Fittings

I just purchased a 30 plate chiller from Brew Hardware. I am looking for a SS QD Fitting with a 1/2" Female pipe thread - male QD. anyone know if these are made? otherwise I will need to use a coupling and a QD on each post. Ideas?

AndMan3030 said:

I just purchased a 30 plate chiller from Brew Hardware. I am looking for a SS QD Fitting with a 1/2" Female pipe thread - male QD. anyone know if these are made? otherwise I will need to use a coupling and a QD on each post. Ideas?

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Like this: Male QD

EDIT: This is a camlock style, Morebeer has the other style QD also.

i like the camlocks. Bobby_M has some great options on maximizing flow in them. i went with the "standard" 1/2" hose barb camlocks before seeing this and regret it. i should have built my own barbs out of 5/8" like bobby does or possibly just use the elbows he has made.

http://www.brewhardware.com/fittings/102-camlock-disconnects

I am still not understanding why Bobby made those custom 'high flow' street-90 hose barbs. What style setup does not allow fast enough flow (I would like to avoid that situation). I guess I have never heard of anyone posting problems with their rate of flow while using a plate chiller. I have also never used a plate chiller before. I just want to get it right the first time. In my mind I picture having QD's on both the water in/out and wort in/out being the best option. I have already equipped my kegs with the knurled SS QD's, which is why i did not jump at the camlock option. someone post some pics of thier fully set up plate chiller! thanks everyone!

the high flows were made to combat the problem of cam lock barb fittings that were less than .5 inch inside diameter. The idea behind the high flow hose barbs is that you can keep everything .5 inch to your pump. You dont want to choke down the input going into your pump.

AndMan3030 said:

In my mind I picture having QD's on both the water in/out and wort in/out being the best option. !

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Keep in mind that the water in/out is garden hose thread, not standard pipe thread. I use the cheap Home Depot plastic hose QDs for the water, and the 1/2" cam locks for the wort.

bucfanmike said:

the high flows were made to combat the problem of cam lock barb fittings that were less than .5 inch inside diameter. The idea behind the high flow hose barbs is that you can keep everything .5 inch to your pump. You dont want to choke down the input going into your pump.

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Now i get it. Thanks!

they are more like 1/4". it's crazy.

what are more like 1/4 ince, the cam-lock barb fittings?

Correct - the restriction in the cam lock barb fitting is insane, and is nowhere near 1/2" compared to the street elbow or just working the hose over the threads of the fitting and securing with a hose clamp.

The 1/2 Stainless camlock C has a 0.325" inner diameter.

Any 1/2" barb will always be smaller than 1/2" on its inner diameter.

bucfanmike said:

the high flows were made to combat the problem of cam lock barb fittings that were less than .5 inch inside diameter. The idea behind the high flow hose barbs is that you can keep everything .5 inch to your pump. You dont want to choke down the input going into your pump.

Click to expand...

You should have a ball valve on the outlet side of your pump, to eliminate cavitation issues when using it during the boil. You don't want to restrict the flow going to the pump head, at all (via ball valve). I'm sure it's debatable if the smaller ID of the barb fittings has any real impact on our scale. I seem to recall someone doing a test of just that and not finding any actual difference at our scale.

You can get all the fittings you need from Bargain Fittings. Got mine from there. Originally had the regular barb style (C) on the hoses. Changed over to the fittings that are 1/2" ID but can't say it made any real difference. I should have run tests both ways before switching over completely.

If you're setting up from scratch, now, just get them all from Bargain Fittings and don't worry about it. Wayne will set you up right (IME).