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Tygon, Clearflex, or DD

J

jm8881

Gawd
Joined
Apr 9, 2002
Messages
903
I'm putting together my wc setup and the vinyl is just not cutting it. At all. If someone ever tells you vinyl is alright for wc, punch them in the teeth. It doesn't bend, it just kinks.

Anyways, which of the three is better? I don't mind paying good money for something that is worth it.
 
What's the bend radius for 1/2''ID 3/4''OD clearflex?
Any truth to the rumors that it discolors faster than tygon?
 
jm8881 said:
If someone ever tells you vinyl is alright for wc, punch them in the teeth.
Click to expand...

Nice.

I can see it now: the otherwise happy geek, wrestling in the floor with (and losing against) a length of 1/2". Vinyl is fine, as long as you're cooling Hell.
 
miro said:
What's the bend radius for 1/2''ID 3/4''OD clearflex?
Any truth to the rumors that it discolors faster than tygon?
Click to expand...


3-3/4 inches is the bend radius. Go to McMaster Carr, page 83. The part number you want is 5231K239. I just bought 25 section from them. That way I have some left to change my tubing in a year or another build.
 
jm8881 said:
I'm putting together my wc setup and the vinyl is just not cutting it. At all. If someone ever tells you vinyl is alright for wc, punch them in the teeth. It doesn't bend, it just kinks.

Anyways, which of the three is better? I don't mind paying good money for something that is worth it.
Click to expand...

None of the above, use this instead: http://www.mcmaster.com/asp/enter.asp?partnum=5233K44&pagenum=82

Same functionality/quality as 1/2" clearflex/tygon tubing but not nearly as bulky or ugly as the latter. I'm using it in my system right now and it works and looks great, much better than the 1/2" clearflex I had. The only major diff. may be the bend radius between the two but if you are careful with the way you lay out your tubing you shouldn't have a problem with kinking.
 
Wow that Beverage and Food Braid-Reinforced PVC Tubing looks sweet!

I paid $.75/ft for my 1/2" clearflex-60 and that stuff works really well.
I ran some 70% IPA through my system, and the clearflex-60 looked like new again. :)

52375kp1s.gif
 
Here's a pic of my tubes after running 70% IPA through them.
They were all green and cruddy from running prestone in them... I was surprised that the clearflex-60 cleaned up so well. No scrubbing required!

cleansing_system_with_IPA1-vi.jpg
 
miro said:
What's the bend radius for 1/2''ID 3/4''OD clearflex?
Any truth to the rumors that it discolors faster than tygon?
Click to expand...

Tygon R-1000 1/2" i.d/3/4" o.d. has a listed bend radius of 1 3/4". I have had problems with ClearFlex and build-up, and I use Hydrex (in less than reccomended mix too). I also had buildup in PrimoFlex with the same mixture. I'm going back to Tygon R-1000 (most web sites sell R-3603 which has a higher / harder durometer than R-1000, which is 40), and plain distilled water with an anti-alge agent.

I have even considered Tygon B-44-3 Beverage tubing because it has anti-microbial properties built right into the tubing, or Tygon 3350 Sanitary Silicon Tubing (but that may be a bit cost prohibitive @ $6+ a foot).
 
PsycoGeek said:
I have had problems with ClearFlex and build-up, and I use Hydrex (in less than reccomended mix too). I also had buildup in PrimoFlex with the same mixture.
Click to expand...

My only experience so far has been with Clearflex-60 and Primoflex.
Primoflex pretty much sucks. EZ to install is where it’s benefits end, and the crud begins.
It's porous, and absorbs all kinds of junk when running “less than recommended mixes”. I had to use a pipe-cleaner to clean out my primo-flex tubes.

The above picture is the result of very cruddy opaque clearflex-60 tubes after cycling IPA (IsoPropyl Alcohol) for around 10-12 hours. I was very happy, after dealing with the primo flex crud.

Next I think I’ll try the braided soda machine lines.
 
MikeP said:
Clearflex works fine. Just as well as Tygon. No reason to pay more.
Click to expand...
Clearflex may work fine but it will not turn the radius that tygon will. Here is a Pic of what 1/2id 3/4od tygon can do in my setup without kinking (would not of been able to same with clearflex)
 
dzitzner said:
Clearflex may work fine but it will not turn the radius that tygon will. Here is a Pic of what 1/2id 3/4od tygon can do in my setup without kinking (would not of been able to same with clearflex)
Click to expand...

elz that shuff is teh shiznit.. I could benefit from some low radius bending tubing.

Is there any reason you can not Mix-N-Match tubing based upon your needs?
 
dzitzner said:
Clearflex may work fine but it will not turn the radius that tygon will. Here is a Pic of what 1/2id 3/4od tygon can do in my setup without kinking (would not of been able to same with clearflex)
Click to expand...

True. My clearflex couldnt do a number of those bends. Nice work there.
 
clearflex 60 is good.. probably best bang for your buck.. it requires a little more maintenence and yes it discolors faster.

Tygon is the top of the line in tubing. but you pay for what you get. and boy do you pay for Tygon.. however, I usually justify this by not needing a mile of tygon tubing...
 
fore1337 said:
elz that shuff is teh shiznit.. I could benefit from some low radius bending tubing.

Is there any reason you can not Mix-N-Match tubing based upon your needs?
Click to expand...

Not that I know of. I ran out of tygon for my t-line so I used vinyl for a while instead.
 
dzitzner said:
Clearflex may work fine but it will not turn the radius that tygon will. Here is a Pic of what 1/2id 3/4od tygon can do in my setup without kinking (would not of been able to same with clearflex)
Click to expand...

Wow, that looks nice. I'm gona go with the Tygon based on that picture alone. I'm a firm believer that you get what you pay for.
 
Tygon is a beautiful thing. I started off as a n00b with the home depot special. I was regretting it 3 months later when the tubing had turned *orange* and was starting to crack.

Tygon, 18 months later, still as clear as the day I bought it. Water's not, but the tubing is :-P
 
love this stuff, you CANNOT kink it and it is fairly flexible no problems with bend radius with any kind of decent hose layout. My issue was my pump was sucking the hose flat on the intake side (Gormann Rump industrial pump). This stuff has a single wire spiral wrapped inside the tubing wall. Looks kinda cool/different. Has a small ribbed effect. For my system this was the engineering solution to several hose issues.

(edited for spelling. )



5393K43
Beverage, Food, Dairy Wire Reinforced PVC Tube 1/2" ID, 3/4" OD, 1/8" Wall, Clear
In stock

Quantity Per Ft.
1-99 Ft. $1.25
100 or more 1.04

http://www.mcmaster.com/asp/enter.asp?partnum=5233K44&pagenum=82
 
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