# vinyl tubing



## REDBOATNY (Mar 20, 2011)

Is there a difference between the tubing sold at brew shops and tubing sold
at Home Depot? Huge price difference.


----------



## Runningwolf (Mar 20, 2011)

The noticeable difference is the stuff from HD is thinner walled and collapses easier under vacuum. I use both.


----------



## rob (Mar 20, 2011)

I hope not, I have been using Home Depot tubing for some time now


----------



## Wade E (Mar 20, 2011)

I know most places sell the thinner walled tubing like Runninwolf stated. I went to some for these pumps sales and walked out of many stoes including Home Depot , Lowes, and Ace Hardware. I buy 100' boxes from my local brew shop and save mega money doing it that way. I can get 100' this way for what they would charge for 40' by the foot. I will say that if only buying 8' or 10' it wont make much of a difference but if your buying 100' at a clip it will make a huge difference.


----------



## ibglowin (Mar 20, 2011)

One is food grade (LHBS) and the other is not.



REDBOATNY said:


> Is there a difference between the tubing sold at brew shops and tubing sold
> at Home Depot? Huge price difference.


----------



## rob (Mar 20, 2011)

i am not sure about that


----------



## rob (Mar 20, 2011)

Well if Mike is right, I have been using Lowes tubing for 3 years with out any problems


----------



## cpfan (Mar 20, 2011)

I can't speak for Home Depot or Lowes (especially not the American ones), but some Canadan hardware stores sell food grade hose. It may depend on the exact hose you are buying.

Steve


----------



## ibglowin (Mar 20, 2011)

Here is FVW Tubing listed as FDA approved.

I can guarantee you the hardware stores are not food grade. And as for no problems for 3 years your talking the wine right? The world is full of carcinogens (BPA in plastic water bottles) these days and using non food grade tubing is just another "choice" right..... 

Tick tick tick tick........


----------



## Wade E (Mar 20, 2011)

Hardware stores might carry food grade tubing as some of this hose is designed for water hoses for refrigerators. All I know is the 3 places I went had thin walled hose and since I was picking this up for vacuum racking I stayed away as I dont want my customers starting a big ruckus on here about there pumps not working due to collapsing hoses. No idea if it was food grade or not. The hose I sell is 5/16" as I find it works way better then the 3/8" hose as you dont even need hose clamps although if you dont wet it a little it can get tough to get off a racking cane but Ive been doing it for years and havent broken one yet.


----------



## ibglowin (Mar 20, 2011)

At $.50 a foot I am just saying why take the risk? Pumping water through it is one thing, pumping "ethanol solvent" is another. You will leach whatever is exposed on the walls with wine much more so than water. Plasticizers, mold slip agents, UV protectants....... 

I worked for 5 years for Shell Development Company analyzing plastics of all types so a bit of knowledge here.


----------



## rob (Mar 20, 2011)

well ok if not food grade what is the the big deal the wine touches it for a second or two is that enough to harm it?????


----------



## Wade E (Mar 20, 2011)

Way beyond my realm of chemistry!!! I just dont take risks myself. I kill myself enough with other stuff!


----------



## ibglowin (Mar 21, 2011)

rob said:


> well ok if not food grade what is the the big deal the wine touches it for a second or two is that enough to harm it?????



To be used in food service or manufacturing, vinyl tubing must be made with materials that are certified for food safety by the U.S. Federal Drug Administration. Tubing that meets these requirements is usually specified as "Food Grade" or simply "FDA." Tubing that may not be used in contact with food is often specified as "industrial," although if no food-safety specification is listed, the tubing should be assumed *NOT* to be Food Grade.

Vinyl tubing is plasticized with either phthalates or polymeric polyester plasticizers. The phthalate plasticizers are controversial because many consider them toxic. The real issue is do the phthalates leach out of your vinyl tube when you use it to rack wine from here to there.

BPA in water bottles has been in the news quite a bit in the last few years after several governments issued reports questioning its safety, prompting some retailers to remove products containing it from their shelves.  BPA or Bisphenol A is being associated with increases in certain types of cancers.

If BPA can be leached out of a water bottle (pH~7) what do you think hitting it with an "acidic ethanol solvent" or wine (pH ~ 3.2-3.7) does?

Just because it "taste" fine doesn't mean the wine didn't pull out BPA that you can't see or necessarily taste.

Bottom line to use or not to use is certainly a personal choice. I just wanted to inform people so they could be better aware and make a more informed decision on tubing choice.


----------



## REDBOATNY (Mar 21, 2011)

You convinced me, I'll spend another $2.


----------



## winemaker_3352 (Mar 21, 2011)

Great information!!! I found this very informative!!


----------



## rob (Mar 21, 2011)

Lowes sells watts brand vinyl tubing which is food grade safe


----------



## Wade E (Mar 21, 2011)

Great info all. Im guessing that the tubing you goy Rob was much better then the tubing they are selling here because one feel of this stuff and you can tell it would collapse.


----------



## joea132 (Mar 22, 2011)

I have to agree. With all the chemical antibiotics and steroids they're pumping into our meat these days and the soaring cancer rate, it seems like a no brainer. You can probably buy your kid a Chinese knockoff matchbox car with lead paint for half the price but would you? 

Excellent info too Mike, very informative. I remember hearing a "cray" old lady who was end stage cancer telling me that bottled water causes cancer and the drugs they wanted to prescribe her would kill her. Who's the crazy one now?


----------

