Advice on connectors/connections

[Yooper]

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.

Good point- it never even occurred to me! I was going to just test it with cold water, in case it leaks. I've been burned before. Literally, and figuratively!

But I'll start with cold to get the 'big leaks' and then heat the HLT or BK and check the chiller and other fittings at that time as well.

I really appreciate all the tips! You guys are awesome.

Oh, and you owe me another $385 for feeding my obsession. I'm keeping track. You guys are responsible for a tad over $5800 for my system. Without your goading, er, support - I would have a bucket and a pot and maybe a cooler.

 

[CA_Mouse]

Oh, and you owe me another $385 for feeding my obsession. I'm keeping track. You guys are responsible for a tad over $5800 for my system. Without your goading, er, support - I would have a bucket and a pot and maybe a cooler.

Can I get in one this payback? I was basically content with a pot, bucket and cooler! Now its a sublime monster that keeps growing...

 

[estricklin]

Good point- it never even occurred to me! I was going to just test it with cold water, in case it leaks. I've been burned before. Literally, and figuratively!

But I'll start with cold to get the 'big leaks' and then heat the HLT or BK and check the chiller and other fittings at that time as well.

I really appreciate all the tips! You guys are awesome.

Oh, and you owe me another $385 for feeding my obsession. I'm keeping track. You guys are responsible for a tad over $5800 for my system. Without your goading, er, support - I would have a bucket and a pot and maybe a cooler.

The roughneck would like to see pictures of BEER related camlocks once installed if possible.

 

[Yooper]

The roughneck would like to see pictures of BEER related camlocks once installed if possible.

I have about 75% of the males installed. Then, I ran out of teflon tape. I swear I had another roll- but that's for tomorrow.

The hard part is standing in front of the sculpture muttering, "Where did I want those elbows?" So any of YOU guys who have elbows in the systems are urged to tell me what the heck I'm doing here!

 

[passedpawn]

No elbows on mine. Can't imagine where I'd use them, but everybody likes their system a little different.

 

[CA_Mouse]

I don't use elbows on mine either... But then, I am all Thumbs!

 

[BeardedBrews]

I have seen folks using elbows on the end of the tubing that attaches to the vessel drain. This takes the strain off of the tubing which might otherwise want to kink. It also keeps the tubing from sticking out quite as far in the front... I occasionally bump mine walking by.

 

[eko]

Put those elbows any place you have long tubing, or can't guarantee a straight and supported run of tubing.

I tried going with minimal elbows. Just one on each end of tubing that connects to the pot's valve and the pump's intake. But the tubing I used on to connect out of the pump and into the CFC was constantly getting kinked at the connection points. It's sturdy enough, until hot liquid starts pumping through it. I'd been meaning to get a couple elbows for a while. Working through this thread, and with Bobby's offer as the final motivator, I pulled the trigger on a pair of high flow elbow barbs and some other misc. stuff. I should've just gotten the elbows to begin with. Now I've got a couple extra high flow barbs, since they had to be replaced with the elbow + type F combos.

 

[augiedoggy]

Another vote for the stainless camlock fittings... I like them better than tri clover for everything but the cold side after the boil. My setup is loaded with them for easy cleanup.

Something to keep in mind, It shouldnt be an issue if you order them all through Bobby but SOME of the cheaper SS camlocks come with the cheaper black rubber seals instead of the white silicone ones.
Also I have bought mine from many different sources including Duda, Bargain fittings and ebay and found some of the ones sold on ebay have terribly machined male ends with so much extra material that I had to grind them down just so I can use them and they are still difficult to lock down.

I have some older food grade plastic camlocks on a "V Vessel" I bought on craigslist and the stainless ones are compatible with them also so the aluminum ones will also likely work fine with stainless counterparts.

 

[Hello]

You can remove the rings, and slip a small piece of tubing over the "wings", to give you more leverage, less skinned knuckles!

This is damn brilliant! I'm going to do this to my system.

I have about 75% of the males installed. Then, I ran out of teflon tape. I swear I had another roll- but that's for tomorrow.

The hard part is standing in front of the sculpture muttering, "Where did I want those elbows?" So any of YOU guys who have elbows in the systems are urged to tell me what the heck I'm doing here!

I walked into ACE hardware once and bought 5 rolls of tape, an attachment for my hose so I can turn it on and off at the end, and two hoses for a new kitchen faucet. The guy looked at me and said the plastic attachment didn't need teflon tape nor did the kitchen faucet hoses. I laughed and said that my stainless fittings on my brew kettles needed the tape. That just confused him more, I paid and left.

