QuickConnects or Camlocks for hot side?

[passedpawn]

Yeah, i settled on the QD's but my brain typed camlock..

Wow, nice. I gotta do that.

 

[rhorwitz]

Thanks Bobby..
I settled on camlocks. They came in the mail yesterday..
Excited to get to re-work the brewing setup.

I noticed that there are two camps here; one that likes the ring quick disconnects and the Camlocks. I have both on my system, Camlocks on my hot Liquor Tank/ mashtung and QD on my kettle. I have no preference.

 

[rhorwitz]

Watch this first..

Okay, I drank the koolaid and followed the advice from this guy on BrewHardwar.com and invested into more camlock style quick connects. My LBS only had two, so I purchased the other three from Amazon. Comparison to fit and finish as well as dimensions and sizes of o-rings were very different. I can interchange the connectors, but they are too loose on one and too tight on the other. What is very concerning and very frustrating is that the O-rings are completely different and not interchangeable. This all is in contrast to what this guy is claiming, that these camlocks are compatible across different manufacturers. THIS IS NOT TRUE!!!!!!! The cost differential between camlocks and ball locks depends on where you shop. My LBS could have sold me ball locks at $2 USD more than camlock. So the take away here, is that price and compatibility are no longer an advantage. If anyone is interested, I'll gladly add photos of the camlocks.

 

[rhorwitz]

Thanks Bobby..
I settled on camlocks. They came in the mail yesterday..
Excited to get to re-work the brewing setup.

Those are not camlock, they are ballocks and they look beautiful!

 

[2hennepin6]

I think the problem is Amazon. Bobby and brewhardware.com know their stuff and are top-notch.

Camlocks don't have o-rings. Are you mixing apples and oranges?

Amazon pretty much stinks especially if one needs any support or guidance.

 

[Deric]

I have a ton of camlocks on 2 different brew setups. All of them purchased from Brewhardware or Bargain Fittings. Some are tighter than others. Some go on VERY easy. I've never had a single leak in the 10+ years I've been using them. I have found that replacing the flat gasket/washer they come with with o-rings makes them more consistent feeling.

 

[Komodo]

I've never used them before, and just washed my new ones in PBW yesterday. I found them to be very hard to engage, hoping the loosen up a little.

 

[rhorwitz]

I think the problem is Amazon. Bobby and brewhardware.com know their stuff and are top-notch.

Camlocks don't have o-rings. Are you mixing apples and oranges?

Amazon pretty much stinks especially if one needs any support or guidance.

2hennepin6, yes the lower quality ones purchased were Amazon. The major gripe with the Amazon fittings is that the cam levers are mems based, with no post machining or finish making them difficult to actuate. However, the key point I am making is that these fittings are not made to the same dimensions. BTW- Camlocks have rubber washers which I called O-rings.

 

[seatazzz]

I've been using QDs from the getgo. Make sure they are SS, keep them clean, and have some extra red o-rings in case things go sideways. Also have the male side on HLT, MT, BK connections, and the female (WAY more expensive) connectors on the hoses. Buddy who runs a brewpub uses a mix of TC and QD, and I HATE the TC connectors; can't connect/disconnect with one hand, and if you drop the gasket on the floor (which always seems to happen on the cold side) you are fooked unless you have someone there to grab/sanitize/connect another one. I considered camlocks when I redid a lot of things in the brewery earlier this year, but the expense to change them all out stopped me. I have eight of the female QD connectors on various hoses, and can get new red o-rings from Bobby or amazon, and always have some on hand. Also, a small plus, the female QD connectors will connect to the HD garden hose connector male side, if I need to go that route.

 

[matt_m]

2hennepin6, yes the lower quality ones purchased were Amazon. The major gripe with the Amazon fittings is that the cam levers are mems based, with no post machining or finish making them difficult to actuate. However, the key point I am making is that these fittings are not made to the same dimensions. BTW- Camlocks have rubber washers which I called O-rings.

I got a 1.5" TC fitting from Amazon that didn't fit others? That that make TC not a standard?

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

I'm a QD guy. I have the males on all hardware (kettles, pumps, etc.) and females on the hoses. They're quick, easy, one-handed and they just work. I bought all mine from the same place to ensure compatibility.

 

[Bobby_M]

Okay, I drank the koolaid and followed the advice from this guy on BrewHardwar.com and invested into more camlock style quick connects. My LBS only had two, so I purchased the other three from Amazon. Comparison to fit and finish as well as dimensions and sizes of o-rings were very different. I can interchange the connectors, but they are too loose on one and too tight on the other. What is very concerning and very frustrating is that the O-rings are completely different and not interchangeable. This all is in contrast to what this guy is claiming, that these camlocks are compatible across different manufacturers. THIS IS NOT TRUE!!!!!!! The cost differential between camlocks and ball locks depends on where you shop. My LBS could have sold me ball locks at $2 USD more than camlock. So the take away here, is that price and compatibility are no longer an advantage. If anyone is interested, I'll gladly add photos of the camlocks.

I am the guy in the video and the problem is that China just took a milspec and started making "close enough" camlocks. When you buy stuff on Amazon, you really don't know what you're getting. I guess I should add a caveat to the description that the milspec interchangeability is becoming less likely.

As International freight and import duties become a large portion of the landed cost of fittings, you will find the price difference shrink. The ball lock version is fully machined while cams are partially machined.

 

[Komodo]

Notes from the field: My Camlocks were extremely difficult to engage initially. Looking at it, you would either need to have the silicone washer be thinner, file off some of the ends of the male connector, or file down some of the cams themselves. I wasn't really interested in filing down the male connectors, and the cams are a bit hard to access. Also, I figured they may wear a bit as you use them, it's just that these were almost unusable.

When you actuate the cams, you are supposed to do both at the same time or it makes it very hard to do the opposite side. I could hardly even actuate both to "exercise" them. BUT, if you only actuate one side at a time to break them in, it makes it significantly easier. When you do, pull it off every couple times and wipe out the cam area with your finger. You may not see anything, but there is trace stainless in there which will start galling. When you wipe it, you will notice the next time is that much easier. I think 10-20 actuations on each side made them 75% better and I'm sure they will just get better.

I've got some silicone carbide gel that I may try on one, and that should work even better as long as it doesn't make it too loose.

 

[2hennepin6]

I just rinsed all my tubing and camlocks for brewday tomorrow. Reconnected everything and all the camlocks clipped into place smoothly. I got them all from the same source.