Has anyone used Pex in their system before. Everything i have read has been copper or silicone tubing. Pex is more widely available, is used frequently with hot water heating and is rated for high temps, so why doesn't anyone use it in their systems?
has anyone used pex instead of silicone
- Thread starter brant740
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
Shockerengr
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 22, 2007
- Messages
- 469
- Reaction score
- 34
it's not as flexible as silicone, but not as rigid as copper either.
I've seen a few setups that use pex (and also some that have cpvc) but most typically people are going for flexible lines that get moved around during the brew day, or rigid setups with valves that control flow.
It doesn't work quite as well for those two options, but that doesn't mean you couldn't use it. Just have to watch the upper limit on temp and where you use it. (not sure if it would handle boiling temps)
I've seen a few setups that use pex (and also some that have cpvc) but most typically people are going for flexible lines that get moved around during the brew day, or rigid setups with valves that control flow.
It doesn't work quite as well for those two options, but that doesn't mean you couldn't use it. Just have to watch the upper limit on temp and where you use it. (not sure if it would handle boiling temps)
Pex is actually only rated to 200 degrees which isn't bad, but if transferring directly from boil to chiller you might exceed that.
I looked into this and decided to go with thermoplastic tubing. It's nice stuff, much more flexible then Pex.......FYI
I looked into this and decided to go with thermoplastic tubing. It's nice stuff, much more flexible then Pex.......FYI
Where did you get the thermoplastic tubing?
I think the 200° rating is for when it is under high pressure (85-100psi). On hearth.com forums a user claimed that on an open system (low pressure) it would work at 300+. i have accidentally boiled the water in my outdoor wood boiler lines for several hours and had no problems.
1/2" pex is flexible enough for my needs but i wasnt sure if there was some reaction to wort that i needed to know about (like galvanized).
I got the TP tubing from Northern Brewer. Com . I couldn't find anyone that stocked it locally. Its nice stuff and rated for food service. As far as the pex i got my info. From a family member that is a heating contractor. I found the temp rating on line and was worried about off flavors due to high heat transfers.....if you have to buy something either way, i would go with something rated for food service....good luck. Hope this helps
Yellowirenut
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 9, 2013
- Messages
- 465
- Reaction score
- 75
http://www.nibco.com/PEX/PEX-Tubing/PEX-Potable-Water/NP60-Spools-PEX-Tubing-Red/
From Nibco the manufacturer of PEX
Pressure/temperature rating 160 psi at 73°F
Pressure/temperature rating 100 psi at 180°F
Pressure/temperature rating 80 psi at 200°F
NSF-pw
From Nibco the manufacturer of PEX
Pressure/temperature rating 160 psi at 73°F
Pressure/temperature rating 100 psi at 180°F
Pressure/temperature rating 80 psi at 200°F
NSF-pw
Thanks for sourcing the thermoplastic for me. It looks like good stuff.
From this data it looks like 212 @ 15psi would work alright. I found another forum that said pex can melt at temps over 255 but as long as it is not under pressure we should be safe.
Similar threads
North Carolina
15 Gallon Spike Solo & A Whole Lot More... Has To Go
