Stainless Camlocks review

[Flomaster]

I have found out how I am going to connect everything....

bargainfittings.com order is about to be placed.

since I only have 2 keggles and only plan on using one for now I'll just be buying two TYPE F fittings one to thread into my ball valve and the other to hook up to my CFC then I'll buy two TYPE D's and 2 1/2" street 90's

those large bore barbs are way to spendy for me cost of a nipple or street 90 is less than 1/2 the cost of those large bore barbs.

I'll take my chances and turn down the fittings my self.

edit: planning for my future brewing sculpture how long would you say I need my silicone tubing to be?

-=Jason=-

 

[klyph]

Wouldn't 1/2 by 3/8 reducing street elbows be the better option.

 

[SankePankey]

Never seen one of those before. Do share! Hopefully you are not thinking brass--

 

[wyzazz]

Never seen one of those before. Do share! Hopefully you are not thinking brass--

Quick Google search revealed this... http://www.sealexcel.com/street-elbow.html

 

[Bobby_M]

Wouldn't 1/2 by 3/8 reducing street elbows be the better option.

Yeah, I've never seen a reducing street elbow. The other issue, even if it did exist, is that it appears ohio-ed has the 1/2" FEMALE NPT cam locks.

I've found no problem at all with stretching 1/2" ID silicone over turned down 1/2" NPT, but I can appreciate what he did there.

 

[klyph]

Yeah, I've never seen a reducing street elbow. The other issue, even if it did exist, is that it appears ohio-ed has the 1/2" FEMALE NPT cam locks.

I've found no problem at all with stretching 1/2" ID silicone over turned down 1/2" NPT, but I can appreciate what he did there.

Here's one:
http://www.parker.com/portal/site/P...tdiv=687620&vgnextpartno=1/2 X 3/8 CD-S&Wtky=

But it's probably more expensive than an elbow and a full bore nipple put together. And like you said, you need the male NPT cam locks.

 

[Flomaster]

what application would this 1/2" x 3/8" street 90 be used?

-=Jason=-

 

[klyph]

what application would this 1/2" x 3/8" street 90 be used?

-=Jason=-

Grind the threads off the 3/8 male end and thread your camlock into the female end. Then your hoses point down and won't kink.

 

[Flomaster]

i'd think the ID of the 3/8" end would be smaller than the 1/2" street.

-=Jason=-

 

[Ohio-Ed]

i'd think the ID of the 3/8" end would be smaller than the 1/2" street.

-=Jason=-

The 3/8" has a larger id than the barbed camlock. I then drilled it out to 15/32" so it is almost full bore.

 

[Ohio-Ed]

Quick Google search revealed this... http://www.sealexcel.com/street-elbow.html

These look plenty spendy... ??

 

[SankePankey]

You could use the female cams and couple them with a 1/2" to 3/8" hex nipple reducer and grind that.

http://www.bargainfittings.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=36_40&product_id=160

 

[Ohio-Ed]

You could use the female cams and couple them with a 1/2" to 3/8" hex nipple reducer and grind that.

http://www.bargainfittings.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=36_40&product_id=160

Uhhh... Take a look at the pictures on the post up above... That's exactly what I did

Ed

 

[wildwest450]

Are these camlocks worth all the trouble? Buying all these extra fittings and having to grind/rig them up? I need to be dang sure of what's best before I invest $150+ in stainless connectors, until then it's my fisrt love, brass qd's, they are awesome.

 

[Flomaster]

SS has the Bling factor, we sell camlocks at work or well we used to when the market was hot. but the 2" variety for water trucks and fire hoses.

i should see if my vendor has 1/2" and what my cost is ....

being a guy who hasn't bought any tubing or connectors yet I think these are a great investment for a first time buyer

-=Jason=-

 

[Ohio-Ed]

Are these camlocks worth all the trouble? Buying all these extra fittings and having to grind/rig them up? I need to be dang sure of what's best before I invest $150+ in stainless connectors, until then it's my fisrt love, brass qd's, they are awesome.

I'm upgrading from polycarbonate QD's. They are cheap, and I kept extras on hand. Last brew, I broke 3. They were easy to break by stepping on them or something like that but then I think they started getting heat stressed and are becoming brittle.

So, I wanted something more robust and I don't think these are a lot more than the brass QD's. Since I'm replacing them all just decided to do what I can to increase the "potential" flow rate.

To be honest, If I had brass QD's I probably would not replace them unless I was having some kind of issue.

Ed

 

[wildwest450]

To be honest, If I had brass QD's I probably would not replace them unless I was having some kind of issue.
Ed

I do love them, of course gold and silver don't mix around here. (ss snob reference)

 

[Ohio-Ed]

I do love them, of course gold and silver don't mix around here. (ss snob reference)

I thought that might be the case...

 

[Yambor44]

I'm upgrading from polycarbonate QD's. They are cheap, and I kept extras on hand. Last brew, I broke 3. They were easy to break by stepping on them or something like that but then I think they started getting heat stressed and are becoming brittle.

So, I wanted something more robust and I don't think these are a lot more than the brass QD's. Since I'm replacing them all just decided to do what I can to increase the "potential" flow rate.

To be honest, If I had brass QD's I probably would not replace them unless I was having some kind of issue.

