Help - tri-clover sizes and compatibility

[yinzer2]

Hello all.

I need a crash course on tri-clover sizes and compatibility. I’ve been looking into my build for a BK and I’m don’t know if all of the fittings that I’ve found will match.

Long story short would be – What size clamp does a tri clover 3/4" ball valve use? Can I connect something to it advertised as a 1" tri clover 90 degree elbow?

I bought a new BK and my plans are to whirlpool with a March pump feeding a tangential inlet. Both BK connections are tri-clamp fittings. The BK comes with sanitary 3/4" ball valves (5/8" ID) and 3/8 hose barbs. I also want to use an immersion chiller at times which means that when I pump into the fermentation vessel the wort won’t be hot enough to sanitize. So I want to put an added ball valve (of some size) at the tangential inlet, then I can disconnect at that spot after closing that valve and the post-pump valve and go directly to carboy. I also figure that this disconnect could help in priming the pump. I do want to eliminate all threaded connections (but the pump of course). I might use one cam and grove fitting for the fast disconnect to the carboy.

So as I said before what’s throwing me is what size clamp does the kettle take? The site that I getting the BK from has various size valves but only has one size clamp listed. And I find no ¾” fittings anywhere.

I hope that this makes sense. I’m very excited about the BK and having a cleaner (in a few senses) set-up.

TIA

 

[fifelee]

http://www.brewershardware.com/how_to_use_tri_clover_fittings.html

The pipe or valve size doesn't necessary match a tri-clover size. In theory you could have a 3/4 pipe with a 6" tri-clover. That said the 1.984" flange (often called 1" or 1.5") is the most common in homebrewing. Sounds like you got a bk with 3/4 valves from conical-fermentors.com. Their bk and 3/4 valve have the 1.984 (1" or 1.5") flange tri-clover. Yes having a 3/4 valve with a 1.984 tri-clover is confusing, but it works fine in the homebrewing scale and they can sell you a less expensive valve.

 

[yinzer2]

http://www.brewershardware.com/how_to_use_tri_clover_fittings.html

The pipe or valve size doesn't necessary match a tri-clover size. In theory you could have a 3/4 pipe with a 6" tri-clover. That said the 1.984" flange (often called 1" or 1.5") is the most common in homebrewing. Sounds like you got a bk with 3/4 valves from conical-fermentors.com. Their bk and 3/4 valve have the 1.984 (1" or 1.5") flange tri-clover. Yes having a 3/4 valve with a 1.984 tri-clover is confusing, but it works fine in the homebrewing scale and they can sell you a less expensive valve.

Thanks for the reply. You know I just found that link and the chart did make some sense. I've been looking at brewershardware and I saw on their site that the 1/2 and 3/4" clamps were compatible. Then I got worried that I couldn't use all the cool fittings that I've been seeing.

But since my BK has 1.984 flange that means I have lots of easily attainable parts. I could even use the 1.5" Butterfly Valve. And since the 3/4 spec of the valve is the OD of the hose I can still run 1/2 hose. I guess the only bad part is I might have to eat the two barbs, or not. If I do no biggie.

Yes I'm working with conical-fermentors.com. I didn't want to mention them yet because I knew that this drama was all on me. Someone else that as I am, not up on the specs might read this and get the wrong impression about them. Make sense?

 

[fifelee]

If you ordered barbs from conical-fermentors.com they will have the 1.984 (1" or1.5") triclover. The 1/2" or 3/4" triclover size refers to standard pipe sizes. Triclovers were invented to be sanitary connections with standard metal pipe sizes. Barbed triclovers are more of a brewing adaptation so they don't really fit the "standard charts". When it comes to barb fittings they are custom parts. Basically in custom parts any triclover can be put on any barb so one can assume a homebrew vendor will use the most common size in homebrewing (1.984).

 

[yinzer2]

I hope this clears things up. Looks like it should work.

So with 10 minutes to go connect to kettle. Start recirculating to sanitize. Insert immersion chiller and cool. Close tangential inlet valve and open sampling valve at tee and fill carboy. Or I might add a Cam Lock Cam and Groove Coupler pre-tangential inlet valve and use that to exit.

Looks like it should work.

 

[fifelee]

Looks good. You could possibly save some fittings if you use a three way valve.
http://www.brewershardware.com/1-Tri-Clover-3-Way-Ball-Valve.html

 

[yinzer2]

I feel

Looks good. You could possibly save some fittings if you use a three way valve.
http://www.brewershardware.com/1-Tri-Clover-3-Way-Ball-Valve.html

yes I've been looking at that too. I think that I feel confident going froward. Thanks to fifelee for helping out. :rockin:

 

[fifelee]

Finally got a chance to take a pic of my setup. Figured I could save some fittings and complication by hanging the pump. Got the end input pump housing from ebay.