What Quick Releases do you use?

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What Quick Release/Disconnect Do you use on hot side of brewery?

  • Tri-Clamp/TriClover

  • Kent Plastic

  • Camlocks

  • Garden Hose Connectors

  • Ball Lock

  • Something else (please mention below)

Results are only viewable after voting.
M

markymarx

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I know tri-clovers are sanitary and all of that...and they are also expensive.

I have a 2 tier stand (bought it but should do a build thread for everything else I am doing to it, to make it my own) and have been in the process of aquiring keggles. My plan is to put a pump on it to be able to add RIMS and be able to easily switch from RIMS to filling the BK.

Was wondering what most people here are using for QR's and where they got them.

Thanks.
 
I debated forever between SS camlocks or the Kent Plastic QD's they sell at Bargain Fittings. I went with the camlocks and am quite happy with my decision. They are heavy duty, lock positively and, most importantly, don't leak. My vote is for camlocks!
 
1/2" Cam Locks throughout. Got mine from StainlessBrewing.com

On the hot side, sanitation is over rated. Your going to boil the stuff for at least an hour anyway. On the cold side, I want to eventually change to tri-clamps...
 
I went with 1/2" cam locks from Bargain Fittings. Had I seen the tri-clamps before hand I might have gone with them. Who knows I might switch to them int he future.
 
I went with the "Big C" and the 5/8 elbow x 1/2 camlocks at Brewhardware. Couldn't be happier.
 
acidrain said:
I went with the "Big C" and the 5/8 elbow x 1/2 camlocks at Brewhardware. Couldn't be happier.
Click to expand...

These are VERY convenient! If Bobby had offered these when I needed to buy them, I sure would have purchased these. However, at the time, "all camlocks were made the same" So, I just lumped mine in with an order from Stainless Brewing.

If I were you, I would SERIOUSLY consider getting these!!!
 
I am currently debating this. I don't want to weld my pots though, as I am content with my weldless ball valves. I would have to use the tri-clover-to-npt adapter if I was going to go that route. Does that defeat the purpose of them being 'sanitary'-- you know, still being threaded in and all?
 
There wasn't a good source for quick connects when I built my system, so I ended up using brass garden hose connectors from Ace Hardware, like this: http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1272844&cagpspn=pla

Of course, I had to add other adapters to change those garden hose fittings into 1/2" threaded and 5/8" hosebarbs to attach to my other stuff, but at the time this was still cheaper (and much higher flow) than the other options available.

(If I were starting my build today, I would be looking at Bobby's fittings)
 
If you can, or can have your set up welded with sanitary tri-clamp fittings, or can afford tri-clamp kettles, than this would be ideal. but if you are adding threaded couplers and TC adaptors than you might as well just go with the cam-lock fittings.

I have 98% Tri-clamp fittings that are threaded into place on my system. I still need to remove them periodically to clear out the treaded couplers. In hindsight, Im wishing I went with cam-locks, they are much easier to move around and you dont have to hunt down a clamp and gasket when putting them on. Oh and are about 1/2 the cost.
 
Another plus to the Cam Locks... They don't seem to get NEAR as hot as the Ball-locking QD's. I guess it has something to do with the cam arms not being in close contact with hot surfaces... I never wear gloves on hose changes... I've seen a LOT of guys with QD's have to wear gloves because they get so hot!
 
I second the camlocks from Bargain Fittings. I use 5/8" barbs with 1/2" silicone tubing on my camlocks with great success. I might change the tubing if it ever seems weak, but the quick disconnects keep demonstrating their usefulness when I decide to add something like a hopback to the stream from kettle to chiller to fermenter.

I don't think triclamps are necessary on a homebrew scale pre-fermenter. Tri-clamps seems more useful when you need to be SANITARY.
 
Huaco said:
Turn this into a poll. Would be interesting to see the results
Click to expand...

Good idea. So I did.

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I was not originally considering Camlocks as they look like 2 handed operation. However, the are now coming back into consideration.
 
This may be a stupid question, but do the quick disconnects stop flow when you un-plug them? Or do you have to make sure there is no fluid in the tube before unplugging it?
 
orion7144 said:
Also I am not so sure ball lock should be on there since those are for kegs.
Click to expand...

Traditional "QD's" use balls to positively lock the fitting together. It is confusing to call them ball locks in the thread here on this forum because we are all aware of the ball lock keg connections. However, the mechanics are the same if you think about it.
 
Kent Plastics...light weight, inexpensive, one-hand operation. You can get them both valved (so they seal when disconnected) or open. I chose open for ease of cleaning/flushing my tubing.
 
Bsquared said:
If you can, or can have your set up welded with sanitary tri-clamp fittings, or can afford tri-clamp kettles, than this would be ideal. but if you are adding threaded couplers and TC adaptors than you might as well just go with the cam-lock fittings.

I have 98% Tri-clamp fittings that are threaded into place on my system. I still need to remove them periodically to clear out the treaded couplers. In hindsight, Im wishing I went with cam-locks, they are much easier to move around and you dont have to hunt down a clamp and gasket when putting them on. Oh and are about 1/2 the cost.
Click to expand...

Agree, triclamp fittings are difficult to work with compared to cam- locks and not needed on the hot side of a brew system. A fermenter is a different story and I prefer triclamp fittings as you can clean in place without total disassembly.

Clean in place - go with triclamp
 

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