OP
OP
I usually have both hands free, as well. The thing I noticed is that during recirculation, the connectors get hot and I have to remember to grab the hot pad before grabbing the connector!
Advice on connectors/connections
- Thread starter Yooper
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I usually have both hands free, as well. The thing I noticed is that during recirculation, the connectors get hot and I have to remember to grab the hot pad before grabbing the connector!
Brian77095
Well-Known Member
eko
Well-Known Member
Yoop, is your CFC already threaded on the wort ends? If so you can ignore the rest of this.
Earlier this year I modified mine so I wasn't using tube clamps anymore. I only had 1/4" copper pipe coming out of the CFC. I wanted to sweat on some adapters but couldn't get the right size locally so I opted for compression fittings. So I put a 3/8" compression adapter (3/8" to 1/2") on each end. Then threading on type F camlocks finished the job.
OP
OP
LandoLincoln
Well-Known Member
The arms on the camlocks don't really get hot so you'll have an easier time with camlocks then as long as you handle the camlocks by the pull rings connected to the camlocks and the tubing itself.
eko
Well-Known Member
Is it just me, or do those pull rings tend to get in the way every time you try to close a camlock?
I've taken them off at least half of my camlocks, and have been trying to decide which is worse: closing the cams with the rings in place, or opening the cams with the rings removed. So far closing the cams with the rings in place is winning as the most annoying, and I'm very close to removing all the rings. Probably would've done it already, but by the end of brew day that's one extra thing I haven't felt like doing.
I wish someone had told me right from day 1: SKIP hose barbs! Go straight to camlocks.
Maybe I'll say that about triclover one day. Although given the cost, the conversion required, the replacement parts ... nah, I'll probably never know first hand.
Damn, I can't order until Saturday.
Trying to ease the pain of what looks like a $200 + order.
LandoLincoln
Well-Known Member
No, it's not just you. The rings just love angling themselves just right so you can't close them. Maybe smaller rings would be better.
Triclovers are ridiculously pricey for what you get and they are definitely more time consuming than camlocks. I'd only think about triclovers if I ever went pro.
dmcman73
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Awesome! Thank you- I'll put the Big C in my cart now and remove the D.
Plus, order a few more than I think I need....................
Yes order more than you think you need. I thought I got everything only the find out I missed few and had to place another order.
Thanks Bobby! A great deal that I unfortunately can't use at this time, but it shows why I will always order from you!
@bobby_m i couldn't make my order until today, I had the pump kit and $237 worth of items in the cart but now your tubing is out of stock. Will you have it again very soon? I don't want to make 2 orders on top of missing your 10% off.
brick_haus
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Whew, I thought nobody was going to suggest that Yooper remove the ball valve from the inlet to #1 pump. Good looking out Bobby! That valve will interrupt the smooth flow to the pump and may cause cavitation also. This would slowly (or maybe quickly!) destroy the impeller.
Brian77095
Well-Known Member
I use a ton of those camlocks. They become MUCH MUCH MUCH MUCH better if you remove the rings from the wings. OMG those rings drove me crazy.
I guess if you have a fixed system and you CIP you don't remove hoses much, you can use the rings to tie the connection down, but I remove them all the time. Did I mention I hated those rings?
I guess if you have a fixed system and you CIP you don't remove hoses much, you can use the rings to tie the connection down, but I remove them all the time. Did I mention I hated those rings?
I've been improperly using a ball valve to throttle the flow to a March pump for 6 years, no problem. I will add another valve to the output one of these days though, I promise.
eko
Well-Known Member
I knew I wasn't crazy. Not that this proves that ... You're sane, right?
dmcman73
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As much as they are a pita, they are great when trying to remove a very hot cam lock.
estricklin
Well-Known Member
You can do them one handed with some practice.
Here is a link to a thread where I go into WAY more detail than I needed to about camlocks, a tiny bit of it doesn't really apply to brewing but I posted it for those googling:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=432644&page=2
I think you made a good decision going with camlocks. I'm still putting together my electric system but I do not plan to use any quick connectors at all, instead I'm going to build a valve-manifold system. If I did choose a quick connector, it would certainly be cam locks though.
I actually recommend using the male as the stationary whenever possible, but it's not really a big deal.
Good luck!
Here is a link to a thread where I go into WAY more detail than I needed to about camlocks, a tiny bit of it doesn't really apply to brewing but I posted it for those googling:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=432644&page=2
I think you made a good decision going with camlocks. I'm still putting together my electric system but I do not plan to use any quick connectors at all, instead I'm going to build a valve-manifold system. If I did choose a quick connector, it would certainly be cam locks though.