Anyway, about the elbows. If you look at @Bobby_m 's pump kit, you can see where he has elbows installed. I buy the pump kits because it is just easier. I've bought one pump and two kits from him. The elbows are nice for the tubing coming from the valve into the pump. Since for me the valve is horizontal and the pump is vertical, it just works. Maybe that is why you got them. I ordered 4 street elbows, but those are intended for dip tubes and who knows what else I thought I needed. I'll see when my box arrives and likely be doing something similar to what you're doing about why I ordered something.

@augiedoggy That is why I go to Bobby. Although I couldn't get in on his deal, I tend to stick with one supplier because I trust what he has. I could have ordered 3 piece ball valves for $11 each at another site, but I went with the regular ball valves on Bobby's site because I know I'll get a good product. I have one ball valve from Amazon and it wouldn't open and close. The guy said it would wear and get easier, I returned it, had to pay shipping, it was a mess. No more. I just stick with Bobby and call it day.

 

[augiedoggy]

This is damn brilliant! I'm going to do this to my system.



I walked into ACE hardware once and bought 5 rolls of tape, an attachment for my hose so I can turn it on and off at the end, and two hoses for a new kitchen faucet. The guy looked at me and said the plastic attachment didn't need teflon tape nor did the kitchen faucet hoses. I laughed and said that my stainless fittings on my brew kettles needed the tape. That just confused him more, I paid and left.

Anyway, about the elbows. If you look at @Bobby_m 's pump kit, you can see where he has elbows installed. I buy the pump kits because it is just easier. I've bought one pump and two kits from him. The elbows are nice for the tubing coming from the valve into the pump. Since for me the valve is horizontal and the pump is vertical, it just works. Maybe that is why you got them. I ordered 4 street elbows, but those are intended for dip tubes and who knows what else I thought I needed. I'll see when my box arrives and likely be doing something similar to what you're doing about why I ordered something.

@augiedoggy That is why I go to Bobby. Although I couldn't get in on his deal, I tend to stick with one supplier because I trust what he has. I could have ordered 3 piece ball valves for $11 each at another site, but I went with the regular ball valves on Bobby's site because I know I'll get a good product. I have one ball valve from Amazon and it wouldn't open and close. The guy said it would wear and get easier, I returned it, had to pay shipping, it was a mess. No more. I just stick with Bobby and call it day.

Yes very good point... I had to try all my options though... Now that I know what vendors are not so good and what ones are quality I can accomplish more with less $$ since thats always my biggest restriction. I'm always pushing the boundries of my budget with additions... I just bought another 12.5 gallon stainless conical yesterday from an american manufactuer who makes them for another vendor who sells them for twice as much so sometimes it really pays to take risks. ( it even came with the better butterfly valve and extra barb/TC fittings.) All in all if I just would have stuck with any one vendor it would have cost me thousand of dollars more to build my setup. Some vendors have better margins and purchasing power on different things than others and some just mark things up higher to pay for the the sportcar or boat they may be trying to justify... We are all human.

That said Bobby prices are very fair and I have never had an issue with what I have ordered from him. He is one of the best vendors on this forum IMHO

 

[Yooper]

Working on this now, and it is not clear to me if I am supposed to put Teflon tape on the camlock that goes into the elbow on the BL set up?

 

[CA_Mouse]

just bought another 12.5 gallon stainless conical yesterday from an american manufactuer who makes them for another vendor who sells them for twice as much

augie can you PM me this information? I'm in need of 2 and the thought of being able to justify the $$ this way will make the wife happy.

That said Bobby prices are very fair and I have never had an issue with what I have ordered from him. He is one of the best vendors on this forum IMHO

Can't agree more! I now who the manufacturer of the cam locks Bobby sells is (they are less than 10 miles from me) and I still order from Bobby. Nice guy, great prices and easily one of the best vendors I've dealt with in a long time. nestar:nestar:nestar:nestar:nestar::hs: (gave him a :hs: for putting up with my barbs at NHC when Yooper and I ran into him! So that makes him a 5.5 Star Vendor!)

 

[CA_Mouse]

Working on this now, and it is not clear to me if I am supposed to put Teflon tape on the camlock that goes into the elbow on the BL set up?

