1" couplers or nuts?

My electric kettle is currently setup as weldless. The element gets tighten by a 1" nut & o-ring. I'm thinking of having the nut permanently welded on. Should I consider a 1" coupler instead? And where do I find one of those? Thanks guys!

Bargain Fittings has some. I think this is what you are looking for:
http://www.bargainfittings.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=36_38&product_id=130

I welded the nut on, do realize the coupler is tapered pipe thread and the nut is straight pipe thread like the element.

I really like my coupler, but like others have said, they are tapered pipe thread. I found a 1" NPT tap at work and was able to tap a half-coupler through so I can use the standard rubber o-ring that comes with my element to see it. Given that, welding the nut on might be a better choice. I soldered mine on using the dimple method which also works very well.

There's no benefit to a coupler that I can see. In fact, in many cases the gasket will not seat. My first choice is to go with a welding spud. I'll be adding them to my site in a day or two. If not, next best is a locknut which you already have.

Bobby_M said:

There's no benefit to a coupler that I can see. In fact, in many cases the gasket will not seat. My first choice is to go with a welding spud. I'll be adding them to my site in a day or two. If not, next best is a locknut which you already have.

Click to expand...

Will these be straight thread or NPT?

I have the coupler on my HLT and a nut on my Kettle, I find they both work well, but with the coupler I did the dimpling and brazing method, and with the nut it is just brazed on. With the dimpling method the the coupler is mounted into the kettle wall and secured with the braze, with the nut only the brazing is holding it in place, but the braze is plenty strong.

If you plan on having it tig welded, the welder will fuse the coupler or the nut to the kettle wall. In that case I'd say go with the nut because you will have corresponding thread types and strength of mounting will be equal for the nut or the coupler.

The spuds are NPT but the thread is about 1/2" deep and generously cut so the few elements I've tested them with will make it all the way down to put the gasket on the sealing face. I have some pics but I'm not in the shop right now....

They have a lot of surface area for those that want to silver solder also.

The benefit (for me) of the coupler is that is is what I used to secure my weatherproof box. I dimpled the 1" coupler through a stainless blank, then dimpled through my kettle wall. Silver soldered everything up and leak tested. It makes for a 0 ohm ground lug connection in the box. It was quite a bit of work, but I really liked the strength of the coupler dimpled in the kettle.

I was prepared to tap the 1" coupler to NPS threads, but when I ran the camco 5500 ripple through it easily tightened all the way down to the rubber gasket.

Here's a picture showing what I'm talking about:

I used a half coupler welded on my kettle was able to seal it with an o-ring between the face of the element and the coupler.

Bobby_M said:

The spuds are NPT but the thread is about 1/2" deep and generously cut so the few elements I've tested them with will make it all the way down to put the gasket on the sealing face. I have some pics but I'm not in the shop right now....

They have a lot of surface area for those that want to silver solder also.

Click to expand...

At the risk of sounding dumb, what is a spud? How is it different from a coupling? Thanks Bobby!

It's made specifically to weld to a vessel/tank for a bulkhead drain. It's got a lot of surface area where it attaches so it should solder in well also. Sorry for the big pictures, they're just what I found online. The ones I have are a little lower profile and the casting/machining is much cleaner. This is the next best alternative for those who don't want to make up the dimpling tool for a 1" coupling.

That looks perfect! You carry those? Could the be welded on too?

Yeah that looks great, might be the route I go for my pot upgrade. Keep us posted when you have them in stock Bobby. Thanks

Those are nice, too bad I already welded nuts on. When will those be on your website Bobby? And what is the price? I'm guessing they are 304ss

Well I think Bobby just made my decision for me. My rig is almost done and I kept going back and forth about element connection. Please let us know when you have them available.

I agree with everyone else - that looks perfect.
I'm planning an e-kettle and want to solder on the connection. I know a coupling would be easier to do, but I really want to use a true NPS locknut - but soldering that thing on just right makes me nervous as I don't have a ton of experience soldering.
As long as the elements thread in all the way, this makes my decision easy.

Thanks Bobby

edit: Bobby, will you have these in other sizes like 1/2" or will this be 1" for elements only?

I found that without running a tap thru a coupling, I could not get the element to thread in enough to seal. Go with the nut

Stainless Steel 304 Cast Pipe Fitting

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003GSL0S4/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Sorry, Bobby, I couldn't wait. This is a 1/2" welding spud. Soldered on easy, much easier than a locknut, and a hex nipple, both of which leaked.

I will definitely be picking up some of those in a couple different sizes - for elements, probes, etc.
Looks like a great solution and an easier silver solder job than the other options

Yes, soldering on the welding spud is much easier than a locknut or a hex nipple. The only drawback is that you can't screw a fitting into it from inside the kettle.