I actually recommend using the male as the stationary whenever possible, but it's not really a big deal.
Good luck!
estricklin
Well-Known Member
The main purpose of the rings is really just to hold the pins that can lock the ears from coming up from vibration. A lot of them don't even come with the pins. Other than that the only thing they are good for is as you mentioned.
OP
OP
Ha- that ball valve has been there since about 2007. It's fine. I never close it, of course- but it has never caused a problem. I was going to leave it in place, because I'm more worried about cracking something when trying to get it off! But I'll remove it, or at least try to, when I put the new parts on.
It's my "water" pump. I have one pump for the HLT/water side only. The bottom draining HLT feeds right into it- it's never once cavitated on me. The other pump, the wort pump, always has issues with priming and stuff. A couple of times it's even squealed when it suddenly had a cavitation issue. But never the pump with the ball valve on the "in" side!
it was just an online inventory error, I have a few hundred more feet of tubing in stock and more on the way. Fixed.
Thanks. Do you know if you're going to have a sale soon? It'd be nice to save a few bucks off my large order.
brick_haus
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OK, that's two that say that thy have no problems with their pumps after many uses with valve on upstream side. I guess I'm a little sensitive about this issue, I work in the oil business, and one leaking seal (usually caused from cavitation) can cause heads to roll...
I will withdraw my advice.
dmcman73
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As long as there is fluid in the pump head while it turning, it should be fine. If the valve is closed or no fluid is left to pump and you leave it running, it will cause premature wear on the head or even cause the impeller to over heat.
OP
OP
Absolutely! But that is true whether there is an open ball valve there or not. It serves no purpose at all- as I've never once closed it- but it hasn't been an issue at all either. Cavitation occurs when the flow is impeded or stopped, or when the pump loses prime or isn't primed. My open ball valve hasn't created a flow restriction.
Don't sweat using that valve. I regulate the flow with that valve, and occasionally stop flow altogether. My pump may hate me, but it keeps working nonetheless.
OP
OP
I just don't have the need to use it. The funny thing is that pump is older than the one that gives me fits, and it's the one with the ball valve on the "in". I bought it used in 2007(?).
When I get my new stuff from Bobby, I will see if I want to take it off or not. I suspect that it's going to be easier to just put the new camlock fittings on it, and I may just do that. I could take it off, if that's not too much of a pain, and save the ball valve for a future use. I'll see when I start taking it apart, maybe tomorrow.
I'm probably one of the few women in my town with a supply of extra ball valves, clamps, barbs, copper tubing parts, and compression fittings.
dmcman73
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I'm probably one of the few women in my town with a supply of extra ball valves, clamps, barbs, copper tubing parts, and compression fittings.
Ummmm......never mind.
Anyway, back on topic. Just remove the valve and put it on the output side, this is the proper way. The impellers are magnetic driven, they aren't attached directly to the motor so restricting it on the output side is what is recommended.
You're pulling it all apart anyway to install new connectors anyway, what's one more thing to unscrew.
OP
OP
Yes, I just took them off and it was fine. Now, for putting the whole thing back together- that's going to be the hard part.
OP
OP
Can you explain that again? Maybe, type more slowly so I can understand?
The rings also have pins on cotter pins on them- what are those for? So take off the rings completely? What are they there for, then?
Also, do they loosen up a bit after use? I just got the box, and already have an injured (skinless) thumb from earlier today (long story), and I found that I needed both hands and a flat surface to close those darn things on each other! Please tell me that I'm not crazy, and I'm missing the trick to it!
edit- the next couple were easier. The first one I tried was the tough one.
Can you explain that again? Maybe, type more slowly so I can understand?
The rings also have pins on cotter pins on them- what are those for? So take off the rings completely? What are they there for, then?
Also, do they loosen up a bit after use? I just got the box, and already have an injured (skinless) thumb from earlier today (long story), and I found that I needed both hands and a flat surface to close those darn things on each other! Please tell me that I'm not crazy, and I'm missing the trick to it!
edit- the next couple were easier. The first one I tried was the tough one.
They don't loosen up over time. If it's a PITA to close now, it will be the same a year from now. Seems I've seen guys around here sand them or do something else to loosen them up, but can't remember.
