Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: How Often to Replace Plastic Tubing?  (Read 3177 times)

Offline robertpreed

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 48
How Often to Replace Plastic Tubing?
« on: December 11, 2011, 04:33:03 pm »
How frequently do you all replace your plastic racking tubing?     

I clean and sanitize it after each use and my tubing always gets cloudy after even one use (must be the very hard Houston water).    I can smell the faint aroma of beer on the cleaned tubing.

Thank you.

Offline a10t2

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4696
  • Ask me why I don't like Chico!
    • SeanTerrill.com
Re: How Often to Replace Plastic Tubing?
« Reply #1 on: December 11, 2011, 04:34:52 pm »
Are you using Star San? It builds up a film on vinyl really quickly.

At any rate, I don't think there's any need to replace tubing unless you have a contamination problem. Just keep it clean and dry, and sanitize before each use.
Sent from my Microsoft Bob

Beer is like porn. You can buy it, but it's more fun to make your own.
Refractometer Calculator | Batch Sparging Calculator | Two Mile Brewing Co.

Offline robertpreed

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 48
Re: How Often to Replace Plastic Tubing?
« Reply #2 on: December 11, 2011, 04:49:35 pm »
I'm using One Step and yeah, it makes sense that is causing the cloudiness.   I know it's sanitary as I'm pretty much compulsive on cleaning and sanitizing.

Thanks!

Whew, one less worry.

Offline bo

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1141
Re: How Often to Replace Plastic Tubing?
« Reply #3 on: December 11, 2011, 07:26:52 pm »
I'm planning on replacing some next year that's been in service for 3 years. I'm only doing that because I'm making some dispensing changes, so why not.

Offline euge

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 8017
  • Ego ceruisam ad bibere cervisiam
Re: How Often to Replace Plastic Tubing?
« Reply #4 on: December 11, 2011, 08:34:44 pm »
I rinse mine immediately after use and then whip the tubing on a circle to fling the moisture out of it. I've had to throw away tubing that showed some mildew after either not rinsing well or drying it properly.

In other words if you trust it keep it. When in doubt throw it out. ;)
The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool. -Richard P. Feynman

Laws are spider-webs, which catch the little flies, but cannot hold the big ones. -Anacharsis

Offline Gribble

  • Assistant Brewer
  • ***
  • Posts: 165
    • Low Mo Brewing Company
Re: How Often to Replace Plastic Tubing?
« Reply #5 on: December 11, 2011, 09:25:12 pm »
I just replaced mine, but I brew a lot.  I usually replace hose about every 6 months.
Low Mo Brewing Company
Industrial Grade Beer Brewed For Professionals

Offline denny

  • Administrator
  • Retired with too much time on my hands
  • *****
  • Posts: 27129
  • Noti OR [1991.4, 287.6deg] AR
    • Dennybrew
Re: How Often to Replace Plastic Tubing?
« Reply #6 on: December 12, 2011, 08:53:42 am »
I've had mine long enough that I can't recall when I last replaced it.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline a10t2

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4696
  • Ask me why I don't like Chico!
    • SeanTerrill.com
Re: How Often to Replace Plastic Tubing?
« Reply #7 on: December 12, 2011, 09:03:41 am »
Long-term, I'd move to something more robust than One Step for sanitizing. One Step/PBW/CMC/OxiClean/etc. are great cleaners, but not necessarily great sanitizers. I've had a Lacto contamination that was almost totally resistant to CMC, for example.

Pretty much everyone in brewing uses either an iodophor or an acid blend (like Star San) for sanitizing. Ideally, I'd get both and alternate.
Sent from my Microsoft Bob

Beer is like porn. You can buy it, but it's more fun to make your own.
Refractometer Calculator | Batch Sparging Calculator | Two Mile Brewing Co.