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Spike Innovations TheElectricBrewery.com manufacturer
Joined: 26 Feb 2011 Posts: 245 Location: ME
Working on: Your Brewery!
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Link Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2011 3:37 am Post subject: Opinions on Fittings |
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Hey Guys-
Wanted to get your opinions on some things as I am piecing together some more kits to make building your Electric Brewery even easier.
We are having a tough time sourcing 1/2" SS QD's like the ones that Kal uses from MoreBeer (seems everyone is out of stock on them). What I do have access to however is SS Cam-Lock Fittings.
Since neither Kal or I have used them before, can anyone that has used Cam-Locks please chime in on their ease of use/implementation in a brewing setup. I know they are fairly popular, but wanted to see if there was interest if we were to offer them for sale.
Also, for those that have used them, on the Female disconnect portion of the Cam-Lock, is it easier to have more 'meat' on the fitting by using a separate NPT to 1/2" nipple, or simply a Cam-Lock with a 1/2" nipple permanently attached?
Pictures here:
Thank you!
Mike
_________________ Official manufacturer for TheElectricBrewery.com. Click here to order our products!
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Sparky
Joined: 17 Dec 2010 Posts: 217 Location: Muir Beach, California
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Link Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2011 4:48 am Post subject: |
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My $0.02 (in the US, now worth $0.002):
After looking into this, I am sticking with 1/2" SS QD's, like EK designed.
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milldoggy
Joined: 23 Dec 2010 Posts: 569 Location: Pottstown, PA
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Link Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2011 9:43 am Post subject: |
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I really like my camlocks, no leaks, arms don't get hot. Easy to use if you remove the rings and pins. I can use them one handed. The issue with the barb is reduced flow. It is not full 1/2inch. I went with type F and B. I added streeet elbows and ground the threads off. This provided full 1/2inch and a easy to hold fitting. Yes the angle causes some turbuence, but my flow is great and no pump cavitation. I also use 5/8 pickup tubes, so I don't have a choke point there. You do need to replace the rubber oring with the silicon ones. Can't rememeber the size, but bargin fittings includes them free. I have not used the QD, but I have zero regrets with the cams.
So unless people are going to make their entire system 1/2 through out, the bards are probably fine. I wanted to whirlpool so I went the extra step to maximize flow, but since most people use 1/2 soft copper or ss, I doubt it matters all that much. Bobby m over at hbt so a good thread about these, I can try to find it if you want.
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pola0502ds
Joined: 14 Mar 2011 Posts: 290 Location: poland, Ohio
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Link Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2011 11:12 am Post subject: |
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What is pump cavitation?
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Castermmt
Joined: 03 Jan 2011 Posts: 863 Location: Lowell, In
Drinking: Steelhead Porter, Alt-Toids, Hefty-Weizen, Terry's Kolsch, African Amber, Pumpkin Ale, Double Dog Ale
Working on: Janet's Brown Ale, Terry's Kolsch, Pilsner
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Link Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2011 12:06 pm Post subject: |
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Here is the link to the BobbyM explanation Milldoggy spoke about on the differences.
I'm using the Cam locks based on this video. Castermmt
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7VQQ1bxvTw
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ajt012
Joined: 21 Dec 2010 Posts: 54 Location: Miami
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bbognerks
Joined: 10 Jan 2011 Posts: 51 Location: Wichita, KS
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Link Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2011 4:22 pm Post subject: |
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I did the same thing as milldoggy except I didn't grind the threads off the street elbows. I wouldn't use anything else. Cam-locks are great and cheap compared to the other options.
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kal Forum Administrator
Joined: 12 Dec 2010 Posts: 11122 Location: Ottawa, Canada
Drinking: Pub Ale, Electric Creamsicle, Mild, Pliny the Younger, Belgian Dark Strong, Weizen, Russian Imperial Stout, Black Butte Porter
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Link Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2011 4:41 pm Post subject: |
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My setup's all 1/2" inner diameter (ID) throughout except for approx a 1" distance in the barbed fittings as described in the video.
Is the flow restricted on my setup somehow? Possibly. Is it an issue for me? No. On the setup that I built and for how I use it, having faster flow would give me absolutely no benefit. Your mileage may vary. Everyone uses their setup differently.
Kal
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My basement/bar/brewery build 2.0
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Spike Innovations TheElectricBrewery.com manufacturer
Joined: 26 Feb 2011 Posts: 245 Location: ME
Working on: Your Brewery!
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milldoggy
Joined: 23 Dec 2010 Posts: 569 Location: Pottstown, PA
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Link Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 2:09 am Post subject: |
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pola0502ds wrote: | What is pump cavitation? |
Cavitaion is when an impeller or propeller is spinning in an airpocket(this may be way off, my druken definrion), it throwa off the spin and resistance,
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milldoggy
Joined: 23 Dec 2010 Posts: 569 Location: Pottstown, PA
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Link Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 2:22 am Post subject: |
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Double post, thanks android!!!!!
