Whip Tubing - All Your Questions Answered!

[vtac]

What is whip tubing?
When speaking of vaporizers, the word 'whip' is used for a lot of things. Generally, it is a combination of a wand, tubing, and mouthpiece as illustrated below. This thread is about the tubing.


Vaporpedia Article: http://www.vaporpedia.com/wiki/Whip_tubing


What type of tubing is safe to use?
It is assumed that the tubing that comes with vaporizers is generally not exposed to temperatures high enough to cause it to emit toxins. Some of the PVC type tubing does give off a plastic/rubber type odor when new, this tends to fade over time and after use. Silicone type tubing is (usually) more heat resistant and taste/smell neutral.


What size do I need?
This information is compiled from previous posts and may be outdated - needs to be checked

• 1/4" ID, 3/8" OD - Vaporbrothers and other box style vaporizers
• 5/16" ID 7/16" OD - Extreme (used to be 1/4" but newer models have 5/16" for an easier fit
• 3/8" ID, 1/2" OD - SSV/DBV (newer style wands may use different sizes)
• 1/16" wall thickness should be around standard for most whip vapes
• Purple-Days vapor tubes are 1/2" OD and the 3/8" ID silicone is a snug fit
• Herbalizer tubing - 3 feet length, 0.25" ID, 0.35" OD.

Where to buy?
You can probably buy some where you got your vaporizer, most manufacturers and online vape retailers stock it.

• Silcon Silicone Tubing
• Tygon Sanitary Silicone Tubing 3350
• Chemfluor PTFE Tubing
• High-Purity White Silicone Rubber Tubing
• Various tubing
• Silicone tubing in Europe

How do I clean the whip tubing?
Check out Sprial's thread: How to clean tubing. If you want to clean the wand check out How to clean vape parts and reclaim resin.


Previous tubing discussions
Search for "tubing" or "tubes" in title only.

Edits:
2014-01-03 - Fixed linkrot and added Herbalizer tubing dimensions.

 

[hereatlast]

Fantastic idea. I think and hope this will greatly reduce the number of appropriate whip question based threads. Thanks for this good consolidation of information

 

[Stu]

Great post, Vtac. As an FYI, the Extreme Q tubing used to be shipped with 1/4" I.D. tubing, but has proven to too snug. New EQ units are now shipped with 5/16" I.D. (this is what has been recently posted, anyway) and I can attest that the 5/16" I.D. replacement tubing that I have purchased fits perfectly. In fact, I tried to get my mouthpiece to fit into a 1/4" I.D. replacement tubing and was not able to do so. I'm sure you can heat the tubing in hot water for a period of time in order to soften/stretch it, but I didn't bother and just got the 5/16" as replacement whip tubing.

Again, great comprehensive post. Maybe it could be a Vaporpedia entry, too?

Cheers!

 

[FLskwat]

Great & Usefull post here!

Just a detail: Silicone tubing can be put in the freezer with no issues AT ALL and offers a new upgrade to the vapor experience by cooling significantly the inhaled air temp. PVC does not like -0 temps...

 

[treecityrnd]

Another good post in this thread would be:

WHAT IS THE EASIEST WAY TO REMOVE TUBING FROM GLASS (like the EQ neck piece without breaking the glass).

Heating the tubing seems to make it more pliable, but what is the best heating strategy. Boiling H2O? Would like some advice but also think its a good topic for this thread along with Tubing type, length, heat capacity, etc.

And great links to tubing!!! Thanks vtac!

 

[FLskwat]

Another good post in this thread would be:

WHAT IS THE EASIEST WAY TO REMOVE TUBING FROM GLASS (like the EQ neck piece without breaking the glass).

Heating the tubing seems to make it more pliable, but what is the best heating strategy. Boiling H2O? Would like some advice

If you've got a forced air vape: crank it up, put the fan on, and put your elbow/tubing junction in the air path for a few min.: voil! If you don't, hair dryer is a good option...