Doh, I haven't been paying attention. I have the spuds available in 1", 1/2" and 1/4" NPT right now.

http://brewhardware.com/ss-fittings/120-spuds

Bobby_M said:

Doh, I haven't been paying attention. I have the spuds available in 1", 1/2" and 1/4" NPT right now.

http://brewhardware.com/ss-fittings/120-spuds

Click to expand...

Bobby I would rather order these from you and support some one on the boards than amazon, but the product isnt linked up to your storefront (paypal) correctly and I just get errors.

So....Make a nice snug hole, flux, ring of solder around spud flange, put on pot and heat spud until solder flows?

Yes, exactly that. I used thick silver solder, not the thin solder from the Harris Stay-Bright kit.

Cool - I have a 1# spool of Stay-Brite #8 in 1/8" gauge

adivito said:

Bobby I would rather order these from you and support some one on the boards than amazon, but the product isnt linked up to your storefront (paypal) correctly and I just get errors.

Click to expand...

Fixed.

Warning... the amazon ones are Merit Brass brand and I know that their threads are tight enough that the element meshes before the gasket hits the face. I know because I have a box of them and no good..... The ones I sell are a different brand.

I haven't put it up on the site yet, but I also plan on including the 1/2" spud as part of a bottom drain kit. It will go spud, street elbow, and 8" long nipple.

Bobby - What elements do you recommend using with these spuds? On your website, you mention that you tried several different manufacturers/styles? Thanks

I went with a half coupler, welded on and my element seal nicely, I do suggest an element socket. This deep well socket let me get enough torque to tight the element. Do not get a 1" full coupler. The ripp element will not weave through it easily or at all.

I was ready to pull the trigger on these and then saw the note on Bobby's site that the 1" spud requires a 1 5/8" hole. My step bit max's out at 1 3/8". Nothing is ever simple. Back to the drawing board...

This is true. I scored a 1-5/8" punch set for $25 on ebay. I'm pretty psyched about that. The other way to make it work is to just use a grinder to take the boss off. If that bump out part isn't called a boss, what is it? Either way, you could grind it flush to the back of t he spud and just center it over a 1-3/8" hole. I suppose it's still slightly better than a locknut but both of those are better than a coupling in my opinion unless you're pulling a dimple.

Thanks. Probably will go the locknut route for the element but will order a number of the 1/2" spuds for my other needs. I am itching to dig into a bit of this work this weekend. While I wait for my order from you ( to be placed tomorrow) can I get lock nuts at Home Depot?

On mine I used my step bit then took the die grinder and enlarged the hole a little. Nice tight fit and solders great. One thing to remember if you are using these for other connections is that they are only single sided

Bobby, it would seem that if you were welding these in you would probably want to weld them on both the inside and outside?

That's a good point. I only ever thought about soldering in which case the solder would probably ooze out the small gap inside and leave no nooks and crannies. If welded only on the outside, wort could get between the hole in the pot and the spud boss. Realistically, it would probably be no less sanitary than your typical non-back-gassed sugary weld. Also, threaded fittings are NOT sanitary anyway.

Here's some inside pics of my soldered fitting. The solder does flow into the gap. Not quite a "sanitary" weld/solder, but close enough for a boil kettle.

Hi folks: sorry to revive an older thread, but I have a question.... Can this setup be used to somehow attach an interior fitting like a pickup tube? Tips was stated as a drawback in an earlier comment, but given the option I'd much rather use soldered spuds over weldless fittings everywhere I can.

Cheers,
-Blake

I'd like to know this as well. I'm on the fence between the stub and the weldless fitting Bobby sells that comes with and elbow (so you can get within an 1/8" of the bottom of your kettle).

Only thing holding me back is no way to add a pickup tube or elbow to the spud on the inside(?)


Kevin

no, it's a "1-way" fitting, can only screw stuff in from the outside, I doubt you could screw a nipple in far enough through the spud to get a female fitting to lock down tight enough on the nipple inside the pot.

While the spuds are almost exactly like a half coupling, you can actually get about a half turn on the interior side because the smallest OD of a 1/2" NPT male fitting is just smaller than the spud's thread on the tank side. I wouldn't use it for an important mechanical connection but you could thread a compression fitting in and solder it to the spud if you wanted to.

If you need inside/outside threads though, The way I'd do it is to drill a 7/8" hole in the vessel, thread a 1/2" locknut all the way down a 1.5" long nipple and then solder the nut to the vessel and the nut to the nipple. Now you have 1/2" male threads on the inside and outside.... or just use my weldless bulkhead with integrated diptube.