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milldoggy
Joined: 23 Dec 2010 Posts: 569 Location: Pottstown, PA
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Link Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 2:29 am Post subject: |
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Spike, why are you sold on QD's? I have not use qds on beer, just air lines, and I think the cams are just as good if not better. The cam arms are nice because they don't get hot and with a bare hand you can disconnect. There are no leaks, you can boil them(with silicon oring) for sanitazation reasons. What are your reasons for the $QDs?
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Spike Innovations TheElectricBrewery.com manufacturer
Joined: 26 Feb 2011 Posts: 245 Location: ME
Working on: Your Brewery!
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Link Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 11:30 am Post subject: |
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milldoggy wrote: | Spike, why are you sold on QD's? I have not use qds on beer, just air lines, and I think the cams are just as good if not better. The cam arms are nice because they don't get hot and with a bare hand you can disconnect. There are no leaks, you can boil them(with silicon oring) for sanitazation reasons. What are your reasons for the $QDs? |
Personally I like the looks of the QDs better than the cams, but it is possible that we offer both for those that want to choose. Ultimately trying to source either of these is not easy. I have numerous contacts into multiple companies to try to find pieces that match both options.
_________________ Official manufacturer for TheElectricBrewery.com. Click here to order our products!
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rosenjm
Joined: 21 Dec 2010 Posts: 249 Location: Ballston Spa, NY
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Link Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 12:00 pm Post subject: |
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milldoggy wrote: | pola0502ds wrote: | What is pump cavitation? |
Cavitaion is when an impeller or propeller is spinning in an airpocket(this may be way off, my druken definrion), it throwa off the spin and resistance, |
It is the rapid formation and collapse of vapor pockets in a flowing liquid in regions of very low pressure, a frequent cause of structural damage to propellers, pumps, etc.
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milldoggy
Joined: 23 Dec 2010 Posts: 569 Location: Pottstown, PA
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Link Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 11:08 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks, I was fasting yesterday, then drank way to many orange hefes, my bad explanation is all I came up with.
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milldoggy
Joined: 23 Dec 2010 Posts: 569 Location: Pottstown, PA
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Link Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2011 12:28 am Post subject: |
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Have you tried proflowdynamics? They have a good supply of the cams. Also, I think the cams look awesome. I visit a lot of water plants and I always see the large version there. The 2 inch ones look bad ass
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Spike Innovations TheElectricBrewery.com manufacturer
Joined: 26 Feb 2011 Posts: 245 Location: ME
Working on: Your Brewery!
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Link Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2011 12:51 am Post subject: |
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milldoggy wrote: | Have you tried proflowdynamics? They have a good supply of the cams. Also, I think the cams look awesome. I visit a lot of water plants and I always see the large version there. The 2 inch ones look bad ass |
I did check them out and will be contacting them. Their prices are impossible to beat from what I've seen at this point (at full retail even).
_________________ Official manufacturer for TheElectricBrewery.com. Click here to order our products!
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Grandequeso
Joined: 17 Mar 2011 Posts: 36 Location: Jacksonville, Fl
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Link Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2011 3:07 am Post subject: |
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I love the pro flow camlock fittings. I use the type "c" female fittings as I'm not too concerned about high flow rates. (I use 3/8" ss coil for my herms.) Just be aware that the pictures of the fitting on their site don't exactly match up to what the 1/2" fitting look like in reality. The "c" type 1/2" fittings have a greatly reduced internal diameter. If you were concerned with reduction of flow rate you might be better off using the "b" or "d" fittings along with 1/2" barb fitting to connect to your hoses (this would raise the price by approx $5 per fitting) Also, the pro flow fittings come stock with some type of black rubber gasket of questionable orgins. I replaced mine with one of the bazillion extra gaskets I had already ordered from macmaster an had left over. The 13/16" id dia silicon gaskets come in a bag of 50. I think, we only use less than 10 on the kettles... one easily drops right into the fitting once you pull out the black rubber gasket out.
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Sparky
Joined: 17 Dec 2010 Posts: 217 Location: Muir Beach, California
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Link Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2011 3:22 am Post subject: |
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milldoggy wrote: | The cam arms are nice because they don't get hot and with a bare hand you can disconnect. |
Well, this is interesting. What about the Kal QD? Do you need gloves/mitts to do QD's, are they too hot?
For me, this could be the deciding factor.
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KES
Joined: 13 May 2011 Posts: 472 Location: Iowa
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Link Posted: Thu Aug 25, 2011 2:02 am Post subject: |
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Decided to go with camlocks. Available and cheaper. Got mine at Bargainfittings.
_________________ “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” B. Franklin
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