 

[pakalolo]

I've taken the liberty of adding a page to Vaporpedia that consolidates posts made to this thread:

http://www.vaporpedia.com/wiki/Whip_tubing

 

[treecityrnd]

If you've got a forced air vape: crank it up, put the fan on, and put your elbow/tubing junction in the air path for a few min.: voil!...

Nice, thanks!

 

[Hippie Dickie]

vtac - don't forget to mention spallation.

Here is a little info: spallation

And also, that iso can leach out the plasticizer from some types of plastic (or so i've read).

my point is: there is more than melting point when considering material safety.

Or, really, just say no to plastic ... glass, babies, all glass and only glass ... eh SM55?

 

[vtac]

Thanks for the kind words, everyone, much appreciated!

New EQ units are now shipped with 5/16" I.D.

Thanks, added! Anyone know what the O.D. is?

Heating the tubing seems to make it more pliable, but what is the best heating strategy. Boiling H2O? Would like some advice but also think its a good topic for this thread along with Tubing type, length, heat capacity, etc.

While not as fun as FLskwat's method, a hair dryer could work as well.

I've taken the liberty of adding a page to Vaporpedia that consolidates posts made to this thread:

Great, thanks!

vtac - don't forget to mention spallation.

And also, that iso can leach out the plasticizer from some types of plastic (or so i've read).

Thanks, added to the OP. How likely do you think it is that this could be happening with tubing in a vaporizer application? With hemodialysis it's liquid flowing through the tubing right? Scary thought though, please post any more information you have in the spallation thread. If there's a real danger we definitely want to know about it.

Both of the linked cleaning threads caution against soaking tubing in alcohol so I didn't mention in in this thread.

 

[Progress]

Totally tubular!

I am glad this became a sticky. I remember looking up the markings on my tubing to buy some new tubing and being disgusted by the specs .

I have much to share in this area and am interested in what those who are scientifically inclined have to say from a molecular breakdown standpoint.

For now, all I have time to say is that the tubing is from an unamed vape you can deduce by searching on FC, and was labeled kuriyama k010). And, my preferred tubing is PTFE tybing (particularly Tygon Chemflur PTFE), as it has a high heat resistance, is somewhat stretchy and is safe to autoclave/boil and use with hot gasses repeatedly (it does absorb oils/liquids overtime, however).

Toke it easy, all.

 

[Theo]

I know it doesn't really matter, but I was the one who came up with the idea of putting the elbow over the heating element and turning on the fan. I got the idea from somebody who mentioned using a hair-dryer to get the tubing to be soft enough to come off easily.

I'm happy you made this sticky and that it's now on the vaporpedia!

 

[sunsett70]

vtac - don't forget to mention spallation.

Here is a little info: spallation

And also, that iso can leach out the plasticizer from some types of plastic (or so i've read).

my point is: there is more than melting point when considering material safety.

Or, really, just say no to plastic ... glass, babies, all glass and only glass ... eh SM55?

oh, man. i 'stress' my hose out when i dry it by 'swinging' it hard! now i am getting paranoid....

 

[Pappy]

What is whip tubing?
When speaking of vaporizers, the word 'whip' is used for a lot of things.

Helpful sticky, vtac!

 

[gvape]

Oh where was this thread two weeks ago? I spent a good hour searching the forum for the size of tube I would need for my vapes. Well at least Im glad to see it now

 

[oldiebutgoodie]

New EQ units are now shipped with 5/16" I.D.

Thanks, added! Anyone know what the O.D. is?

Just saw this thread, very helpful - thanks!

My E-Q ~1 month old shipped with Kuri Tech Klearon K010 by Kuriyama, 5/16" by 7/16".

Let me just add that since I use multiple setups hence I'm removing tubing from glass regularly, this PVC tubing is just not flexible enough. Yes, it can be heated, but IMHO that's a pain and besides, difficult tubing inevitably = broken glass. I've replaced this tubing with that used with the Vaporfection whip, medical grade silicone with exactly the same dimensions. Works beautifully.

