Palms on Evaluate: ProFlow Dynamics Stainless Metal Camlock Fast Disconnects!

July 20, 2022

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This evaluate is by Homebrew Finds Contributor Brad Probert. Brad is an engineer, knowledgeable homebrewer and skilled reviewer. Seize a hyperlink to Brad’s web site on the finish of this evaluate.

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 will be a detailed 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 means of the brewing course of. When coping with sizzling liquids, that usually means silicone tubing. And when connecting tubing to your vessel or pump, there are 3 most typical methods to do that: 1) Barbed becoming, 2) Fast Disconnect becoming, and three) Camlock becoming.

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Examine Costs, View Obtainable Choices, Evaluate Continues Under:

Camlock QDs at ProFlow Dynamics

Proflow Dynamics has been round since 2007. They specialise in camlock fittings, but additionally make quite a lot 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 usually 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 nicely to a joint that you must join/disconnect regularly. Fast disconnects have a slick one-handed operation, which is their predominant attraction. The draw back is their extra difficult design makes them dearer. And extra difficult designs often imply extra methods to doubtlessly fail.

Shut-up of Silicone Sealing Ring Inside Feminine Camlock

Camlocks are a reasonably easy design, and use a cam lobe function 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 gives easy mechanical stress to power the joint closed, in addition to a strong locking function to forestall unintended unlock. With the levers on reverse sides of one another, it’s designed as a two-handed connection/disconnection, however with some finesse, may be performed one-handed.

Feminine Camlock with Hose Shank – Kind C Feminine Camlock with Male Thread – Kind B Male Camlock to Male Thread – Kind F

Proflow Dynamics has a number of mixtures 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 may be mated to the myriad of choices Professional Stream presents 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 may be performed), and a 1/2″ ID. This maintains a relentless diameter of 1/2″ by means of the hose in addition to the coupling, for the least move restriction. And naturally all of those connectors are manufactured from stainless-steel.

Palms on Evaluate

A number of Camlock Fittings on Totally different Components – Associated: Palms on Evaluate: Blichmann Engineering Riptide Homebrew Pump

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 means of my counterflow chiller earlier than transferring into fermentor. With this association, I’ve totally different lengths of tubing, appropriately sized to reduce lengths. With this setup, camlocks proved very helpful. With the ability to join and disconnect fittings with a easy, dependable mechanism a number of instances is important. In fact crucial perform 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.

Camlocks on Kettles is Handy for Cleansing Disassembly – Associated: Palms on Evaluate: Spike Brewing Tools Spike+ Kettle

I brewed a half-dozen instances with this newest set of Proflow Dynamics camlocks. Nevertheless, to do that evaluate, 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 components. I’ve had no leaks throughout these 3 years of use. And though they promote silicone gasket alternative components, I’ve not seen any degradation or lack of compliance within the silicone rings.

Mixture Becoming with Feminine Camlock Mated to 90-Deg Elbow

The tubing offered by Proflow Dynamics is a barely totally different sort of silicone tubing than what I’ve usually 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 standard silicone tube. As such, it’s extra proof against unintended cuts or nicks, and is ready to make bends with out kinking or having the partitions fold over and prohibit move.

Becoming a member of Feminine Camlock to 90-Deg Elbow

The straight camlocks I used had been Kind C with the feminine camlock on one finish and a regular 1/2″ hose shank on the opposite. I used to be in a position to 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 means of the chiller. It by no means got here unfastened or had leaked but it surely did transfer about 1/8”. I’m certain being on the highest stress (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

General, 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 short join couplings that may be performed one-handed could be cooler someway, however I wouldn’t need to quit the robustness of the joint. And the locking & unlocking is a really fast and simple operation. I’d suggest the high-flow model of the Kind C couplings for the tighter match to the hose, for that additional degree of “fear free”. I believe you’d additionally see advantages in move functionality from the bigger diameter. You possibly can piece collectively no matter mixtures you want to your specific setup.