# Male / Female Quick Disconnects



## MastarC (10/10/18)

Hi all. First time post. Currently in the middle of setting up my brew system.

I've been advised that for my set up I need to get Quick disconnects (for separating gas bottle from my custom beer fridge). Needing a male and female with 3/8 barb. I've managed to source this for the male:

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Stainle...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

But wow really struggling to find a 3/8 barb female QD to match? Anyone know where you can get them?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks


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## PTG (10/10/18)

I am probably wrong but that looks like an airline fitting so any tool shop will stock.


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## Meddo (10/10/18)

Those quick connects are the devil's work, I'd avoid them if at all possible as they're a pain in the arse to connect and disconnect - nothing quick about them. My advice would be to try just about any other of the common brewing connection types - gas post and disconnect, camlock, snaplok, push-in valves...

If you have your heart set on them I think keg King and kegland carry a pretty full range.


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## sp0rk (10/10/18)

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/3-8-Bar...759743?hash=item1a225e5eff:g:thcAAOSwtZ5ao4-Y
Then ball locks with MFL thread, I highly recommend good CMB ones, not cheapy Chinese ones
for separating the gas bottle, why?
Are you moving your fridge regularly?
Why not just remove the regulator from the bottle?
Just seems unneeded imho


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## fdsaasdf (10/10/18)

Don't understand why you'd need to QD a gas bottle unless it or the fridge were moving somewhere with considerable frequency. You could always just put a ball lock QD post on a 1/4" manifold inlet, eg https://www.kegland.com.au/ball-lock-post-with-1-4-inch-bulkhead-assembly-gas.html + https://www.kegland.com.au/2-output-2-way-gas-line-manifold-splitter-with-check-valves.html

The QD fittings you've linked would probably work but personally I wouldn't use them for the reasons Meddo mentioned already.


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## FarsideOfCrazy (11/10/18)

It doesn't say that fitting will work with gas, it says in the description liquids up to 60 psi. 

I'd be trying to minimise connections on the gas side of things as it's a bit costly losing a bottle of c02 because of a leak in a connection.


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## koshari (11/10/18)

if you are looking at the High Pressure side you may be confusing them with PCP paintball fittings?

these are indeed rated for the pressure in the bottle side before the regulator but are not required on the LP side, in fact i wouldn’t even entertain using then on the LP side to avoid confusion, and ABSOLUTELY don’t mate these up with a barbed fitting unless you like the sound of High pressure gas shooting the hose of and destroying anything in its path.







just use a push fit john guest style manifold on your frig and have the reg outside like 99% of people do.


edit: i actually think the link you provided is a shank disconnect or commercial coupler??

regardless these are the quick connectors you are seeking i believe.


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## Kenf (12/10/18)

Like everyone else has said - unless you really need to hard plumb the gas line in. I.e. one end of the hose one the regulator the other on a disconnect on the bottle. As I have found out on multiple occasions the more joins (even using John Guest style fittings) the more chance of a leak!
If you must have a disconnect on the out side, there is a gas ball lock post that fits on a 5/8 pass though shank, then on the inside you have multiple options - I currently use a 5/8 - 8mm push in fitting on one line and a 5/8 - to barb fitting on the other. I can run two different pressures with a twin regulator, remember you also have a non return valve and I have an on off valve as well.
Plenty of opportunities for leaks!
Let me know if you want photos of the set up


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## MastarC (12/10/18)

Hi all. WOW thanks for all the replies. Thanks @PTG @Meddo @sp0rk @fdsaasdf @FarsideOfCrazy @koshari @Kenf Truly appreciated. 

I thought best to reply with a little more about myself (regarding home brewing) and my set up with pictures. I am a complete brewing novice. Only just starting out. I have done a lot of homework online and spoken to some friends who home brew for advice and I like to think I am getting a greater understanding of it all, but in saying that some of the replies do go over my head at the moment.

Current equipment I have or I am in the process of buying:

• Custom beer fridge

• 2 x 19L Ball Lock Keg 

• 1 x CO2 Gas Regulator | MKIII Dual Gauge Multi Gas - Type 30

• 1 x 30L HDPE Fermenter Kit & 1 x 30L Stainless steel stock pot

• 1 x CO2 GAS CYLINDERS 6KG

In terms of the male and female QD's - this was just recommended to me by the guy I bought the custom beer fridge off. Very happy to go down a different route in terms of how to gas. Perhaps such a route could be advised better when you guys see the attached pictures of the set up. 