 

[VWFringe]

oh, maaan...i got caught up reading the thread and can't remember my question! i'll be back, haha

EDIT: removed comment about warmed ISO use with tubing, second time i tasted sweetness indicating plastics were picked up, i've discarded the whip for a glass tube now since i'm too stingy to toss THC oil that accumulates in the tube
ISO warmed to 160F really works fast tho

 

[VWFringe]

my question is about the composition of the tubing, for medical purposes...which, if any, would be less likely to give up nasties to ISO?

 

[jax]

how to remove whip tubing? (merged)

just bought new vape with whip.
want to replace the kinked plastic tubing on the whip with a piece of silicone i have.
the tubing to glass connection is very tight on the new whip.
i don't want to break the glass.

is there an easy way to remove the tubing?
like putting it in hot water or something?

thanks

 

[Revvy]

Pour some rubbing alcohol on it. The tubing will soften temporarily and you can slide it right out.

-edit-

Should add that this will permanently weaken and may discolor the tube. You can just cut off the affected section if you want to keep using the tubes but it doesn't sound like that's a concern.

 

[OO]

i would pry up the edge slightly, and get some dishwashing detergent in there.

 

[pakalolo]

Heat it a little. Water will do, but I usually use hot air. I used to use a hair dryer until someone pointed out that if you have a forced-air vaporizer (like my Extreme) you can just turn on the fan and hold the tubing in the airflow. On the other hand, since you are probably throwing the tubing out just cut the sucker.

 

[flotntoke]

Posted in Extreme Q thread too, but thought it may be of interest here.

Even tho I love my Q, and IMO it is the best bang for the buck out there that stock clear vinyl tubing SUCKS! Not only did I not use it, I immediately took it out to the garage because it was stinking up the room.

Some people have access to better meds, or grow their own, or whatever but I know Im always trying to get my hands on the best available (within reasonable cost). Vaping makes that even more-so because of the difference in taste & effect. If you spend your hard earned ducketts on the best meds, shouldn't you throw at least a few well spent bucks at the delivery system?

Thats before we even get into the stiffness & the p.i.a. of PVC tubing. Pushing over your vape, stressing glass, etc.

I wholeheartedly agree, silicone is the best way to go. Have had a VaporWarez for a few years. It came with and has always had silicone. I couldnt even use my Q till I swiped the tubing from the VaporWarez.

Since then I replaced it. I got 10 of the suggested Tygon 3350 from USP as has mentioned. Nice stuff, but expensive. About $30 for the 10. Not really much to spend on an upgrade for this hobby, but overkill IMO.

I also like my tubing a little wider than what is usually suggested. Right now Im using a lower quality medical grade 3/8. Tygon Versilic SPX50. Good stuff and probably still overkill. But its pliable, easy to work with, little or no taste and much more reasonably priced. You can get it at USP or other industrial/scientific outlets, but I just get it on Amazon since I buy damned near everything else there. Half the price of the 3350, and still Tygon med grade.

Tygon SPX50 3/8 10' Amazon

THE SPX50 LINKED ABOVE IS CURRENTLY LISTED AS TAKING 1-2 MONTHS TO SHIP. THIS GENERIC SILICONE LOOKS TO BE ABOUT AS GOOD AND SHIPS SAME AS MUCH ELSE FROM AMAZON -

Generic 3/8 Silicone - 10'

There are others for even cheaper. I bought the SPX50 for the VaporWarez 6 months back, but works great for the Q, too. And, comes in the smaller 5/16 diameter if you like that, or any of the common tubing sizes.
There are also a bunch of other food/beverage grade types on there for even less $.

 

[roadrunnerpoker]

you can buy silicone tubes on amazon for cheap

 

[Bouldorado]

So I've got a question that brings me out of my lurking. What's the ideal type of tubing (silicone, vinyl/PVC) and how do you tell if it's food/medical grade?