Connectors - Cam & Groove, Tri Clamp or other?

[orlando]

The speed and convenience of quick disconnects have made a big difference to me, sometimes doing things one handed can be useful. Just remember you will need to "stop the drip with a jubilee clip".

[barneey]

Easy enough with practice. Not as easy a QDs and some C&G can be stiff to operate. Also try disconnecting a C&G or QD without hand protection if it hot. C&G also imho get more difficult to engage when warm.

Does the clamp round the two Tri Clamp flanges not get so hot then?

I recently built a VA with a triclover try and do that with the other fittings.

I'll show my ignorance... VA...?

Cheers,

Bob.

In my experience the actual thumb turn on the fitting doesn't get as hot as say the C&G fittings, VA = Valentine Arm.

[k1100t]

VA = Valentine Arm.

Had to google that. A whole new thing to consider...

Cheers,

Bob.

[Jocky]

Not had any problem with my cam locks getting too hot to handle on my electric system. The ring pulls at least stay cool. I could imagine on gas fired systems, or on systems where you're recirculating for a long time the arms might get hot, but the ring pulls should not.

I've had no concerns with cleaning/sanitation either, but I can see that the universal nature of tri clamps and (if they are welded) the superior cleanliness makes them slightly superior.

[barneey]

Talking of jubilee clips, as the OP is making a shopping list of what he is likely to need, I would always recommend buying the ALL stainless clips, more often than not the worm screw isn't stainless

[Aleman]

Rather than Jubilee Clips I use Oeticker Clamps . . . Permanent, and All Stainless . . . Just need a tool to put them on

[barneey]

Rather than Jubilee Clips I use Oeticker Clamps . . . Permanent, and All Stainless . . . Just need a tool to put them on

Don't think I have ever used those, seen them yes on equipment but never used on in anger.

My weapon of choice is the Mikalor Supra full stainless reusable things, but there not cheap.

[orlando]

Rather than Jubilee Clips I use Oeticker Clamps . . . Permanent, and All Stainless . . . Just need a tool to put them on

I have enough tools I don't know how to use, I will stick with a screw driver. If you want to remove them so you can properly clean hoses or replace them they look a bit more awkward to me.

[k1100t]

OK, so having pretty much decided to go the Camlock route, I now have more questions. Both the pumps I have have 3/4" ports, as does the water filter I bought. Seems like it would be easier to connect everything up with 3/4" ball valves and camlock, rather than stick reducers everywhere.

I've been googling and found various sites that have different (bewildering) ranges, Action Sealtite being a case in point.

Does anyone have any other sources for 3/4" stainless Camlocks...? Are Nitrile Buna gaskets suitable, or would I need to get hold of silicone ones...?

Thanks,

Bob.

[Kev888]

Yes, nitrile is quite common for seals in homebrewing. Some people prefer softer silicone, or even silicone O-rings, which take a little less pressure to clamp up the couplings, but either work well IMO.

Thread sizes can sometimes cause confusion so just to check; 3/4" BSP refers to the nominal bore of the pipe the threads are historically used on, the threads themselves are actually about 1" in diameter. 3/4"BSP are also not compatible with American 3/4" NPT threads, which can be an issue for some imported equipment.

1/2" is perhaps more common for home-brewing, partly due to price and also to flexibility of the smaller hoses. But both are used; I got 3/4" myself as my tanks had nice 3/4" BSP threaded outlets and it seemed wasteful to unnecessarily restrict these with the couplings; smaller diameters are usually fine for pumped/pressurised flow, but not as free flowing for (say) gravity draining or the feed/inlet to big pumps.

Where sizes are mixed, it may be possible to standardise on 3/4" camlock size but use smaller diameter hoses, by getting camlocks that take screw-in hose barbs (or weld-nipples) of the size you want. Similarly larger hoses can be put on 1/2" camlocks with this method. Some of the standard camlock hosebarbs have a fairly reduced bore too, so this is also a way around that. Though it does mean extra threads in the system.

[barneey]

Just a couple of other points to add to this, it might also help others, mostly to do with Tri-Clamps.

Tri-clamps on a Heat Exchanger, can normally be added to the wort side BUT a different connection is required for the coolant side due to fitment restrictions.

Back to k1100t, again tri-clamp related I know you want Cams BUT it would be very possible to buy a 3/4" BSP threaded 50mm flange Tri-clover fit these to your pumps = everything is now universal 50mm flange fit.

Ok enough about Tri-clamps wont mention them again, i'm not a camlock user now so fear my use on the thread is coming to an end, except to say make sure the rest of the equipment can cope with the pumps you have any any likely oversized hose / connector used, pump cavitation for one can be a problem.

[k1100t]

Thread sizes can sometimes cause confusion so just to check; 3/4" BSP refers to the nominal bore of the pipe the threads are historically used on, the threads themselves are actually about 1" in diameter. 3/4"BSP are also not compatible with American 3/4" NPT threads, which can be an issue for some imported equipment.

Aye, one of the pumps is NPT, the other BSP. I know I need different male fittings, was sort of assuming that Part C would fit either...

Where sizes are mixed, it may be possible to standardise on 3/4" camlock size but use smaller diameter hoses, by getting camlocks that take screw-in hose barbs (or weld-nipples) of the size you want. Similarly larger hoses can be put on 1/2" camlocks with this method. Some of the standard camlock hosebarbs have a fairly reduced bore too, so this is also a way around that. Though it does mean extra threads in the system.

I hadn't thought of getting a big bore hosetail and mating it with a Part D, cost wise it looks similar to a Part C, but might improve flow. Back to a bit of thinking then...

Cheers,

Bob.

[k1100t]

Back to k1100t, again tri-clamp related I know you want Cams BUT it would be very possible to buy a 3/4" BSP threaded 50mm flange Tri-clover fit these to your pumps = everything is now universal 50mm flange fit.

I think what's swaying it at the moment, is the cost of the tri clamp ball/butterfly valves, would probably wreck the budget...

Ok enough about Tri-clamps wont mention them again, i'm not a camlock user now so fear my use on the thread is coming to an end, except to say make sure the rest of the equipment can cope with the pumps you have any any likely oversized hose / connector used, pump cavitation for one can be a problem.

I'll keep that in mind. I was contemplating putting a check valve on the output of each pump, but don't really know why, or what the benefits are yet; I need to do more reading.

Thanks,

Bob.

[barneey]

Just think about some sort of bleed valve to help pump priming.

[orlando]

OK, so having pretty much decided to go the Camlock route

I hope for your sake you don't see QD's in use afterwards.

I found bleed valves placed on the outflow vital on all pumps.