tri-clover vs bushing

I might be misunderstanding something and drawing a comparison that doesn't make sense. If that is the case, please correct me. Also, please do not go on and on about how wonderful compression fittings are, I have those now and for numerous reasons want to change.

I am looking at welding fittings into my MT/HLT/Kettle for drainage, temperature sensors, and my electric heating element. What I cannot decide is what type of fittings I should weld on. I was originally going to go with bushings, but then I was looking at a few sites selling bushings and noticed that alongside them were "tri-clover" fittings and the tri-clovers were recommended for brewing and anything dealing with food.

Then there is the question of what type of threading and what size I need. I believe both the temperature probes and heating element are NPT thread. However, what type of threading/connections should I get for hosing/etc?

Just trying to solve my fittings questions for upgrading my build. I looked aorund, but honestly am just making myself more confused. If someone knows of a thread that's "all about fittings", please point me at it, but I did not see it in my search.

Thanks!

- M

FREAKING AWESOME!!!!! oh ive been waitinng for this question.....hell yeah you want tri clover...ya know if ur gonna upgrade and u want it super custom....i work in the food industry for a living and that whole system is really cool....fyi they make temp probs and heating elements and all that with tri clamp connections on them....check out gfi stainless, there based in modesto ca....they are the best on prices for all that stuff that im aware of....if you have anymore questions at all let me know...i deal with these fittings everyday

Yah, how does tri-clover work? I've been having a hard time visualizing it.

Well there's a gasket in the middle of two ferrels...they have a groove on the inside face so the gasket locks inplace and then on the outside of the ferrel is a sharp angle which the tri clamp clamps around the two and when u tighten it it smashes the two ferrels together providing a leak proof connection

here yaa go...

Aha! That is what I was visualizing. That makes sense. I assume the gasket ensures there is no leakage.

So, to install this in my existing kit, I take out my compression clamps, and through the pot I weld a long tri-clover ferrule into my pots. If I want a valve, I then install a tri-clover valve, clamp, and gasket outside of the ferrule. If I want to hook anything else in, for example an existing heating element or RTD, I get a tri-clover female NPT, thread into it, and then clamp that to the ferrel. I can then use tri-clover hose barbs for any silicone hosing I have or a male NPT for any stainless or copper tubing I use.

Then, if I want to upgrade I can get tri-clover heating elements and temp probes and use them rather than the semi-jurry-rigged units I put into NPT threads (depending on cost of the other units).

I also see that there are tri-clover pumps. I wonder if there is a tri-clover adapter kit to a march pump, or if there are any tri-clover pumps that would run on a household power source and work well for brewing.

Thanks for the tips tig!

yeah...there should be lots of that out there with a little research....every process facility in the us and beyond use this stuff

Another fitting question.

My existing mash setup is HERMS. I have a hole at the top and bottom of my HLT and run a stainless steel coil through it as a heat exchanger. I've been cheating a bit (and leaking a bit) by putting it all the way through and tightening the hell out of it on the outside with a gasket. I never did quite get it right.

What I am thinking of doing is putting in a double-ended ferrule, or two ferrules welded back to back. So I can connect my heat exchanger on the inside and quickly release it for cleaning, and connect the tubing on the outside easily. The problem here is that means I will be attaching the clamp on the inside of my HLT. Are there any problems with this? What would be the best way to do this? I would want the clamps to also be stainless, if possible.

The other option would be to change that setup entirely ... and instead change the stainless to all copper and build myself a convoluted copper counter-flow chiller that could also be used for my HERMS. Thus pumping both the HLT and the Mash through. However, I lack a second pump at the moment.

Thanks!

The heating elements are actually straight thread but most people get them to thread into the NPT fittings just fine. Here is a suitable part http://www.bargainfittings.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=36_38&product_id=130
There are some vendors here selling tri clover parts with fittings etc welded on at reasonable prices. Swagman and brewers hardware come to mind
read more here:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/tri-clamp-tri-clover-ss-quick-disconnects-125037/
http://www.brewershardware.com/