When do you replace your brewery hoses?

[kererubrewing]

I've been trying to find discussions on how long brewery hoses should be used before retiring them and would be very interested to hear if there is any way to know if the lining is getting worn before finding out through a contaminated batch of beer.

I'm thinking it may be wise to plan to replace my hoses based on usage and possibly on a fixed schedule (once a year or every other year).

How do you all look after your transfer hoses and how often do you replace them?

It occurs to me that using lengths which are short enough to allow for easy, dust-free draining that keeps the ends off the ground is probably a good best practice approach, or cap one end and hang it from a pulley system.

[Natrat]

Not sure about other guys, but I inspect the inner lining for abrasion, cracking, and pitting. When I detect that, I retire the hoses to either "hot" duty, where they don't need to be sanitary, or I cut them into dump hoses with a ferrule at one end.

A significant kink or flat spot will retire a hose, too. Peeling jacket? Retired. With proper care, I've had hoses last for 5-10 years. I've also had hoses that only lasted eight months.

Inspection is the tough part. I'll clean them really well with foam balls first, and then I inspect the material near the flange, where I can see it. If that passes, then I use a cheap little borecam I bought at Harbor Freight to inspect up to a foot and a half in.

I use that borecam all the time...great investment.

I'll be curious to see what other people say about this....

Nat