Line Length Math Check

[MrTCS]

Kegged my first beer last week and went to try it last night. Ended up with a huge glass of foam. After a little bit of looking around and internet research I realized I ended up with 5/16 ID hose. The math for that I believe would be

L = (18 - 1 - (2*.5))/.4 = 40 ft

Yikes, I don't want to buy that much. Just want to make sure I'm doing this correct this time before I go spend more money. What I'll really need is...

L = (18 - 1 - (2*.5))/3 = 5.3 ft of 3/16 vinyl

I'm using a picnic tap at the moment if that matters. Is that all correct?

 

[raouliii]

Try this calculator: Determining-proper-hose-length-for-your-kegerator. It's accepted here to be fairly accurate. About 1 foot of 3/16"ID hose per 1psi of serving/carbonation pressure is a common result.

Even 20 feet of 5/16"ID line can result in a foamy pour. Also consider that your carbonation method can have a major effect on the carbonation level and the resulting pour. Shaking/rocking the keg at a greater than serving/carbonation pressure can create a problem unless a measure of care is used.