quick(ish) disconnects

I am using 1/2" ID silicone tubing and I want to have the ability to disassemble everything for cleaning so I need removable connections. These do not need to be really 'quick' because I do not plan on making or breaking connections during a brew session (only at the end of the day to clean).

Has anyone put together relatively cheap stainless swivel nut / hose barb connectors similar to the Blichmann Quickconnectors? How about something like this?

1/2" SS tail piece / hose barb ($2.90):
http://www.chicompany.net/tailpieces-416.html

1/2" beer shank nut ($2.76 - I like the winged nut!):
http://www.chicompany.net/beer-shank-tailpiece-nuts-415:7442bde5df0a5b050dca6d9706564b23.html

beer washer:
http://www.chicompany.net/beer-washer-414.html

Would the beer washer withstand boiling temps? Or could silicone o-rings like these be used?

http://www.mcmaster.com/#silicone-o-rings/=5uwnpn

Ok. So it doesn't work out a whole lot cheaper but it will add up. Perhaps there are other suppliers. I would love triclovers or stainless disconnects but they are expensive. Brass disconnects seem functional too but not as sexy and I want to limit the amount of brass in the system.

jb,

Do a search on this forum for "camlock fittings". You will find some stainless steel, quick disconnects that are pretty cheap and look and function well. They have recently been discovered by some of our brothers and seem to be just what you are looking for. I am on the edge of ordering a bunch for my brewery build. The company is called ProFlowDynamics.

you should check out these

I use 1/2" Flare fittings for all of my hoses that will not be disconnected during a brew session. I don't see anyone else doing this nowadays, but when I put together my system, there wasn't much else available, and I had access to them cheap. Mine are brass (pickled), but you can get them in stainless.

I agree with the others here that the stainless camlocks are probably the best bang for the buck out there now...

MrH

Thanks for the quick replies. Those camlocks look great. Great price too. Sold! Almost... I've got time to think about it. They are sold out. Probably all the HBTers buying them up?

If you are willing to wait ~2 weeks, i'll have at least a few SS quick disconnects up for sale here. upgrading to mostly tri-clover.

I just bought Camlock fittings for 2 hoses, Counterflow chiller, Mashtun and Kettles. All for just over $50.00 shipped. Havent had a chance to try them out but I am really looking forward to it. After I compared prices with the Poly and SS I couldn't help but go with the Camlocks.
Hopefully I can give a review in a week or two.

Could also go with Threaded unions if you're not going to be swapping them too often... kind of a not-so-quick disconnect...



They can be found here for only $6.

I was considering those. They would work nicely but with stainless hose barbs and other fittings they would be more expensive than the camlocks.

I bought some cam locks recently and decided not to use them...staying with the McMaster brass QD.. the cam locks were just too cumbersome to release and relock compared tot the regular QD IMO