Quick Disconnects For Mash Tun?

[Jez]

annoying little cross in the middle of the fitting, can get clogged with chunks of hop flower etc. Well, it hasnt really happened to me, but I imagine it could

I cut the cross out with my dremel. Now its no problem.

Jez

 

[seravitae]

Dont use the actual camlock fitting as part of the bulkhead, set up the bulkhead then add fittings to it depending on application, if you get my drift. Just remember the arms on the camlock need to open fully so you need clearance between the fitting and wall of the vessel.

Cheers

Sully

Gotcha. Unless I roll my own (sillicone sheet, two flat stainless plates as washers, some threaded rod and two nuts) i'll be using beerbelly ss bulkheads.


So the plan is:

Container --> bulkhead (1/2", male thread on outside) --> TP 1/2" ball valve (female-female?) --> 1/2" threaded male hosebarb --> hoseclamp and hose --> type C camlock & hoseclamp --> type E camlock + hoseclamp --> hose to rest of system.

Sound ok?



edit: WOW, TP is *CHEAP*! For some reason unbeknownst to me, when my service assistant on the phone was retrieving the prices, he would say "okay cost is XYZ ex-tax.. so that's +10% for gst.... minus 30%....." (not sure why he was minusing 30% but maybe they have a sale on?)

either way i got quoted $7.50 for type C 1/2" and $6.50 for 1/2" type E camlock... definately going up there tomorrow.

brass lightweight ball valves are $9.86, im not sure how competative this is compared to bunnings.. will check later today at my local bunnings.

so if you're in bris and looking for fittings, now might be a good time to grab their mystery 'random 30% off sale" haha..

 

[Sully]

Gotcha. Unless I roll my own (sillicone sheet, two flat stainless plates as washers, some threaded rod and two nuts) i'll be using beerbelly ss bulkheads.


So the plan is:

Container --> bulkhead (1/2", male thread on outside) --> TP 1/2" ball valve (female-female?) --> 1/2" threaded male hosebarb --> hoseclamp and hose --> type C camlock & hoseclamp --> type E camlock + hoseclamp --> hose to rest of system.

Sound ok?



edit: WOW, TP is *CHEAP*! For some reason unbeknownst to me, when my service assistant on the phone was retrieving the prices, he would say "okay cost is XYZ ex-tax.. so that's +10% for gst.... minus 30%....." (not sure why he was minusing 30% but maybe they have a sale on?)

either way i got quoted $7.50 for type C 1/2" and $6.50 for 1/2" type E camlock... definately going up there tomorrow.

brass lightweight ball valves are $9.86, im not sure how competative this is compared to bunnings.. will check later today at my local bunnings.

so if you're in bris and looking for fittings, now might be a good time to grab their mystery 'random 30% off sale" haha..

Try this way, less connections


Container --> bulkhead (1/2", male thread on outside) --> TP 1/2" ball valve (female-female) --> type F camlock (male-+male)--> type C camlock (female with tail) & hoseclamp --> hose to rest of system

Dammit, those prices are cheaper than what I paid I think <_< and I thought that was cheap!!

Cheers

Sully

 

[seravitae]

Try this way, less connections


Container --> bulkhead (1/2", male thread on outside) --> TP 1/2" ball valve (female-female) --> type F camlock (male-+male)--> type C camlock (female with tail) & hoseclamp --> hose to rest of system

Dammit, those prices are cheaper than what I paid I think <_< and I thought that was cheap!!

Cheers

Sully

Yeah, that was my original plan but i was paranoid about needing the coupling space for the lockarms of the female camlock.


Guess i have much to learn, Obeer-wan.

 

[Sully]

Yeah, that was my original plan but i was paranoid about needing the coupling space for the lockarms of the female camlock.


Guess i have much to learn, Obeer-wan.

Its only a problem if you have the male connection too close to the wall of vessel.

 

[Yorg]

So do you need two hands to take these camlocks on and off?

 

[Carbonator]

Sera, since you are in Brisbane try Tony Powell fittings Geebung & Salisbury. (no affiliation yada yada)

Tony Powel is great, but they are letting their shelf stock run down with some items of late especially the SS 1" Bayonette stuff.

If you see them on the way there, don't bother with McCrackens, unless your a rich "Hobby Farmer" with unlimited budget. They dont stock anything in SS at all.

I suggest trying Towner Raindrop at Mansfield, in a street of Wecker Rd. They always have everything and if you talk to the company founder (old dude in corner office upstairs and his huge picture is on the wall) about Home Brew Beer and pay cash/no receipt, your on for a great deal. Cheaper than Tony Powel. They also do Aus-wide order and postage/couriers. (no affiliation yada yada)

Current address - Towner-Raindrop Agricultural Pty Ltd (07) 3422 1522 U1/37 Devlan St Mansfield

 

[Carbonator]

So do you need two hands to take these camlocks on and off?

