Floating dip tube connection

[Fletch]

I bought two floating dip tube devices, as I’m finding my beer is a bit cloudy from the keg. The trouble is, it’s very difficult to fit the silicone hose over the outlet tube inside the keg, as the fit is very tight. Even fitting the hose whilst the outlet tube is not in the keg is very tricky, and if you do that, the overall diameter is too large to go through the hole in the keg. Am I missing something obvious? How do people fit these things? Is there perhaps a John Guest fitting that will push onto the tube and connect to the silicone hose? Grateful for any help.

 

[SMP Brewery]

The first time attaching mine I heated the tube up by dipping it in boiled water from the kettle, after that it goes on and off no problem.

 

[Fletch]

Thanks. Having got the tube on, it’s so tight I can’t get it off again! I’ve just measured the silicone tube they supplied and it’s 6mm I/D, whereas the metal pipe is 8mm O/D. Maybe if I buy some 8mm I/D silicone tube it will make things a lot easier.

 

[bez]

I bought two floating dip tube devices, as I’m finding my beer is a bit cloudy from the keg. The trouble is, it’s very difficult to fit the silicone hose over the outlet tube inside the keg, as the fit is very tight. Even fitting the hose whilst the outlet tube is not in the keg is very tricky, and if you do that, the overall diameter is too large to go through the hole in the keg. Am I missing something obvious? How do people fit these things? Is there perhaps a John Guest fitting that will push onto the tube and connect to the silicone hose? Grateful for any help.

Just bought one so maybe I will have same issue. Where does the filter bit fit.

 

[Rodcx500z]

Just bought one so maybe I will have same issue. Where does the filter bit fit.

It fits on the ball with a key ring fitting

 

[Fletch]

I think I’ve solved this problem now. I use an 8mm to 8mm John Guest straight coupler. One of the ends fits directly onto the outlet tube, once it’s fitted to the keg ( the John Guest fitting is easy to fit and remove, even with limited access). I then used a short length of rigid pvc tube, 6mm I/D x 8mm O/D pushed into the end of the silicone dip tube. This rigid tube fits into the other end of the John Guest fitting. (I tried pushing the silicone dip tube directly into the fitting, but it’s too soft to push in). I’ve not yet run any beer through it, but I reckon it will work OK.

 

[thepatchworkdoll]

Hi there in my opinion the Cask Widge floats are much better and the tubing fits the liquid post pipe no problems.
Regards
Patch
https://caskwidge.com/Parts/Product/17

 

[bez]

Would you use that floating thing instead of the long tube. All the time. Not sure if there is any advantage in having a long dip tube. It always brings stuff from the bottom. Whereas the floating ball brings clear beer from the top.

 

[labrewski]

Are these floating diptubes worth getting I always notice last few pints are very clear
Does it make much difference

 

[Davegase]

I keep my original dip tube in place and use a replacement lid with floating dip tube fitted.
Any problems withdrawing off beer through the floating dip tube I can switch to the original dip tube without any problems !
￡12.98 10%OFF | Kegland Corny lid Floating Kit
https://a.aliexpress.com/_EJs619l

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Not sure if there is any advantage in having a long dip tube.

Thats what I tell the missus

 

[dcbrookes]

I keep my original dip tube in place and use a replacement lid with floating dip tube fitted.
Any problems withdrawing off beer through the floating dip tube I can switch to the original dip tube without any problems !
￡12.98 10%OFF | Kegland Corny lid Floating Kit
https://a.aliexpress.com/_EJs619lView attachment 78921

That is exactly what I do, except that I drilled the existing lids and fitted liquid posts. They work a treat!

 

[peebee]

I too use Cask Widge, but that is by-the-way. You can get 8mm push-fit to 5 or 6mm stem reducing adapters quite cheaply (not JG; if they were they wouldn't be "cheap"!). The silicone tube (5 or 6mm ID, 10mm OD platinum cured "milk pipe") is pushed on these and crimp held (if necessary).

The pushfit end fits to the short 8mm dip-tube (not too short or they won't come off easily!). I run a tube cutter carefully around the dip-tube to score it (pictured) and give the pushfit something to grip to. If you haven't got a long "short" (gas-in) dip-tube, cut one from the now obsolete long (beer-out) dip-tube (about 40-50mm).

