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Author Topic: Flare washers  (Read 1711 times)

Offline lindak

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Flare washers
« on: April 05, 2016, 01:28:00 pm »
I know this is a first world problem... I have flare fittings on my gas and liquid lines so that I can occasionally get a good commercial brew and easily swap disconnects for a sankey tap.  We just kicked a keg of Victory at Sea and I am reconnecting the ball lock fittings.  I had the plastic flare washers in for the tap and both of them are now seemingly permanently lodged in the flare fittings.   Usually they just drop out.  Has anyone had issues with using  the plastic washers with a quick disconnect.  It will be a plastic to plastic fit inside the nut.  I sprayed everything down with starsan and don't seem to have any leaks.  Any thoughts?   

Offline blatz

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
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  • Paul Blatz - Jupiter, FL
Re: Flare washers
« Reply #1 on: April 05, 2016, 02:28:14 pm »
I know this is a first world problem... I have flare fittings on my gas and liquid lines so that I can occasionally get a good commercial brew and easily swap disconnects for a sankey tap.  We just kicked a keg of Victory at Sea and I am reconnecting the ball lock fittings.  I had the plastic flare washers in for the tap and both of them are now seemingly permanently lodged in the flare fittings.   Usually they just drop out.  Has anyone had issues with using  the plastic washers with a quick disconnect.  It will be a plastic to plastic fit inside the nut.  I sprayed everything down with starsan and don't seem to have any leaks.  Any thoughts?

for the past 10 years, I've had the silicon flare washers inside (usually they have lodged themselves) in the flare fittings and connected to corny QDs without problem, in fact they sometimes prevent leaks.

I had no idea that wasn't what they were for in the first place to be honest.
The happiest people don’t necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have.

BJCP National: F0281

Offline lindak

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Re: Flare washers
« Reply #2 on: April 05, 2016, 03:28:17 pm »
The ball lock quick disconnects have a plastic piece at the end of the threads--  so no additional plastic washer should be necessary.  I was concerned that plastic ball lock on the plastic flare washer might not deform/compress adequately. 

Offline rob_f

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  • Corcoran Brew Works, Maryland
Re: Flare washers
« Reply #3 on: April 06, 2016, 01:22:47 pm »
If you back off your tubing so it's not snug against the flare nut, you can just push the nut down the stem and the washer will come out.  Or you can dig it out with a nut pick or a small screwdriver.
Rob Farrell
AHA
CRABS