17 replies to this topic

[zymot]

I am looking to kit up my system with some sort of Quick Disconnect arrangement.  It help to organize my brew rig and  normalize and standardize my process. I use QD for my garden hoses, works great.

 

Looking around there appears to be three flavors of disconnects. Quick disconnect, Camlock and Triclamp.

 

#1 Unless somebody makes a compelling argument for Triclamp, this are off the table, too much extra money for little advantage.

 

#2 The conventional quick disconnect look fine. Are there different types or sizes or incompatible brands of brewing quick disconnects I should know about? On the interwebs, all the quick disconnects look the same. They are not cheap,  ~$20/00/connection point. The quick connect/disconnect feature is nice, I do not see me taking advantage of it.

 

#3 The Camlock/Snaplock have the attractive price, about half. I have no problem with extra step of locking connector in place.

 

What are the advantages and disadvantages of each flavor? Who uses something they like, who has something that is a PITA? Reliability issues? Securing inventory, it seems to me that the QD are what I see on the shelf. Camlocks are on-line source.

 

Brews-Bros Brain Trust, what say you?

[HVB]

I use camlocks presently. For a long time I used hydraulic disconnects from McMaster Carr and they were good and relatively cheap but not ss. Cam locks let me go all SS and just work well. Take a look at brewhardware.com, they have a good selection.

Triclamps are great but I only use them on the cold side other than connecting the chiller hose to my fermenter.

[djinkc]

I've been using the McMaster QDs forever.  I believe there is a SS option

[zymot]

I've been using the McMaster QDs forever.  I believe there is a SS option

 

If you do not use stainless steel QD, what are your QDs made of?

[djinkc]

If you do not use stainless steel QD, what are your QDs made of?

I didn't poke around McMaster much but I think I was wrong about the SS.  Been using the same brass ones George clued us into.

[HVB]

If you do not use stainless steel QD, what are your QDs made of?

They are brass. There is a link in the FAQ. Look for QD and silicone hose as the title.

[dagomike]

I loved my stainless tri-clamps, but I don't think these camlocks were around back then. They let me go all stainless and had obvious advantages for cleaning and sanitizing. A bit of a pain to keep track of the gaskets, but I just had a bin of them on the brew cart and grabbed one if one went missing.

[HVB]

I loved my stainless tri-clamps, but I don't think these camlocks were around back then. They let me go all stainless and had obvious advantages for cleaning and sanitizing. A bit of a pain to keep track of the gaskets, but I just had a bin of them on the brew cart and grabbed one if one went missing.

I think they were around but not as widely known for homebrewing.  Heck, even the tri-clamp accessories have come down in price a lot in the last few years.  Agree on the cleaning and sanitizing advantages. 

[positiveContact]

that's a lot of valves you've got there, drez!

 

what is that canister looking thing in the foreground of the picture?

[HVB]

that's a lot of valves you've got there, drez!

 

what is that canister looking thing in the foreground of the picture?

One more that is not shown in the picture .  The canister is a sightglass.  It will let me monitor the color as the mash goes on.

[neddles]

One more that is not shown in the picture .  The canister is a sightglass.  It will let me monitor the color as the mash goes on.

 

Fancy pants!!

[HVB]

Fancy pants!!

 

It is amazing how cheap they have gotten.  A couple years ago they were close to $100 and now I got it for $27 on Amazon. Plus it looks cool ..lol

[neddles]

It is amazing how cheap they have gotten.  A couple years ago they were close to $100 and now I got it for $27 on Amazon. Plus it looks cool ..lol

 

It's definitely cool. Just ribbing you.

[zymot]

One more that is not shown in the picture . The canister is a sightglass. It will let me monitor the color as the mash goes on.

Wow. Color. That is one aspect of my beer I have never ever worried about. What ever color my beer is, it is a beautiful color.

[HVB]

Wow. Color. That is one aspect of my beer I have never ever worried about. What ever color my beer is, it is a beautiful color.

 I worry about all aspects of my beer.

[positiveContact]

I was hopping that was going to be some kind of whirlpool hopping device

[HVB]

I was hopping that was going to be some kind of whirlpool hopping device

 

No, but I am going to be adding one to my fermenter for dryhoping in a no(low) O2 environment.

[3rd party JKor]

I use camlocks (from brewers hardware, like drez mentioned).  I think they work perfectly well.  I wouldn't use triclamps for the hot side, they are made to use on the cold side.  If you're doing a lot of fluid transfer after chilling/pitching it's probably a good idea to go triclamp but most homebrewers aren't moving the beer much after pitching.