High Temperature Hose Selection - Be Careful!

[Leigh]

I think my point was clear & simple in that I would rather use a hose rated for the job, and I'm finding that this works for me. Nothing anybody says on this forum is 100% conclusive, but we isolated one item of equipment - fixed it and that was that. Then we discovered that the piece of equipment changed out was not suitably rated for the application. Being told that it "might be/generally is" ok despite being rated for 65C and not worth the risk to me. I'm not going to argue about how it could have been dirty etc. The hose didnt look or smell like wort, hops, beer or anything. Just smelt like harsh plastic and was discouloured a bit. And my beer was not infected, it was harshly tainted.

Your cascade hops analogy is a joke. Those who like the hose, keep using it. I'm using silicon - everyone is happy.

We have several facts here that can be confirmed. The two most striking are:

1. You have had a problem with a particular piece of PVC tubing, replacing it has fixed the problem.
2. Others use the same PVC tubing and don't have the same issue.

This points exclusively to an environmental issue i.e. something that occurred to the tubing BEFORE you used it.

QuantumBrewers post is 100% accurate, you have not demonstrated at all that PVC tubing is the culprit nor the issue, rather that YOUR piece of tubing was the problem.

I would still like to hear how you cleaned/sanitised the PVC tubing prior to use...


Captaincleanoff, I haven't seen anybody doubt that that particular piece of PVC tubing was not the problem.

 

[HoppingMad]

I find it amazing that so many use pvc hosing when there's reports of 'plasticy smell' 'variety of flavours' and have read on another post about the issue of these hoses collapsing under the weight of grain too when used inside a vessel when connected to screens. Having to replace your stuff twice when you could have got silicon once doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me - but appreciate silicon is darn expensive.

I think there's a point here that the opening post makes that's still quite valid - use these hoses at your own risk, stuff can go wrong with them, not all of them but it's happened to quite a few here.

I haven't seen any threads talking about people experience problems with silicons. (But if someone can find one I'm happy to be corrected! :unsure

Hopper.

 

[Darren]

If the hose is rated at 65C it shouldnt be used at boiling. Its that simple.

cheers

Darren

 

[RobB]

Is there any chance that the reinforcing wire has punctured through the internal wall? That would create a lovely home for all kinds of nasties.

 

[jonocarroll]

If the hose is rated at 65C it shouldnt be used at boiling. Its that simple.

It may have been stated already, but under what specification is this hose 'rated'?

Does that mean 'rated as food safe for T < 65*C'... or 'rated as stable against collapse for T < 65*C'... or 'rated as will keep all properties constant for T < 65*C'?

If it's just for the temperature, the helical-coiled stuff takes care of the problem well enough. If it's actually likely to leach anything above 65*C then that may be a problem, depending on how much and what, but as I've said, most people seem to be doing okay with it, and I doubt it often happens (of its own accord) to the extent described earlier as to require a warning.

 

[T.D.]

Its nylon reinforcing isn't it?

And I don't think we are talking about infections here - just taint from the plastic. Is that right?

 

[Batz]

Been a while since you posted anything Pat...and that one went down well hey? :lol: :lol: :lol:

Batz

 

[therook]

Not taking sides here but if one variable has been changed then that has to have been the problem.

No brainer

Rook

 

[jonocarroll]

Not taking sides here but if one variable has been changed then that has to have been the problem.

More than one variable has been changed. If he had replaced his entire brewery, would you still say it was 'just one variable - the brewery'? Refer to my 'cascade hops rolled in dog crap' analogy.

None of this is actually getting the OP any closer to finding what went wrong - send the hose to someone who might be able to find out. In the meantime, if you are using a different hose, then hopefully your problem is indeed solved. The rest is indeed academic, but you started it by making an outrageous claim without the correct evidence, so really, you asked for it.

 

[hatchor]

Not taking sides here but if one variable has been changed then that has to have been the problem.

No brainer

Rook

I think thats true, the hose was the problem, swapping it out solved the issue....
but the question is...... why was the hose the problem when so many others use the same hose....

 

[Steve]

Crikey! Missed this one.

Cant wait to get home to smell my PVC Reinforced hose now. Not had a trouble with it. Have use I give it a rinse under the outside tap, leave it on the washing line all week then stick it in a fermenter with boiling water come next brew day!.

Cheers
Steve

P.S. It is getting slightly tanned coloured. Not sure if this is the hot wort or being out on the line all week!

 

[Leigh]

I think thats true, the hose was the problem, swapping it out solved the issue....
but the question is...... why was the hose the problem when so many others use the same hose....

Exactly!

 

[therook]

More than one variable has been changed. If he had replaced his entire brewery, would you still say it was 'just one variable - the brewery'? Refer to my 'cascade hops rolled in dog crap' analogy.

