Cheapest stainless steal 1/2" Quick Disconnects?

[ghart999]

I am needing about 5 sets of quick disconnects for my pump and kettles. I need 1/2" barb on the tubbing side and 1/2" MPT on the other. I was planning on using the brass ones from McMaster (http://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/116/286/=6cw7l5) but wanted to see about stainless.

The Home Brew shops of course charge insane prices.....

Thanks all.

 

[bendavanza]

search "cheap cam lock"

 

[diatonic]

This is the best price I know of for high-flow 'Stainless Quick Disconnects'... but they're backordered right now. I'm using those stainless males and brass females now.

 

[ghart999]

search "cheap cam lock"

Thanks. I didn't realize they were also known as cam locks. That helps.

 

[Bobby_M]

There are camlocks and then there are the other style that are similar to a ball lock keg connection. I guess they would be called sleeve-lock or whatever. Camlocks are stainless and super cheap but it's a 2-handed operation as opposed to 1 for the sleeve style.

I did a mini-review of the camlocks on the final gravity ep3 podcast last week. http://finalgravitypodcast.podomatic.com/entry/2010-03-23T18_15_32-07_00

Proflowdynamics.com

 

[juvinious]

You could also try these Tri Clovers that this individual makes.

 

[nostalgia]

I have several sets of Swagman's tri-clover disconnects and I lurve them. Full flow, easy to clean, and really trick looking. Which is very important Swagman's welding is top-notch and he's a great guy to deal with.

That said, I saw the camlock disconnects that Bobby_M is talking about the other night, and they look great. They're also 1/3 of the price.

-Joe

 

[ghart999]

Awesome. Thanks all. The proflowdynamics ones look great especially for the price.

 

[Wayne1]

The Pro Flow Dynamics stainless steel fittings are great!

I changed all the fittings on my brewframe from the McMaster-Carr brass over to the camlocks.

While the camlocks do take two hands and are rather tight at first, they do wear in. They also allow you to change hoses without having to put on gloves to avoid burning your hands. The McMaster-Carr fittings do transmit heat very well.

Here is a link to quite a few pictures and some good reviews of the Pro-Flow Dynamics camlocks.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/stainless-camlocks-review-158649/

Here is a picture of my rig with all camlocks in place.

 

[ghart999]

Yes I am sold and will get these instead of the brass McMaster ones I was planning. Thanks all.

 

[Bobby_M]

I posted in the camlock review thread but I'll repeat here. Do NOT use the hose barb version. Get the female thread and use your own hose barb. They are way too restrictive.

 

[ghart999]

I posted in the camlock review thread but I'll repeat here. Do NOT use the hose barb version. Get the female thread and use your own hose barb. They are way too restrictive.

Is the opening on the barb smaller diameter than the brass QDs you use from Mcmaster? Man, if I have to buy $6 barb for each fitting, than makes the whole thing that much more expense.

 

[Henrythe9th]

I'm going to drill out the female barbs for better flow, how about hoses whats everyone using and where to buy

 

[ghart999]

I'm going to drill out the female barbs for better flow, how about hoses whats everyone using and where to buy

How would you do this? I use the 1/2" high temp silicon tube from bargainfittings.com.

 

[Bobby_M]

I don't think there's that much stock to drill out on the barbs. The actual tube is really small OD and the barbed part is aggressive. I'll take some measurements and pictures when I get home.

 

[Bobby_M]

Ok, the stats:

ID of the camlock built in barb: .32"
ID of the male part of the mcmaster brass QD: .355"
ID of an aftermarket 1/2" hose barb I have: .385"
ID of a 5/8" barb: .47"
ID of a standard 1/2" pipe nipple: .56"

I also measured the OD of the camlock barb at .465" so if you wanted to maintain 1/16" wall thickness, you can't drill it out at all.

I was able to stretch 1/2" ID silicone tubing over 1/2" NPT with a little cursing. It might just work to clamp it onto the threads of the type B fitting.

 

[ghart999]

So do you think the .035" difference is opening between the camlock barb and the mcmaster brass barb makes enough of a different if I am using a pump to push the liquid around?

 

[Bobby_M]

Not really, but if you're buying fresh now, the price is so similar that I'd go with the stainless camlocks over the brass if you don't mind the two handed operation.

 

[ghart999]

OK. Camlocks it is.

 

[OneHotKarl]

Ok, the stats:

ID of the camlock built in barb: .32"
ID of the male part of the mcmaster brass QD: .355"
ID of an aftermarket 1/2" hose barb I have: .385"
ID of a 5/8" barb: .47"
ID of a standard 1/2" pipe nipple: .56"

I also measured the OD of the camlock barb at .465" so if you wanted to maintain 1/16" wall thickness, you can't drill it out at all.

I was able to stretch 1/2" ID silicone tubing over 1/2" NPT with a little cursing. It might just work to clamp it onto the threads of the type B fitting.

To follow up on Bobby_M's suggestion of stretching the 1/2" silicone tubing over the 1/2" MNPT Type-B (Pro Flow Dynamics) fitting...has anyone done this? If so do you have to use a hose clamp over the tubing to clamp it over the threads? I like the idea of not buying the hose barb fittings because of the smaller ID as well as 1/2" threads are much handier to have around.

 

[PtotheL]

To follow up on Bobby_M's suggestion of stretching the 1/2" silicone tubing over the 1/2" MNPT Type-B (Pro Flow Dynamics) fitting...has anyone done this? If so do you have to use a hose clamp over the tubing to clamp it over the threads? I like the idea of not buying the hose barb fittings because of the smaller ID as well as 1/2" threads are much handier to have around.

I too would like to know. I was about to order "regular" stainless steel quick disconnects but found out that the cam lock ones are so much cheaper, plus they tend to never leak, or so I heard.