Ed

Same here. I had all brass with reinforced hose. IMO the silicone hose, even with the 90's doesn't provide near the same support as the braided hose I used with my brass from McMaster Carr.

Also, as far as flow goes, the only time I am going wide open is when I pump my strike water to my MT. All the other times I am either throttling my flow way back to get a one hour fly sparge, or it is bottle necking into my chiller which is 3/8" (IC and CFC).

Maybe if I could get a 1/2" ISD whirpool IC, it would be worth it. They do look nice and are easy to use.

 

[Randar]

Are these camlocks worth all the trouble? Buying all these extra fittings and having to grind/rig them up? I need to be dang sure of what's best before I invest $150+ in stainless connectors, until then it's my fisrt love, brass qd's, they are awesome.

This whole grinding issue seems to be unnecessary. I stretch 1/2"ID silicon tubing right over the threads, even "twist-locking" them into place before placing a clamp on (not over-tightening).

Works like a charm.

 

[Flomaster]

This whole grinding issue seems to be unnecessary. I stretch 1/2"ID silicon tubing right over the threads, even "twist-locking" them into place before placing a clamp on (not over-tightening).

Works like a charm.

The wort can and has worked it way out of the threads and leaked it has been pictured in this thread or maybe it was another thread.

-=Jason=-

 

[Randar]

The wort can and has worked it way out of the threads and leaked it has been pictured in this thread or maybe it was another thread.

-=Jason=-

Yes, if you don't clamp it or push it on far enough. I have a much more powerful pump than most here are using and I have pumped out via the camlocks. Before I clamped I had a leak. Clamps took care of it.

Threads don't cause leaks. People cause leaks.

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

Are these camlocks worth all the trouble? Buying all these extra fittings and having to grind/rig them up? I need to be dang sure of what's best before I invest $150+ in stainless connectors, until then it's my fisrt love, brass qd's, they are awesome.

Personally, I think extra flow solutions are silly. I bought the barbed ones and the are awesome. Look pro, easy to install and have plenty of flow.

 

[user 40839]

Personally, I think extra flow solutions are silly. I bought the barbed ones and the are awesome. Look pro, easy to install and have plenty of flow.

I'm with you on this, BK. I did make a couple of hoses using street elbows/threaded camlocks, but it was purely because it helps prevent kinking, rather than any need for increased flow.

 

[SankePankey]

Actually, I use both. For my mash recirc, the flow doesn't make any difference and I use the barbed one. For wort chilling, I use a larger bore solution. I think it certainly helps there.

 

[BrewBeemer]

Actually, I think it certainly helps there.

Darn right unless you have a 1/4 HP pump.

 

[Yambor44]

Actually, I use both. For my mash recirc, the flow doesn't make any difference and I use the barbed one. For wort chilling, I use a larger bore solution. I think it certainly helps there.

What size chiller do you use?

 

[SankePankey]

Well, I'm doing away with my 3/8" stainless 50' coil- because no matter how I slice it, it isn't good enough (even as a Jamil-o-chill) to chill 15 gallons in the amount of time that I consider acceptable for proper hop utilization. Just going to use it for my starter pot cause it fits right in.

I'm getting a 40 plate dudadiesel in about a week (when their new stock comes in).

I have hooked up my Little Giant 1/25 HP pump with both the high flow solutions and the barb qds and I can tell you that no matter what, I'm getting around 2-3 gpm less with the barbs. I got around 4 gpm with the barb, 5.5 gpm with npt plus npt barb (higher flow), and I can imagine with stretching over npt I'll get around 6-7 gpm, which is what numbers I should get with 2 feet of head and my pump as per LG (actually it's like 7.5).

That means minutes, which is of course the only reason I'm considering spending $ to replace my current chiller. I will also be doing a recirulating jamil-o-plate, so I'm looking for good high flow. If you are doing a plate chill gravity drain right into the fermenter, there's no need.

My calculations lead me to believe with 6 GPM on both the water and wort, I'll get 15 gal from 212 to 68 in about 8 minutes. Yeah! Better than the 45+ I'm getting now.

Not many people think that a 1/25 HP pump is enough, especially for 15 gal, and I can tell you it's way enough for me (with 2 ft head, like I mentioned) and especially with the higher flow solutions it works great. I'd be sad if I spent the dough on a pump that only turns 3 gpm into my chiller. If you have a 1/12 HP pump, it might not be so necessary, but I'll stretch some silicone if it works as good as a $75 more pump.

 

[SankePankey]

It's not a question of "is it worth it" to do this, it's more a quest to find the quick disconnects with the best flow in a 1/2" config. I don't have brass ones or the stainless morebeers, but I can tell you that these fittings have better flow than my CPC plastic qds that I have- quite a bit.

A barb made for 1/2" hose is going to be sizably less than 1/2" ID, of course, so if grinding threads doesn't suit you, then why not get 1/2" npt to 5/8" hose barb fittings to put on the end and stretch your hose over that. That would work just the same.

 

[Flomaster]

what size or number Oetiker clamp do I need when using 1/2" silicone over a turned down 1/2" street 90?

I am placing an order to CHI company and would like to get all I need in one shot.


-=Jason=-