With a bit of practice, you can do it with one hand, and if you are doing it with some type of liquid still in the line, you will get a mess.

Connecting them is a bit tricky too at first. You just got to piss those key-rings off, then life is easier.

 

[Cortez The Killer]

I made a bulkhead with a right angle fitting from bunnings - one end was a compression fitting the other normal bsp (about 40-50mm long)

For the washer I bought a $5 silicon baking tray from the $2 store and cut it out with a stanley knife

So my pickup goes

Copper pipe --> compression fitting (right angle) to bsp thread --> lock nut with flange attached --> silicone washer --> wall of vessel --> normal lock nut --> ball valve --> camlock

All with lots of plumbing tape

Depending how you are going to setup your mash tun - you can replace the right angle fitting with a parallel threaded bar (i think that's what they are called) and attach directly to the workings of your mash tun

Also with the camlocks I have them positioned over the ground rather than the bench - so any spills are easily cleaned up - also I usually place my measuring jug under the camlock and catch anything that spills and also drain anything left in the lines into it and pour into the respective vessel

Edit: Also the camlocks are manageable with one hand

Cheers

Here is a piccy

 

[seravitae]

Anyone know off hand what the ID is for 1/2" tubing? I got 1/2" camlocks, and the ID is 9mm... not sure if this is going to restrict the output from the march pump.

 

[cliffo]

For the washer I bought a $5 silicon baking tray from the $2 store

:icon_offtopic: Is it just me our does that not look right? lol :unsure:

 

[Yorg]

Hey Cortez, are you using that immersion element to boil the wort?
If so, what type and wattage is it?
How does it perform: Scorching of wort or hop pellets? Ramp time to boil?
Do you have a complete pic?

Cheers mate

 

[Cortez The Killer]

:icon_offtopic: Is it just me our does that not look right? lol :unsure:

Anyone know off hand what the ID is for 1/2" tubing?

I'm not sure why no one has picked up on this

Your 1/2" ID tube will have an ID of about 12mm or 1/2" - this will allow it to slide snugly over the hosetail of your camlock

Getting tube any smaller will make it difficult to get on the hosetail

I don't think the 9mm restriction will be significant

My march pump (even with the 9mm restriction at the camlocks and the hosetails) seems to pump very quickly - at a guess I'd say at 15L-20L per minute - I'm pretty sure they are spec'd at about 23-25L per minute

But honestly I wasn't pumping that amount of water around at full throttle in one hit for 20L batches

Cheers

 

[Cortez The Killer]

Hey Cortez, are you using that immersion element to boil the wort?
If so, what type and wattage is it?
How does it perform: Scorching of wort or hop pellets? Ramp time to boil?
Do you have a complete pic?

Cheers mate

No complete pic unfortunately

Full details here re: model immerison heater http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...c=25043&hl=

I've got 2 elements both 2400W - they need to be run on separate 10amp circuits

I heat HLT water, make mash temp adjustments and boil in the kettle with them

Best acquisition for my brewery

You can get by with a single one and one is more than enough for a decent rolling boil (I've gone upto about 32L - but probably could handle more) - my loss is about 3.5L per hour in a keggle with camping mat

The second one is for speeding things up, when I become impatient

Cheers

Edit: I've not noticied and scorching - Also I've bent the coil so there is about 2mm between each loop

 

[seravitae]

thanks, cortez!

gettin excited.. with the march pump bulk buy finishing soon, i'll be almost totally set up

 

[AndrewQLD]

When I was shopping for fittings the brass hose fittings were only a few $$ cheaper than SS camlocks (same bits as Cortez).

Sera, since you are in Brisbane try Tony Powell fittings Geebung & Salisbury. They were about $10 a pop. (no affiliation yada yada) You need 1/2" Type C and Type F

Cheers

Sully

I notice they carry aluminium camlocks for about 1/2 the price of the s/s ones, any thoughts on using the ally ones? I need 10 of each for my system so the ally ones look good price wise. Not sure how they would hold up as far as wear and tear goes though.

Andrew

 

[Cortez The Killer]

Remember reading somewhere that aluminum would be to soft and a bump / bent could easily stop a seal being made

Cheers

 

[Carbonator]

any thoughts on using the ally ones?

Just my thoughts;
Corrosion, aluminum oxide, Alzheimer's, wear-out and become loose easy!

If you eliminate water and polish them just before use, they should be OK!

SS is the only way to go.

SS is the only way to go.

SS is the only way to go!

SS is the only way to go!

I fell better now!

 

[AndrewQLD]

All valid points, thanks guys.
S/S it is.

Andrew

 

[Sammus]

"Corrosion, aluminum oxide, Alzheimer's,"

huh? I thought the corrosion was al-ox, which was harmless, and the alzheimers thing isn't even worth arguing against...

If you're on a tight budget I'd go alu for sure.