I've just received the "Corny keg" post bulkhead assemblies (homebrew sites and Amazon) having been inspired by @Davegase's post. I'll fit it to a spare "Corny keg" lid, Unlike @Davegase I replace the original long dip-tube but I've got a blockage in a dip-tube in a keg full of beer! This assembly should rescue the situation without dipping my hand in the keg's beer!

Having the dip-tube removeable is a great help when cleaning the dip tube because they are inclined to accumulate difficult to shift yeasty deposits (you won't know if this happens using a rigid SS dip-tube!). I've a pipe cleaner (pictured) to keep them clear.

The "milk hose" (tube, pipe, whatever) should be just long enough for the extractor end to reach the bottom of the keg. No longer!

 

[dcbrookes]

I too use Cask Widge, but that is by-the-way. You can get 8mm push-fit to 5 or 6mm stem reducing adapters quite cheaply (not JG; if they were they wouldn't be "cheap"!). The silicone tube (5 or 6mm ID, 10mm OD platinum cured "milk pipe") is pushed on these and crimp held (if necessary).

View attachment 78987

The pushfit end fits to the short 8mm dip-tube (not too short or they won't come off easily!). I run a tube cutter carefully around the dip-tube to score it (pictured) and give the pushfit something to grip to. If you haven't got a long "short" (gas-in) dip-tube, cut one from the now obsolete long (beer-out) dip-tube (about 40-50mm).

I've just received the "Corny keg" post bulkhead assemblies (homebrew sites and Amazon) having been inspired by @Davegase's post. I'll fit it to a spare "Corny keg" lid, Unlike @Davegase I replace the original long dip-tube but I've got a blockage in a dip-tube in a keg full of beer! This assembly should rescue the situation without dipping my hand in the keg's beer!

Having the dip-tube removeable is a great help when cleaning the dip tube because they are inclined to accumulate difficult to shift yeasty deposits (you won't know if this happens using a rigid SS dip-tube!). I've a pipe cleaner (pictured) to keep them clear.

The "milk hose" (tube, pipe, whatever) should be just long enough for the extractor end to reach the bottom of the keg. No longer!

I left the long dip tube in my kegs, for two reasons: when purging the keg with CO2 it ensures the gas fills from the bottom up, and when transferring to the keg via the long tube it makes sure that the incoming beer mixes well with the finings, which are already in the bottom of the keg.

 

[peebee]

... This assembly should rescue the situation without dipping my hand in the keg's beer!

Well, that didn't work! I haven't tried the "assembly", but I did replace the keg with a second keg of that beer. The extractor failed to operate properly in that too!

Two odd failures with the same brew. Coincidence? ... There's something in the beer! Oo-err!

Well, looks like the "assembly" has its work cut out for a few weeks! (I fill via the dip-tube, transferred by diaphragm pump and a coarse filter must be in place with those pumps or the diaphragm is at risk ... but since filling, something bunged it up).

 

[JockyBrewer]

I’ve seen it suggested elsewhere that the small silicone tubing is supposed to be pushed inside the dip tube rather than pulled over the outside.

I replaced mine with a bigger tubing.

 

[Davegase]

I’ve seen it suggested elsewhere that the small silicone tubing is supposed to be pushed inside the dip tube rather than pulled over the outside.

Nooo !

 

[bez]

Not sure if there is any advantage in having a long dip tube.

Thats what I tell the missus

Ooh heck

 

[bez]

I keep my original dip tube in place and use a replacement lid with floating dip tube fitted.
Any problems withdrawing off beer through the floating dip tube I can switch to the original dip tube without any problems !
￡12.98 10%OFF | Kegland Corny lid Floating Kit
https://a.aliexpress.com/_EJs619lView attachment 78921

Seems cheap

 

[bez]

Well, that didn't work! I haven't tried the "assembly", but I did replace the keg with a second keg of that beer. The extractor failed to operate properly in that too!

Two odd failures with the same brew. Coincidence? ... There's something in the beer! Oo-err!

Well, looks like the "assembly" has its work cut out for a few weeks! (I fill via the dip-tube, transferred by diaphragm pump and a coarse filter must be in place with those pumps or the diaphragm is at risk ... but since filling, something bunged it up).

Ok