPP John guest fitting, along with a 90 degree JG street elbow fitting.

If your tower has two shanks side by side, that makes things even more difficult in terms of clearance for the fittings. Could you take a picture of the inside of your tower?

 

[Supabrew]

The second thing, is to check to see how much clearance you have inside the tower

I have a T-tower so crowding is not a huge issue. Even for my big paws I can get in there and finagle tubing, so I think I will be able to eventually install JG fittings to make life easier for future me.

Sounds like it's a matter of spending a few bucks to replace all the shanks is the way to go. After searching the 5/8 BSPP fittings you mentioned, I came across this thread that has some additional info. Certainly sounds like a rainy-day project for future convenience.

If there's one thing I have learned from the hobby post-kegerator is that it's often trial-and-error to get everything set up correctly. Odds of me ending up doing the project correctly the first time are low lol!

 

[gnef]

I have a T-tower so crowding is not a huge issue. Even for my big paws I can get in there and finagle tubing, so I think I will be able to eventually install JG fittings to make life easier for future me.

Sounds like it's a matter of spending a few bucks to replace all the shanks is the way to go. After searching the 5/8 BSPP fittings you mentioned, I came across this thread that has some additional info. Certainly sounds like a rainy-day project for future convenience.

If there's one thing I have learned from the hobby post-kegerator is that it's often trial-and-error to get everything set up correctly. Odds of me ending up doing the project correctly the first time are low lol!

Ah! A T-tower makes things a lot simpler, I made the incorrect assumption that you were on the single tube tower, my apologies!

That will be a pricey upgrade for sure. I would definitely recommend stainless short shanks for you, since you can use standard shanks rather than the radiused ones to fit on the side of a tube. There should be ones short enough for you to be able to still put the John Guest 5/16 OD x 5/8 BSPP fitting on, and then I would still recommend the 90 degree 5/16" ODstreet elbow (male stem on one end, and a female end on the other).

This will allow you to use the 3/16 x 5/16 bev seal ultra tubing that you are most likely using. If you already have your lines balanced, then you should be fine to just cut off a bit of the line that you heated over the current barbs, and then just push into the John Guest fittings.

If you are willing to spend even more money, and want more fine tune control over the pour, you can even get flow control faucets (I have perlick 650ss, but you can also get the intertap version if you prefer it), that way you can adjust the pressure drop for each beer, for each pour even.

 

[Supabrew]

That will be a pricey upgrade for sure. I would definitely recommend stainless short shanks for you, since you can use standard shanks rather than the radiused ones to fit on the side of a tube. There should be ones short enough for you to be able to still put the John Guest 5/16 OD x 5/8 BSPP fitting on, and then I would still recommend the 90 degree 5/16" ODstreet elbow (male stem on one end, and a female end on the other).

This will allow you to use the 3/16 x 5/16 bev seal ultra tubing that you are most likely using. If you already have your lines balanced, then you should be fine to just cut off a bit of the line that you heated over the current barbs, and then just push into the John Guest fittings.

If you are willing to spend even more money, and want more fine tune control over the pour, you can even get flow control faucets (I have perlick 650ss, but you can also get the intertap version if you prefer it), that way you can adjust the pressure drop for each beer, for each pour even.

Cool, I am going to save your post and revisit it when I'm ready to re-fit the kegerator, thank you!

And I already have 2 Perlick 690s with flow-control (love them!). I have only ran a few beers though the faucets, and while the flow control works really well to dial things in, I haven't been that impressed with the push-back creamer on the 690s. Maybe I'm doing it wrong *shrug*.