Camlock QD 1/2" question

I see lots of people fretting the barbed camlock fittings because they supposedly create a bottleneck in your line due to them not being 1/2" inner diameter. After ordering my bulkhead and seeing that the pickuptube and compression fitting are 3/8" and 1/4" ID respectfully, how is the barb a problem?

Can't you only flow as quick as your smallest fitting? Therefore if you're using a compression fitting that squeezes down to 1/4", then putting the 1/2" hose over the threaded fittings seems pointless and the barbs are the least of your worries.

Or am I missing something here?

Each restriction adds up and many people want to eliminate as many bottlenecks in their flow as they can.


My own setup, I use 1/2" OD stainless pickups, C style camlocks on my tubes and have 1/2" x 1/2" tube compression fittings on the pickups.

I have this type of setup on both my 15 gallon and my 50 gallon brew rigs.
I use 809 march pumps and throttle them with a valve on the outlet.

I recirculate with one of our whirlpool fittings and get circulation in both size kettles.

My transfer rates are acceptable even on the 50 gallon rig and I don't plan to change anything out.

BargainFittings said:

Each restriction adds up and many people want to eliminate as many bottlenecks in their flow as they can.


My own setup, I use 1/2" OD stainless pickups, C style camlocks on my tubes and have 1/2" x 1/2" tube compression fittings on the pickups.

I have this type of setup on both my 15 gallon and my 50 gallon brew rigs.
I use 809 march pumps and throttle them with a valve on the outlet.

I recirculate with one of our whirlpool fittings and get circulation in both size kettles.

My transfer rates are acceptable even on the 50 gallon rig and I don't plan to change anything out.

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Ahhhh, so the restrictions are cumulative? I just bought (and recieved) some fittings from you actually. I didn't realize that they add up. I figured 1 would slow down your system as much as 2 would. I had planned exactly the same system as you have going. I am just trying to decide if putting the 1/2" hose over the threads on the B style disconnect was worth it vs. getting the barbed, which look nicer to me.

I have a march pump and a 40 plate chiller. The chiller itself will be a restriction, so maybe having 1/2" all the way through is not even worth it and the barbs would be fine. I'll search around a little more to see what people think on this.

Any input here is helpful too!

Btw, I ordered my fittings from you, they came quick! Thanks a ton!

I use and sell pickup tubes in 5/8" OD just to keep everything 1/2" ID from start to finish. The flow rate I get from HLT to the top of my MLT with the regular March 809-HS is 3.5GPM and it drops to 3.25 with no other changes than reducing to a 1/2" OD diptube. Most people aren't neurotic enough to care about that.

However, swapping the disconnect to the barbed style drops it down to 3 GPM. Of course the plate chiller would destroy that, but what about all the other transfer functions? I also think the way the hose has to make it's own turn on the barbed females is problematic for kinking.

A lot of people don't like the barbs due to the way the hose tends to kink where it comes off the barb. I am using barbs on my setup. When I flow tested two weeks ago, the flow was just fine for me. I have something I am going to be trying out to see if I can get rid of the kinking issue as well.
tom

You can put springs over the ends of the silicone.

I use the ProFlowDynamics Aluminum Type B Coupler, and just squeeze the 1/2 silicone tubing over the threads. It is full 1/2 that way. Sometimes I will use a worm type clamp, but really hasn't been necessary, they do not come off easy or leak.


chris

TomRep said:

A lot of people don't like the barbs due to the way the hose tends to kink where it comes off the barb.

Click to expand...

I use 90 degree street elbows to prevent kinks.