This overview is by Homebrew Finds Contributor Brad Probert. Brad is an engineer, skilled homebrewer and skilled reviewer. Seize a hyperlink to Brad’s web site on the finish of this overview.
Proflow Dynamics Camlock Fittings
If I had been to depend all of the “issues” I’ve essentially the most of in my homebrew assortment, it could be an in depth race between tubing and fittings. Just like the freeway system of the brewing world, all of us must get the wort/beer from one vessel to the following as we transfer by way of the brewing course of. When coping with sizzling liquids, that sometimes means silicone tubing. And when connecting tubing to your vessel or pump, there are 3 commonest methods to do that: 1) Barbed becoming, 2) Fast Disconnect becoming, and three) Camlock becoming.
Restricted Time Deal, Overview Continues Beneath:
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This contains their nice camlocks!
Examine Costs, View Obtainable Choices, Overview Continues Beneath:
Camlock QDs at ProFlow Dynamics
Proflow Dynamics has been round since 2007. They specialise in camlock fittings, but additionally make a wide range of different fittings and ball valves. They service a mixture of totally different industries- together with the brewing business, after all. Barbed fittings are the best, however are sometimes designed to be a really tight match (require loads of effort to mate), or a looser match (require a hose clamp). Both of those conditions doesn’t lend itself properly to a joint it is advisable to join/disconnect steadily. Fast disconnects have a slick one-handed operation, which is their essential enchantment. The draw back is their extra difficult design makes them costlier. And extra difficult designs often imply extra methods to probably fail.
Camlocks are a reasonably easy design, and use a cam lobe characteristic on two locking levers of the feminine connector to work together with a curved form on the male connector to lock. Because the locking levers are folded down, they pull the male finish in to compress a thick silicone round ring sitting inside the feminine finish. The cam motion supplies easy mechanical strain to pressure the joint closed, in addition to a strong locking characteristic to stop unintentional unlock. With the levers on reverse sides of one another, it’s designed as a two-handed connection/disconnection, however with some finesse, will be carried out one-handed.
Proflow Dynamics has a number of combos of camlocks. Male camlocks mated with hose barbs for 1/2” ID hose, or 1/2″ male or feminine pipe thread, or Feminine camlocks with those self same choices. The threaded ones will be mated to the myriad of choices Professional Circulation provides in threaded fittings (90-degree elbows, 45-degree elbows, Tees, and so forth.). The hose barb ends are available two varieties. Along with the usual 1/2″ OD barb (with a 3/8” ID), there’s a high-flow barb that has a 5/8” OD (tight match on a 1/2″ ID silicone hose, however will be carried out), and a 1/2″ ID. This maintains a continuing diameter of 1/2″ by way of the hose in addition to the coupling, for the least move restriction. And naturally all of those connectors are made from chrome steel.
Fingers on Overview
For my two-vessel electrical brew system, I’ve a mash tun linked to a pump and RIMS. After mash, I pump the wort right into a separate electrical brew kettle. And post-boil, pump it by way of my counterflow chiller earlier than transferring into fermentor. With this association, I’ve totally different lengths of tubing, appropriately sized to attenuate lengths. With this setup, camlocks proved very helpful. Having the ability to join and disconnect fittings with a easy, dependable mechanism a number of instances is crucial. In fact a very powerful operate of any becoming is to be leak-free. And with the thick silicone ring within the camlock fittings, it supplied clear suggestions {that a} safe connection was made. I’ve had no leaks from camlocks.
I brewed a half-dozen instances with this newest set of Proflow Dynamics camlocks. Nonetheless, to do that overview, I needed to swap out Proflow Dynamics camlocks that I had used for simply over 3 years. So I do know first-hand the robustness of the design idea and the standard of the PFD elements. I’ve had no leaks throughout these 3 years of use. And though they promote silicone gasket alternative elements, I’ve not seen any degradation or lack of compliance within the silicone rings.
The tubing offered by Proflow Dynamics is a barely totally different sort of silicone tubing than what I’ve sometimes had. Their description explains that it’s a mostly-clear food-grade silicone tubing. Whether or not it’s within the particulars of the precise silicone make-up, or within the platinum curing course of, the tubing is barely stiffer than the everyday silicone tube. As such, it’s extra immune to unintentional cuts or nicks, and is ready to make bends with out kinking or having the partitions fold over and prohibit move.
The straight camlocks I used had been Sort C with the feminine camlock on one finish and a typical 1/2″ hose shank on the opposite. I used to be capable of merely slide the Proflow Dynamics silicone tubing over the shank and it held in place with none clamps. The one place I obtained a bit nervous was on the becoming on the output of my pump when circulating sizzling wort on the finish of boil by way of the chiller. It by no means got here unfastened or had leaked however it did transfer about 1/8”. I’m certain being on the highest strain (on the pump output) mixed with the 200F temperatures led to this situation. So I ended up switching to a 90-degree elbow piece that had a 5/8” barb on it and it was a a lot tighter match.
Conclusions
Total, I’ve discovered camlocks to be extraordinarily dependable and leak-free. I’ve sufficient pleasure throughout brewing that I worth these being one thing I don’t even have to consider. Maybe the fast join couplings that may be carried out one-handed could be cooler one way or the other, however I wouldn’t wish to surrender the robustness of the joint. And the locking & unlocking is a really fast and simple operation. I might suggest the high-flow model of the Sort C couplings for the tighter match to the hose, for that additional degree of “fear free”. I believe you’ll additionally see advantages in move functionality from the bigger diameter. You’ll be able to piece collectively no matter combos you want to your specific setup.
Examine Costs, View Obtainable Choices:
Camlock QDs at ProFlow Dynamics
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Extra Homebrew Finds!
Particular Because of ProFlow Dynamics for offering the models used for analysis on this overview.
By Brad Probert. Take a look at Brad’s web site – beersnobby.com
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