Cam Lock QD

Other than the loss in bling factor, is there any reason to not go with the aluminum cam locks from Pro Flow Dynamics? It looks like they are about 1/3 the price of the 316 stainless ones.

http://store.proflowdynamics.com/modules/store/-Aluminum_C69.cfm

 

I don't know if it would hurt the Camlocks, but aluminum doesn't like caustic cleaners.

 

Oxyclean is about as caustic as I go.

 

I don't use it on my aluminum pots but that is for fear of removing the Oxidation layer. That really doesn't carry over to Camlocks though.

Yeah they are cheaper but the only thing I can tell you is how happy you will be when those shinny SS fitting show up at you house.

 

yeah, but after spending over $400 yesterday on stuff for the build do I really want to spend another ~$90 on QDs? The aluminum ones are ~$30. Decisions, decisions...

 

You're still getting off cheap by my spending habits.

I know this has been discussed before on here. Someone who bought the aluminum ones should be able to help you make that decision easier.

 

I bought the aluminum QD's from ProFlow. These are nice! They've been used once and worked just fine. I was worried when I dropped on of the female connectors that I might have bent it, but that did not happen.

The cost savings is tremendous. Since I was near the end of the budget I opted for these in stead of stainless.

The insides of the connectors have oxidized, but that is expected in this application.

 

Very nice. Call me freaking crazy but I like aluminum more than stainless. I like a good brushed/matte look, and being an engineer I appreciate the inherent weight:strength ratio of aluminum.

Question though - the type C & E fittings (with hose barbs) look like MUCH wider openings than the stainless ones. I read/saw in another thread how constrictive that it turned out to be. Anyone done side-by-side or stlbeer can you attest to the ID of the type C or E fittings? edit: the hose barb fittings I saw were from bargainfittings (see here) and the ones on the Pro Flow site look a lot different / better (see here)... interesting.

 

What about the gaskets from Pro Flow Dynamics...are they food safe?

 

I would say get the silicone o-rings from bargainfittings. They come by default with the SS camlocks (from bargainfittings) but they sell them separately for $0.25/ea. Pro-Flow's default seals are Buna-N. What I don't know is how stiff/secure the seal force is with silicone o-rings instead of Buna-N gaskets.

 

Pro-Flow does offer food safe silicon replacement gaskets (not o-rings) for a buck a piece. So if you really want them, add $1 for every female camlock you order.

 

over time SS is going to outlast the aluminum.
ss is more scratch resistant

-=jason=-

 

So what was decide here? I need cam locks, McMaster will not ship to my APO just called ProFlow and they said they could. Looking at needing a 3 year life out them..so yeah or ney..

Tim

 

... or buy the 25-pack of size 210 silicone o-rings from oringsandmore.com, for less than $6 shipped. They're o-rings, not gaskets, but they make the camlocks work a little easier while still sealing up properly.

 

^^^^^^^

THIS.

it was less than $5 to ship to me if I recall.

Tim, I'm sure you could get away with aluminum and if you take care of your equipment it would probably be fine, but SS > Alum.

just sayin'


-=Jason=-

 

Also, if they are 25-35% of the cost of SS fittings, and they last longer than 25-35% as long as SS fittings, I'd still say it's a smart buy.

Again (and dont mean to hijack the thread, but this is still kinda on-topic) is there a difference between the hose barb fittings sold by bargainfittings vs. Pro-Flow? Don't want to squeeze hoses over 1/2" NPT threads or grind threads off to serve as a full-bore barb fitting, but also don't want to buy 1/2" fittings all around if the flow is bottlenecked by a barb. And yes, I realize the valves I'll be using will probably bottleneck the flow more than that barb would. It's a matter of principle, and curiosity.

 

No difference as they both sell the same thing. I went with the barbs on the female ends but plan on switching to Female threads and the 1/2" SS coupler that Bobby mentions in the video. I would like to see more flow.

 

using a barb fitting you ARE bottle necking no matter which way you slice it.

there is NO harm in threading the fitting into the silicon hose thus no grinding needed.

yes they make high flow barb fittings, but truth be told its still going to be fitting inside of your 1/2" diameter hose.

if you can find a 5/8 barb x 1/2 MIP SS fitting then you might be alright.

-=Jason=-

 

From the photos the Pro Flow Dynamics hose barbs look to be about twice the size of the ones on bargain fittings. Is the photo on Pro Flow's website a larger size? One would think that it would still loo proportional.

Also, Are we saying that we can reduce flow restriction if we stretch the 1/2" silicone tubing over the threads of an MPT fitting vice using the barb?

Where is the video you're talking about?

 

Here is the video:



I think we determined that those aren't the actual 1/2" fittings on ProFlow's site.

 

At least as to the non barbed fittings; the Proflow fittings are identical to the ones that Bargain fittings has. The picture is just a bit deceiving. I bought some from each depending on who had the ones I needed in stock and they are all the same.

I decided not to get the restrictive barbs and pushed the 1/2 inch silicone tubing right over the threads. It is a bit of a pain, but once you get it on there it works fine. I ground one of them down for comparison and for me it wasn't worth the extra work and it also devalues the connector if you ever need to sell it.

As to the stainless vs aluminum, if you have the extra cash go with the stainless. It will last longer, and if you only need it for a few years, it will hold it's resale value much better. It also is not bothered by caustic cleaners, and oxi-clean is a caustic cleaner.

 

Even if they aren't 1/2" shouldn't they still be proportionally sized?