Quick Disconnects

I just have to post this on here. If you are using pumps on a brew stand buy the quick disconnects the first time. I recently built a Brutus clone and thought I would save $100-$200 by using garden hose fittings. After my fifth brew on the stand, and multiple sets of busted knuckles and cuts to the palms, I realized that instead of saving money I now have 100 worth of extra garden hose fittings. Thankfully my brother (who helped build the stand) offset most of the quick disconnect costs as a Christmas present. So for anyone out there building a Brutus or whatever, get the quick disconnects the first time.

Can you return them?

Proly not, I have used them with my stand 4 times and you can tell they have been used. They are gonna end up in my random hardware drawer in the garage. Who knows I may use them for something in the distant future.

Where are you spending $100+ on quick disconnects? Both BrewHardware.com and BargainFittings.com have stainless 1/2" camlocks/quick disconnects for $4-$7 each.

That's around $70 plus shipping for 12 fittings for the typical In/Out on each vessel in a three-vessel set up and 2 for the pump (add 2 more for each pump). So, maybe $100 for three vessels and three pumps?

mthompson said:

Where are you spending $100+ on quick disconnects?[...]

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Man, that's easy: many folks spend a lot of money on these babies.

At $26 a mated pair - plus whatever transition pieces one might want to add - you could go flying well past $300 on 3 vessel/2 pump, "recirculating pretty much everything" system...

Cheers!

(ftr: I went totally cam lock...)

day_trippr said:

Man, that's easy: many folks spend a lot of money on these babies.

At $26 a mated pair - plus whatever transition pieces one might want to add - you could go flying well past $300 on 3 vessel/2 pump, "recirculating pretty much everything" system...

Cheers!

(ftr: I went totally cam lock...)

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just noticed that the BargainFittings QD's are chrome plated not stainless...I stand corrected.



I will probably go with CamLocks (whenever I build mine), but are they a bit more leaky if you are not careful with keeping the open end up?

mthompson said:

just noticed that the BargainFittings QD's are chrome plated not stainless...I stand corrected.



I will probably go with CamLocks (whenever I build mine), but are they a bit more leaky if you are not careful with keeping the open end up?

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Yup, if you drop a full hose there's going to be some spillage. An open hole is an open hole. A fixture to hang hose ends is a handy feature on a brew sculpture.

Otoh, a full-flow cam lock setup will probably make for happier beer pumps. Those fancy 1/2" QDs have a 3/8" ID constriction within...

Cheers!

Those fancy 1/2" QDs have a 3/8" ID constriction within...

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if you have 1/2" INSIDE diameter hose, the OUTSIDE diameter of the barb is 1/2". obviously the barb has to have some sort of thickness to it, so that is where the 3/8" restriction comes from.

some people use a drill to open up the center hole a little more; there is plenty of material there. you can also forego hose barb QDs and instead get camlock-to-MNPT fittings, which have a full port center hole, and force a silicone hose over the threads. it will stretch. this will not work with vinyl, thin walled, or other non-stretchy tubing.

also if you are buying camlocks, buy from the people all those other etailers are buying from- the manufacturer, proflow dynamics
http://store.proflowdynamics.com/modules/store/-Couplings-for-Homebrewers-_C12074.cfm

audger said:

if you have 1/2" INSIDE diameter hose, the OUTSIDE diameter of the barb is 1/2". obviously the barb has to have some sort of thickness to it, so that is where the 3/8" restriction comes from.

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Calm down, I wasn't referring to the cam lock QD wrt the 3/8" restriction - I was referring to the pricey part shown in the Morebeer link. You're not going to be widening out the inside of that coupler.

fwiw, my cam lock system is 1/2" full-flow, no hose barbs used anywhere...

Cheers!

audger said:

also if you are buying camlocks, buy from the people all those other etailers are buying from- the manufacturer, proflow dynamics
316 Stainless Steel Cam and Groove Couplings for Homebrewers

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Pretty sure proflow dynamics is not actually making them either. I would assume like everything else these days they are made in China.

This is based on a conversation I had when they called me after they mistakenly shipped me the wrong parts. They actually caught it on their end before I ever received the package.

They mentioned they had a problem with some of the aluminum camlocks not locking together since they recently switched to a new manufacturer but there was no problem with the stainless.

By the way just as an off topic side note, Proflow has great customer service.

day_trippr said:

Calm down, I wasn't referring to the cam lock QD wrt the 3/8" restriction - I was referring to the pricey part shown in the Morebeer link. You're not going to be widening out the inside of that coupler.

fwiw, my cam lock system is 1/2" full-flow, no hose barbs used anywhere...

Cheers!