If it has exterior threads (ie a male connector) tape it! I was chasing a leak on my new 70 quart cooler build yesterday and forgot tape on one... Needless to say, I offered to let my 12 yo kick me... But she thought it was a trick and she was going to pay for it!

 

[PlexVector]

Working on this now, and it is not clear to me if I am supposed to put Teflon tape on the camlock that goes into the elbow on the BL set up?

The safest rule is all NPT male threads get teflon.

 

[augiedoggy]

augie can you PM me this information? I'm in need of 2 and the thought of being able to justify the $$ this way will make the wife happy.



Can't agree more! I now who the manufacturer of the cam locks Bobby sells is (they are less than 10 miles from me) and I still order from Bobby. Nice guy, great prices and easily one of the best vendors I've dealt with in a long time. nestar:nestar:nestar:nestar:nestar::hs: (gave him a :hs: for putting up with my barbs at NHC when Yooper and I ran into him! So that makes him a 5.5 Star Vendor!)

turns out I may be wrong on some of this info... Spike just confirmed that the manufacturer is not the same one as they use but the jury is still out one whether its actually completly made here in the states... all the info I can find says this "Dave Lucas
1603 Shoemaker rd
Abington, Pa. 19001
215 833-2255" has been making these for years and only selling direct or on ebay... heres a link to the auction... the pics sure dont look like china but I could be wrong. all the reviews from owners have been great!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/HOMEBREW-CO...S-beer-wine-/291553997162?hash=item43e1f8f16a
sorry to take this off topic but I thought it best to clarify here anyway since my previous statement was incorrect.

 

[augiedoggy]

EDIT*** Correction! further research shows I may have been right but there was more to it... the ebay seller used to use the same manufactuer but recently had it oursourced to china.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=542467&page=2

 

[Yooper]

I got everything together, and now I'm wishing I would have purchased two more elbows! They are great into the pump since I have an angle, as well as coming out of the vessels.

I'm going to leak test it in a little while.

 

[dmcman73]

I got everything together, and now I'm wishing I would have purchased two more elbows! They are great into the pump since I have an angle, as well as coming out of the vessels.

I'm going to leak test it in a little while.

You will always find yourself thinking "I should have bought a few more of those" as you're upgrading.

 

[LandoLincoln]

I got everything together, and now I'm wishing I would have purchased two more elbows! They are great into the pump since I have an angle, as well as coming out of the vessels.

I'm going to leak test it in a little while.

Make with the pics already!

 

[CA_Mouse]

Thanks augie!

 

[Yooper]

Make with the pics already!

I just got done- no leaks. But I had trouble with priming the pumps that I never had before. So I walked away and will go back to it another time.

 

[augiedoggy]

I just got done- no leaks. But I had trouble with priming the pumps that I never had before. So I walked away and will go back to it another time.

could that be because of the absence of leaks to displace the air tapped in the lines? that the issue I sometimes have.

 

[passedpawn]

I just got done- no leaks. But I had trouble with priming the pumps that I never had before. So I walked away and will go back to it another time.

If you take end of the hose on the output of the pump and lower it to the ground (in a bucket or measuring cup) the pump will start every time. That's what I do.

When the pump starts flowing, I just fold back / kink the tubing, stopping the flow, connect the camlock, and off she goes. Anything that went in the measuring cup gets poured into the keggle.

 

[Yooper]

If you take end of the hose on the output of the pump and lower it to the ground (in a bucket or measuring cup) the pump will start every time. That's what I do.

When the pump starts flowing, I just fold back / kink the tubing, stopping the flow, connect the camlock, and off she goes. Anything that went in the measuring cup gets poured into the keggle.

That's what I normally do too, but I lost prime even after it was running ok. I'm not sure what's going on.

 

[Homercidal]

Consider adding a priming port? I think people just add a "T" to the output of the pump just behind the Camlock. It's got a valve on it that you can crack open to allow wort to enter the pump.

My brain wants to think that it should work as long at the pump is lower than the kettle you're drawing from. I think I've seen them before in Rig builds forum.

I might add one when I fasten my pump down to my stand. For now I do what Passed does, and I make sure to have the output opened so the wort will run into the pump. If the out put isn't open, the wort won't simply flow. I've forgotten this many times and struggled to get the wort moving.

 

[dmcman73]

That's what I normally do too, but I lost prime even after it was running ok. I'm not sure what's going on.

Are the pumps below the Kettles? If they are at the same level or a bit above, you will not be able to or lose prime.