BUT, I rarely close both sides, and probably never close both sides fully. I think someone on this forum actually removed one wing from each camlock, just to get it out of the way. The silicone washer in there seals really well against the male nipple, and it will remain pliable forever it seems. Do some test runs with water to become comfortable with them and how well they seal.
QD's are easier to use, but they caused me many problems with blockages due to their small orifices. The brass QDs become unusable after a couple of years when the bearings and springs start to degrade. The SS ones might be better, but they were $$ compared to these camlocks, plus I'd have to get large ones to match the ID of these camlocks, which made them $$$.
The rings/cotter pins are not useful for me. I have an electric system (you do too), so I don't have to worry about flames licking up the sides of my keggle and heating my camlocks. They can get pretty hot, but not instant skin blisters like the propane brewers can get. To remove those pins, use a slotted screwdriver and work it through the ring.
I'm guessing the rings are there for industrial settings where you might want to run a nylon tie wrap through them and cinch those wings down onto the tubing, making sure it doesn't let go if an untucked shirt or cow or whoknowswhat brushes against them.
Stealthcruiser
Well-Known Member
A dab of keg lube, on the "cams" of camlocks, will help them close easier.
They get easier to cycle with use.
Edit: I see above, that they don't loosen up with use, but that's not been my experience.
They will always have a "positive" lock feel to them, but they will get easier if you cycle them.
Lube them, and do it before you install them, especially if you have a "dummy" piece of pipe you can screw the to, ( hand tight), and cycle away.
You can remove the rings, and slip a small piece of tubing over the "wings", to give you more leverage, less skinned knuckles!
They get easier to cycle with use.
Edit: I see above, that they don't loosen up with use, but that's not been my experience.
They will always have a "positive" lock feel to them, but they will get easier if you cycle them.
Lube them, and do it before you install them, especially if you have a "dummy" piece of pipe you can screw the to, ( hand tight), and cycle away.
You can remove the rings, and slip a small piece of tubing over the "wings", to give you more leverage, less skinned knuckles!
eko
Well-Known Member
The pins can be used to lock the arms/wings so they can't be closed (if open), or can't be opened (if closed). I've never come across a time when I would want to lock them in place. The rings - I'd sort of assumed they were there to hold the pins so you wouldn't lose them. But I've had pins slide off the rings so they don't always work very well for that purpose. However, some in this thread have said they like to use the rings to pull the cams open. Gives them more leverage. I find the rings tend to get in the way when I'm closing a cam and prefer to remove them, and the pins, and set them aside in my pile of junk I mean extra parts.
PlexVector
Mellow Goose Brewing
The rings help pull the cam levers, and the cotter pins slide into a hole at the closed cam end to keep it locked. I throw the pins in a box, and after reading this thread may do the same with those pesky rings.
I love my cams. Used big ones on the farm back as a kid. The local brew store carries clear silicone replacement gaskets that are a little softer than the black gaskets that come in the female camlocks. I replace all mine with the silicone ones right away. I had always used QDs on my yard hoses for the last 20 years and they are a PITA. Thinking about going all cam on those too.
I love my cams. Used big ones on the farm back as a kid. The local brew store carries clear silicone replacement gaskets that are a little softer than the black gaskets that come in the female camlocks. I replace all mine with the silicone ones right away. I had always used QDs on my yard hoses for the last 20 years and they are a PITA. Thinking about going all cam on those too.
dmcman73
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Not that difficult. Make sure you wrap all male threads with 3 wraps of blue teflon (it's a thicker brand sold at home depot called blue monster) or 5 wraps of white teflon. Make sure you wrap in a clockwise rotation (if you were looking from above the thread) and take care not to allow the teflon to overlap the opening of the fitting in any way. Tighten the fittings together but be sure not to over tighten . Hand tighten and then use a wrench to tighten another half turn or so.
OP
OP
The ones from Bobby_M came with the silicone gaskets. Very nice!
Great- thank you! I have a ton of white teflon tape, so I'll be using that.
I put new compression fittings on my CFC today, and will put the rest together tomorrow. I love the keg lube tip- I'll try that now while I'm messing around with them.
Of course, I didn't diagram what I was thinking, and I'm trying to remember where I was thinking of putting the three elbows.
Remember Yoop, when putting your fittings on, you don't have to tighten them up like a fanatic. The pumps in our system are low pressure and you don't need to hurt them or yourself. ( Saying to the lady holding a whip...)
dmcman73
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Low pressure, yes but high temps cause expansion. That's why when you leak test you should leak test with the same temp of the fluid you'll be working with.
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