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What do you use as a pickup tube to get 1/2" full flow all the way? Pickup tube and compression fitting are not 1/2" I.D.

day_trippr said:

Calm down, I wasn't referring to the cam lock QD wrt the 3/8" restriction - I was referring to the pricey part shown in the Morebeer link. You're not going to be widening out the inside of that coupler.

fwiw, my cam lock system is 1/2" full-flow, no hose barbs used anywhere...

Cheers!

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Just like the camlocks, the B3 ones are restricted if you use the barbed versions. Get the MNPT versions of either and you'll have full flow capabilities.

TheMan said:

What do you use as a pickup tube to get 1/2" full flow all the way? Pickup tube and compression fitting are not 1/2" I.D.

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1/2" ball valve with male cam lock on one side and 1/2" nipple-to-elbow-to-nipple other side, with the last nipple passing through the false bottom on the MLT. No barbs or compression fittings, if there's any restriction it's in the ball valves.

Aside from that, flow resistance in a line is largely additive, so getting rid of any restriction is usually a good thing...

Cheers!

day_trippr said:

1/2" ball valve with male cam lock on one side and 1/2" nipple-to-elbow-to-nipple other side, with the last nipple passing through the false bottom on the MLT. No barbs or compression fittings, if there's any restriction it's in the ball valves.

Aside from that, flow resistance in a line is largely additive, so getting rid of any restriction is usually a good thing...

Cheers!

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Ahh...ok. So, if I have a way of not using the pickuptube with compression fitting I can get around that bottleneck. I have no false bottom...I'll have to think or something.

I use the standard cam-lock QD's that are SS from bargainfittings.com. No disconnecting them is not going to stop flow but that type of QD is more for the air/co2 fittings not the liquid side...IMO. This is also why there are ball valves on the kettles, simply turning the valve off stops the flow almost immediatly because the pump does not pump in a vacum.

I have an assortment of ball valves, compression fittings and the like throughout the entire system. I have no issues with low flow rates/bottlenecks that I can tell. FWIW you are talking about GPM and a tiny percentage change. The pump is only going to pump as fast as it can. I would be concerned about this if I had to move 200 gallons of wort at a time but when we are talking about 20 gallons or less, not so much. It is much like driving down the highway at 65 MPH vs 80 MPH. If you are going only a few miles the excessive speed is of no real benifit.

I hope this helps...

audger said:

if you have 1/2" INSIDE diameter hose, the OUTSIDE diameter of the barb is 1/2". obviously the barb has to have some sort of thickness to it, so that is where the 3/8" restriction comes from.

some people use a drill to open up the center hole a little more; there is plenty of material there. you can also forego hose barb QDs and instead get camlock-to-MNPT fittings, which have a full port center hole, and force a silicone hose over the threads. it will stretch. this will not work with vinyl, thin walled, or other non-stretchy tubing.

also if you are buying camlocks, buy from the people all those other etailers are buying from- the manufacturer, proflow dynamics
316 Stainless Steel Cam and Groove Couplings for Homebrewers

Click to expand...

There are probably three or four factories casting them in China. Even if they did make them, what difference does it make who you buy them from? How about the place with good service and pricing or perhaps a place where you're buying a bunch of other parts from? I'm not knocking them at all, I bought all mine from them before anyone else was selling them.

The flow issues are solved by putting the silicone tubing over the 1/2" male threads, even better over a street 90.

I use and sell 5/8" OD pickup tubes so that the ID from beginning to end is 1/2".

day_trippr said:

fwiw, my cam lock system is 1/2" full-flow, no hose barbs used anywhere...

Cheers!

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Do you pics of your QD set-up? Cheers!

I've used MoreBeer style SS disconnects, poly, and cam-lock. SS Disconnects are the easiest to use, poly can't take the heat and the o-rings need lubricating often and the cam-locks are the least expensive.
As for flow rate, I can't say that flow rate has ever been of any concern brewing 10 gallons of beer. If you are brewing bigger, then all your fittings should be bigger anyway.

I was thinking of going cam locks.

What are the downsides to doing this ?

Did brewers buy up all the F style cam locks? All the usual suspects are out of stock.

I was going to put male cams on all my kegs, pumps and filters and put females on all the hoses.

Is that the best way to set it up ?

Thanks !

brewman ! said:

I was going to put male cams on all my kegs, pumps and filters and put females on all the hoses.

Is that the best way to set it up ?

Thanks !

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Yup

brewman ! said:

I was going to put male cams on all my kegs, pumps and filters and put females on all the hoses.

Is that the best way to set it up ?

Thanks !

Click to expand...

Yes that's what I'm planning to do based on what I've read. Bobby's got a good overview: Camlock Disconnects

FYI - pro flow said about 2 weeks for F type

I will probably go with CamLocks (whenever I build mine), but are they a bit more leaky if you are not careful with keeping the open end up?[/QUOTE]

Use a street elbow. That will keep your open end pointed up. Also they sell caps to help with the drip.