None of this is actually getting the OP any closer to finding what went wrong - send the hose to someone who might be able to find out. In the meantime, if you are using a different hose, then hopefully your problem is indeed solved. The rest is indeed academic, but you started it by making an outrageous claim without the correct evidence, so really, you asked for it.

What are the other variables that were changed?

Rook

 

[warrenlw63]

Crikey! Missed this one.

Cant wait to get home to smell my PVC Reinforced hose now. Not had a trouble with it. Have use I give it a rinse under the outside tap, leave it on the washing line all week then stick it in a fermenter with boiling water come next brew day!.

Cheers
Steve

P.S. It is getting slightly tanned coloured. Not sure if this is the hot wort or being out on the line all week!

Lots of nice hose "terroir" in your beer Steve? B)

Warren -

 

[Adamt]

The only problem is the difference between foles' reinforced pvc hose that lends a nasty flavour to anything that passes, and other reinforced pvc hose which anecdotally from many brewers does not create any problems.

 

[muckey]

More than one variable has been changed. If he had replaced his entire brewery, would you still say it was 'just one variable - the brewery'? Refer to my 'cascade hops rolled in dog crap' analogy.

None of this is actually getting the OP any closer to finding what went wrong - send the hose to someone who might be able to find out. In the meantime, if you are using a different hose, then hopefully your problem is indeed solved. The rest is indeed academic, but you started it by making an outrageous claim without the correct evidence, so really, you asked for it.

The affected brewer did say that he's brewed since with no ill effects. I'd say that his hose was likely this issue pistol patch indicates that swapping the hose cured the issue.

I think you are correct in saying that the issue isn't from the type of hose - I'd say its more likely contaminated - the dog crap analogy was a little off colour though <_<

now the OP made the claim re the rating of the pvc hose and in fairness the hose isn't rated for the temp of hot wort so its a case of use at your own risk, but not enough to start attacking each other over

 

[yardy]

Been a while since you posted anything Pat...and that one went down well hey?

Batz

:lol:






think i'll run my wort through a 90* swagelok compression fitting and stainless pipe B)

 

[jonocarroll]

What are the other variables that were changed?

Can you explain the problem going away after the hose was replaced with silicon?

Replacing a bad-smelling/looking PVC hose with new silicon hose and saying the problem is fixed, and the cause was PVC is exactly why I made the analogy above. Only if you put silicon on and had no issues, then put PVC back on and reproduced the issue could you say that the PVC was (at least a clue to) the problem. At this stage, it was the manky piece of PVC that was the problem, because swapping that out gave better results (if it did indeed).

Once again people: I'm just trying to distance this result from a cause-effect relation, since I don't think it's necessary to blame the PVC at this stage, much less warm people off it when they are having no issues.

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

Replacing a bad-smelling/looking PVC hose with new silicon hose and saying the problem is fixed, and the cause was PVC is exactly why I made the analogy above. Only if you put silicon on and had no issues, then put PVC back on and reproduced the issue could you say that the PVC was (at least a clue to) the problem. At this stage, it was the manky piece of PVC that was the problem, because swapping that out gave better results (if it did indeed).

Once again people: I'm just trying to distance this result from a cause-effect relation, since I don't think it's necessary to blame the PVC at this stage, much less warm people off it when they are having no issues.

You have answered your own question.The hose was replaced due to the taste.It was replaced with another new piece of the same hose type from the same place..And guess what the taste came back.Your next analogy?
GB

 

[T.D.]

Replacing a bad-smelling/looking PVC hose with new silicon hose and saying the problem is fixed, and the cause was PVC is exactly why I made the analogy above. Only if you put silicon on and had no issues, then put PVC back on and reproduced the issue could you say that the PVC was (at least a clue to) the problem. At this stage, it was the manky piece of PVC that was the problem, because swapping that out gave better results (if it did indeed).

Once again people: I'm just trying to distance this result from a cause-effect relation, since I don't think it's necessary to blame the PVC at this stage, much less warm people off it when they are having no issues.

:lol: I think you are getting a bit technical here. Perhaps if we were in a university research institute or something the correct way to test this would have been to get another (new) piece of tube from the same roll and try that first (edit: just noticed Gryphon's post saying he did do this).

You seem to be suggesting that the "mankiness" of the old hose is a likely cause of the problem. By that logic, if he has not changed any of his cleaning regime, then he will get the same problems with the silicone hose anyway, so that "variable" cancels out, and we are back to looking at the tubing.

The fact is none of us have all the info required to make any conclusions. As Foles himself has said, he has swapped the hose and the problem is gone. All is well. I don't think this thread was really warranted from the start.