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Author Topic: silicone tubing discoloration  (Read 5070 times)

Offline ScottBeh

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silicone tubing discoloration
« on: March 13, 2015, 05:02:03 pm »
I understand its somewhat permeable, but how safe is it to keep using silicone tubing when it starts to discolor? As soon as I finish I heat up another kettle of PBW water to about 170 and recirc for 10/20 minutes thru my pump, lines, chiller, etc. Follow up with starsan from the HLT then plain water. I recirc starsan thru it all again next session.   The silicone still goes yellow/brown after just a few brews. 100 bucks to replace it all.  That's old. 

Offline duboman

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Re: silicone tubing discoloration
« Reply #1 on: March 13, 2015, 08:24:42 pm »
Hot side or cold. Hot side is less an issue because you're running hot/boiling wort through it killing nasties. Cold side could become a sanitizing issue. That's my thought and practice anyway. Cold side gets replaced more frequently on my set up
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Offline ScottBeh

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Re: silicone tubing discoloration
« Reply #2 on: March 14, 2015, 02:34:56 am »
Hot side.  I always just replace it all once I get tired of looking at the color change.  Is that too careful? 

Offline mabrungard

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Re: silicone tubing discoloration
« Reply #3 on: March 14, 2015, 09:15:33 am »
Replacing anything on the hot side is a total waste of money. The only thing you are protecting is your vanity.

If you have soaked hoses and components in hot PBW solution and there is still color, don't worry about it. Its just coloring.

In my case, I use the fiber-reinforced plastic tubing. Since that stuff gives off volatile components, I always pre-boil that tubing before its first use. I suppose one good thing is that it doesn't seem to discolor or pick up much staining, except if I occassionally use iodophor to sanitize. Even that discoloration fades with time.

PS: if you can boil a component, its almost certainly sterile. If you can autoclave the component, it is sterile. On the homebrew level, our components are often small enough that we can boil them. Larger breweries don't have that ability. Don't worry about discoloration. WORRY about debris and films on components.
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Offline ScottBeh

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Re: silicone tubing discoloration
« Reply #4 on: March 14, 2015, 09:58:19 am »
Thanks Martin.  To the point works with me.

Is FRP tubing as flexible as silicone?  I will change to lessen the worry factor.

Offline mabrungard

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Re: silicone tubing discoloration
« Reply #5 on: March 14, 2015, 11:45:51 am »

Is FRP tubing as flexible as silicone?

Definitely not. That rigidity can be a blessing or curse.
Martin B
Carmel, IN

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Offline mxrob

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Re: silicone tubing discoloration
« Reply #6 on: March 18, 2015, 12:39:32 pm »
We use silicone tubing on all of the hot connections on our Gas Fired RIMS setup. Once the wort travels through the multi-plate heat exchanger we use food grade clear PVC tubing.

Yeah, the silicone gets funky looking after awhile. We replace it just to feel better every now and then...  :D

Offline euge

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Re: silicone tubing discoloration
« Reply #7 on: March 19, 2015, 10:32:47 am »

Is FRP tubing as flexible as silicone?

Definitely not. That rigidity can be a blessing or curse.

Ah that's what I use instead of silicone but had stopped hotside thinking it would be bad for you. Rigidity-wise it can be very difficult to handle sometimes. I'll save my money instead of buying new expensive silicone tubing. Thanks.
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