One other item to check, if you have a dip tube/whirlpool arm, check for air leaks. Most people don't realize that you need teflon tape on the inside of the kettle on the fitting that goes into the bulkhead to the diptube.

 

[Yooper]

Are the pumps below the Kettles? If they are at the same level or a bit above, you will not be able to or lose prime.

One other item to check, if you have a dip tube/whirlpool arm, check for air leaks. Most people don't realize that you need teflon tape on the inside of the kettle on the fitting that goes into the bulkhead to the diptube.

They are below the kettles- I didn't move the pumps or kettles. I have bottom draining HLT and MLT, and while there isn't a great difference in the height between them and the pump, there is enough and I've never had an issue before. The BK is not bottom draining, but it's not changed at all.

I have a very busy day and weekend upon me now, so this is a job for next week.

 

[Hello]

Consider adding a priming port? I think people just add a "T" to the output of the pump just behind the Camlock. It's got a valve on it that you can crack open to allow wort to enter the pump.

My brain wants to think that it should work as long at the pump is lower than the kettle you're drawing from. I think I've seen them before in Rig builds forum.

I might add one when I fasten my pump down to my stand. For now I do what Passed does, and I make sure to have the output opened so the wort will run into the pump. If the out put isn't open, the wort won't simply flow. I've forgotten this many times and struggled to get the wort moving.

I've thought about the priming port. I have not researched it yet so I don't know quite how to do it, but it seems like a nice idea.

@yooper I know you're done for the moment, but could it be that you're restricting flow from the kettle too much for the larger hoses? I don't know what hoses you had before, but maybe that is it. It is odd that you're not getting the performance you had before.

 

[Yooper]

I've thought about the priming port. I have not researched it yet so I don't know quite how to do it, but it seems like a nice idea.

@yooper I know you're done for the moment, but could it be that you're restricting flow from the kettle too much for the larger hoses? I don't know what hoses you had before, but maybe that is it. It is odd that you're not getting the performance you had before.

Yes, that may be the issue. That's why I'm just going to walk away for now. The bottom draining HLT and MLT are hard plumbed with 1/2" copper, but they both have elbows under them. Still, the BK should have worked ok. I am just going to have to think about this another time, but it does bug me anyway!

 

[Homercidal]

Theoretically liquid should flow downhill, so if the hose and pump are lower than the kettle, then the wort would flow into the pumphead.

However, if your hoses are closed off, then the air inside the hoses restricts the flow.

Also, opening up the far end of the hose may start the flow, but it's likely that if the hoses aren't dipping significantly, then the hose will only fill partially, not quite enough to get a good prime. This happens when the vessel you are pumping to is lower than the pump.

A priming port is a vertical tube added to the output of the pump, right before the output valve. It also has a valve and when it's opened, the wort would flow into the pump. You then immediately close this and start the pump. Then you can open the output valve to send the wort along it's way.

At least this is what I see when I look at them in pictures. The theory makes sense. I've seen this kind of thing in a well pump. I think when I build mine it will have a thumbscrew, rather than a full 1/2" valve. That way I don't accidentally open it thinking it's the other output.

 

[Yooper]

Ok, I played with it today with cold water. Still no leaks.

I think I've got the priming thing figured out, but it's still a pain. I'm going to leave it as is, and see how it goes before trying to "fix" something that is probably just fine although the priming port would be helpful.

One thing I noticed is those larger hoses and fittings hold a LOT more liquid! I had water just about every where from disconnecting them. I'm glad it was water and not wort- it would have been a sticky mess. Since I brew in the laundry room, I think a bucket will be on hand at all times to collect the drips.

 

[PlexVector]

Ok, I played with it today with cold water. Still no leaks.

I think I've got the priming thing figured out, but it's still a pain. I'm going to leave it as is, and see how it goes before trying to "fix" something that is probably just fine although the priming port would be helpful.

One thing I noticed is those larger hoses and fittings hold a LOT more liquid! I had water just about every where from disconnecting them. I'm glad it was water and not wort- it would have been a sticky mess. Since I brew in the laundry room, I think a bucket will be on hand at all times to collect the drips.

During the brew process I have just enough hoses that get moved around and of course there is going to be some leakage. I use a couple of large inexpensive aluminum cookie pans I found at Costco to catch water and wort. Typical wet spots are under valve/connection of: BK/HLT, pump, plate chiller. However, if I had a brew sculpture I probably would use some other method to catch drips.