Hey fellow homebrewers. Long time lurker, first post. I'm wondering if anyone else around here bought the Kegco CFC and had trouble putting fittings on the wort tubes. I have 1/2 and 5/8 compression fittings but neither fits - the 1/2 is too small and the 5/8 is too big. I took a caliper reading of the tubes and one tube is 0.595" and the other is 0.590". I know I can just clamp some tubing on them and then put fittings into the tubing but I'd rather have a solid connection. Does anyone else own one of these? How did you solve this?
Kegco Stainless CFC Fittings
- Thread starter cole57
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I think you are just supposed to slide a 1/2" tube over them with a hose clamp unless I'm missing something obvious. How are you planning on making a compression fitting work? What would you be using for a receiving fitting? I'd just KISS and stick with siding your 1/2" tube on with a hose clamp, at some point you'll need to transition from a Silicon or vinyl tube, why add more pieces....
Yeah, they suggest tubing and hose clamps on their site for wort connections but it also says that it's 5/8" so I assumed it was actually going to be 5/8" 
This is what I bought, for reference: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072LWNR73/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
The reason I was hoping the compression fitting would work is because I use camlock quick disconnects for every connection on my brew setup, which makes things easy when I am swapping hoses around. My plan was 5/8" compression to male camlock for the wort input side and 5/8" compression to 1/2" NPT for the wort outlet side. I have one of these (https://www.williamsbrewing.com/WORT-MONITOR-THERMOMETER-P3081.aspx) for the wort outlet side of the chiller so having a sturdy connection on both in and out of the wort side would be really helpful.
This is what I bought, for reference: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072LWNR73/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
The reason I was hoping the compression fitting would work is because I use camlock quick disconnects for every connection on my brew setup, which makes things easy when I am swapping hoses around. My plan was 5/8" compression to male camlock for the wort input side and 5/8" compression to 1/2" NPT for the wort outlet side. I have one of these (https://www.williamsbrewing.com/WORT-MONITOR-THERMOMETER-P3081.aspx) for the wort outlet side of the chiller so having a sturdy connection on both in and out of the wort side would be really helpful.
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That makes sense. Can you maybe find a 15mm compression fitting? Metric might present other figment problems though.
Edit: you might be in luck. These are in Europe but 15mm compression to various standard pipe threads seem to exist.
Edit: you might be in luck. These are in Europe but 15mm compression to various standard pipe threads seem to exist.
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AHA! Thank you GPP33! I didn't think to try metric or any other standard pipe sizes for that matter. There is a homebrew specific fitting available right here:
https://www.homebrewing.org/SS-15mm-Compression-X-12-MPT_p_6670.html
https://www.homebrewing.org/SS-15mm-Compression-X-12-MPT_p_6670.html
Those guys have a great selection of fittings.
Gravitysucks
Well-Known Member
This post was very helpful. I bought a Kegco stainless chiller on Amazon about a month ago and was just getting around to ordering fittings for it. I was assuming 5/8 would fit but after seeing this post I measured mine and found that it was 15mm instead. Saved me from buying the wrong fittings. I use camlocks on all my equipment but wasn't able to find any 15mm weld on camlock fittings. I did find and order 15mm 1.5 inch tri clover fittings on Amazon that can be welded or silver soldered and tri clover to camlock adapters are available many different places. They're coming from China so it will be a while before I know if they will work but I'll update if anyone is interested.
Gravitysucks
Well-Known Member
Just an update. The TC fittings that I ordered from Amazon that claimed they were 15mm were in fact 5/8" so they are far too loose to silver solder. It's likely that they could be welded on the CFC which I may do in the future but for the time being I think I'll just stick to clamping on the hoses.
It's be worth call these guys and seeing if theirs is actually 15mm.
https://www.homebrewing.org/SS-15mm-Compression-X-12-MPT_p_6670.html
https://www.homebrewing.org/SS-15mm-Compression-X-12-MPT_p_6670.html
Gravitysucks
Well-Known Member
Thank you for the link. I've been trying to avoid having any threaded parts on the wort side of the chiller but with the odd sized tubing of the Kegco chiller it seems that may be difficult. Since my control panel is still about a month away from completion I have some time to figure out the chiller plumbing.
cole57: Did the compression fitting end up working on your chiller?
Did these 15mm compression fittings work on the kegco chiller?? I’ve read conflicting info. Mine are on the way. Just curious if you have any advice
Staticsouls
When will the beer be free?
Just got my kegco cfc. I use oversized hose barbs for all my fitting and dont need any clamps. I fit my hose over the end of the cfc and it seemed tight enought. Do you really need hose clamps to keep it on? I haven't used mine yet, that's why I ask. Wondering if I need to get extra fittings or not. I was hoping to use it sans clamps or fittings.
Gravitysucks
Well-Known Member
I ended up purchasing a pair of the fittings from the link above. The body of the fitting does measure about 15mm and will fit onto the Kegco chiller I have. Because of the way the ends of the tubing is cut it took some work to get the compression rings on but they eventually fit. My build has been on hold for a while so I haven't had a chance to leak test them yet but I expect they will be fine.
The fittings work great. Just wanted to let you know be prepared to use a **** load of elbow grease tightening them down. I have some pretty big wrenches and even with those I had to use all my strength to tighten them down to water tight. They should be machine tightened to be honest.
Good luck.
Siouxerbrewer
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I have the Kegco stainless CFC and used the 15MM to 1/2 NPT (of course after also purchasing the 5/8” to 1/2 NPT adapters because these CFCs are falsely advertised as 5/8” tubing) adapters from AIH and they DID NOT SEAL. I tried to seal them 1/4 turn at a time until the nut was completely bottomed out. Unfortunately the nuts are now swaged and I have no way of removing them without damaging the chiller. If I had to do it all over again I would simply use the 5/8-1/2NPT adapters and fill them with o-rings as per the electric brewery.
alowell
Well-Known Member
Thinking about ordering one of these Kegco chillers. Looks like theses fittings didn't work?:
https://www.homebrewing.org/SS-15mm-Compression-X-12-MPT_p_6670.html
What is the 5/8" to 1/2" solution from the electric brewery that you are speaking of?
Anyone else have any other suggestions? I too would like to hook up swage fittings to this.
https://www.homebrewing.org/SS-15mm-Compression-X-12-MPT_p_6670.html
What is the 5/8" to 1/2" solution from the electric brewery that you are speaking of?
Anyone else have any other suggestions? I too would like to hook up swage fittings to this.
Siouxerbrewer
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I have this chiller setup and tried the 15mm to 1/2npt adapters from AHB, they did not seal. I think the problem is that the tubing is not perfectly round, so swageing the fittings together will not form a liquid tight seal. I ended up installing o-rings to get the fittings to seal up. I would just recommend using the method described in the electric brewery guide and skip the stainless compression nuts (use o-rings instead). FYI I have been able to get all of my other swagelok fittings to seal just fine; these are the exception.
http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/wort-chiller?page=3
I bought a CFC from Williams Brewing a few years ago that had the same problem. I was able to solder these camlock fittings onto it.
https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/camsolder58.htm
alowell
Well-Known Member
Thanks all, I appreciate the feedback
