Air hose quick disconnects?

Does anyone know if airhose disconnects (like you would use with air compressor tools) would work with CO2 lines? Or is there a possibility off leaking?

I was thinking if I hooked one up to the regulator body I could disconnect the tank when I need to use it for transfers or other stuff and reconnect different lines easily. I know there are ones specially made for this, but I cannot get any locall and if I could avoid paying shipping charges that would be great.

Any thoughts?

They should work, but then again they might require higher pressure to seal. They're also rather large.

Another option is switching your gas lines to flare fittings on either end, so the line can simply be unscrewed from the flare fitting instead of messing with hose barbs. This is probably a much more leak-free solution than messing with quick disconnects, so it probably makes more sense unless you see yourself needing to connect/disconnect the lines quite often. This is what I'm in the process of doing right now - it has the added advantage that from northern brewer you can buy 1/4" NPT to 1/4" flare fittings with a built-in check valve, which is useful if your ball valves don't already have them built in.

If you really want QD's, try ordering from McMaster-Carr. Their shipping charges are very reasonable - my last order, which was maybe a pound or two of parts, cost $5.00 for shipping, and got to me in less than 24 hours. That was from NJ to ME, I'm sure that in VT you'd get it overnight as well.

McMaster part number 5923K21 looked very interesting to me - acetal food-grade quick disconnects. They're pretty cheap - probably cheaper even with shipping than buying brass air QD's locally.

All of my air hose disconnects leak a little. Not enough to be a problem while using them, but I wouldn't try them with CO2.

[I'll admit they are over 20 years old.]

I have one on my system and it doesn't seem to leak. I've goto the all brass ones so maybe they're higher quality? The other consideration is that when they're used on air tools, the joint is always being flexed, rotated and frequently connected/disconnected. I've disconnected mine maybe 5 times.

I was thinking of doing something like this so I can use the CO2 to transfer using a carboy cap and to purge carboys.

I think I'm just gonna get a 'T' in the line somewhere and put a valve on it.

The quick disconnects we have in our garage are always leaking slightly. But that may be more from them being dropped on the ground and treated roughly like said by Bobby_M.

What about push connect fittings, like in here?
http://www.ihomebrewsolutions.com/TheGreatFridgeProject.pdf

Also, think about the fact that you normally run air tools at 80+ PSI and we're only talking about 10-15psi here.

I'd just use compression fittings. They disconnect in a flash and are very safe.

I've been using these from McMaster for over a year with no problems. I actually have several of them. They are FDA food compliant and good to 70 psi

5923K72 NSF WHITE ACETAL QUICK-DISCONNECT TUBE CPLG, PLUG, 3/8" TUBE ID, 1/4" COUPLER, STRAIGHT THRU $1.32

5923K42 NSF WHITE ACETAL QUICK-DISCONNECT TUBE CPLG, SOCKET, 3/8" TUBE ID, 1/4" COUPLER, STRIAGHT THRU $1.75