Pictures below (excuse the lines - these will be getting vigorously cleaned and sanitized):

Thanks again for your time and help.


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## Boxcar (14/10/18)

That last photo shows a rigid tubing incorrectly slipped over barbed fittings (neither were designed for the other). Replace those fittings with push-fit on the shank and QD ends.

As for the gas-side, if you want something easily removable, just attach a gas ball-lock post (as has been suggested above) to the low-pressure (secondary) output of the regulator and a gas QD connector to the hose coming out of the fridge. Done and done.


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## MHB (14/10/18)

Lots of things about the setup that bother me CVT (clear vinyl tube) anywhere in a draught system for one.
But pushing Flexmaster onto a barb isn't one of them, that is exactly what a barb is made for, in my experience a barb, the right sized line and a decent clamp is the best possible connection - way better in fact than JG style connectors.
Contrary to popular opinion JG push in are really single use, if you want to use them as a quick disconnect they really need a "tube to hose stem"




which still involves a barb, fitting a hose and using a clamp... Please just not a screw clamp.
Mark


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## FarsideOfCrazy (14/10/18)

In that first pic, if that's your gas from the reg that line looks like it has mould in it. If that's the case it might have had beer forced back through the line. As soon as I see mould in a line i just replace it. It's not expensive. 

Again if it's mould you might want to take the front of the reg off to see what's going on in there too. 

Not a fan of the worm drive hose clamps for these type of lines. I use these type of clamps, https://www.kegland.com.au/media/ca...s_stepless_clamps_suit_6-8mm_od_9.5mm_1_1.png


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## sp0rk (14/10/18)

Boxcar said:


> That last photo shows a rigid tubing incorrectly slipped over barbed fittings (neither were designed for the other). Replace those fittings with push-fit on the shank and QD ends.


Last time I asked, you didn't answer so I'll ask again
Are you from outside of Australia?
Because every LHBS I've been in, all of my friend's setups, the way that Lancer Beverages suggested to me, Faircloth & Reynolds (one of the biggest beverage/refrigeration installers on the east coast) suggested to me and the way that I've always done it has been Valpar/Brewmaster/Etc hose over barbed fittings and secured with stepless clamps, unless you're doing JG fittings or your equipment has Nut/Olive fittings
This is generally the way it's done in Australia afaik


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## wide eyed and legless (14/10/18)

sp0rk said:


> Last time I asked, you didn't answer so I'll ask again
> Are you from outside of Australia?
> Because every LHBS I've been in, all of my friend's setups, the way that Lancer Beverages suggested to me, Faircloth & Reynolds (one of the biggest beverage/refrigeration installers on the east coast) suggested to me and the way that I've always done it has been Valpar/Brewmaster/Etc hose over barbed fittings and secured with stepless clamps, unless you're doing JG fittings or your equipment has Nut/Olive fittings
> This is generally the way it's done in Australia afaik


He is in Canada. (if I remember right)


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## sp0rk (14/10/18)

Ahah, there you go
I guess this isn't the done thing in the US & Canada


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## MastarC (15/10/18)

Thanks very much for all the replies. Always best to be honest.....some of them have gone over my head but I'll do some research on all that has been suggested.

In summary pulling from a few of the replies I should be:

• If I want something easily removable (in truth I don't think the fridge will be going anywhere so it sounds like I can be open to whatever option is best?) I should just attach a gas ball-lock to the low-pressure (secondary) output of the regulator and a gas QD connector to the hose coming out of the fridge?

• Get rid of the worm drive hose clamp where used and replace with stainless stepless clamps?

• Gas connection still open for debate?

• Ultimately if anyone is keen to share exactly what they would do to this system to get it up and running and perhaps improve it somewhat and have the patience to describe how to do it in layman' terms, then I am all ears and very grateful.

Apologies regarding my novice status on the subject. Not easy to help someone who doesn't have a basic understanding of everything yet. Will remain undeterred to try and get the system up and running.

Thanks all

Cheers


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## fdsaasdf (15/10/18)

Personally the first thing I would be doing is replacing all of the gas lines, they look like they are full of mould.


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