mbbransc
Well-Known Member
I'm trying to figure out the best set of camlocks to setup my brewery and I'm having difficulty understanding a few best-practices issues. I've drawn it out a few times but still have questions/concerns. I figure many here have probably designed a few of these over the years and could probably steer me in the right direction.
I'll be moving from boil kettle -> hop back -> pump -> CFC -> fermentor
I have a 1/2" ball valve on my brew kettle. I'm planning on attaching a Male F to that ball valve. I am currently building a hopback from a kitchen canister (I'll take some advice on which bulkheads to weld in, as well) and will attached a Female Camlock D on the IN side, and attach it directly to the brew kettle Male F out. I'll have a Male A leaving the hopback via the bottom of the canister.
Now we get into hoses... I'm not clear on how the silicon hoses connect to the camlocks. I want all my hoses to have female ends for simplicity and consistency. From Bobby's website, it sounds like he suggests BIG C (5/8" hose barbed female camlocks; assume I'll use a hose clamp to ensure it doesn't slip off). Does that sound right? I don't think I'll have any hard right angles in my setup.
So the hose from the hopback goes to the chugger (are their any real concerns to getting the plastic chugger if I'm installing male camlocks and will rarely remove them?). I think the camlock male A fittings IN & OUT there should be fine. Then another hose with the same configuration as earlier headed to the CFC.
OK, the CFC has a 3/8" copper tube. Everything to this point has been 1/2". Am I going to experience any problems? Seems 3/8" would cool faster than a 1/2". But I'm guessing I need 3/8" compression fittings. I see Bobby has 5/8" compression camlocks on his website. Anything that would work for me? Or do I need a 3/8" compression fitting to a 1/2" NPT and then either an A or F camlock? Least connections the better!!
Thanks for any assistance with this!
I'll be moving from boil kettle -> hop back -> pump -> CFC -> fermentor
I have a 1/2" ball valve on my brew kettle. I'm planning on attaching a Male F to that ball valve. I am currently building a hopback from a kitchen canister (I'll take some advice on which bulkheads to weld in, as well) and will attached a Female Camlock D on the IN side, and attach it directly to the brew kettle Male F out. I'll have a Male A leaving the hopback via the bottom of the canister.
Now we get into hoses... I'm not clear on how the silicon hoses connect to the camlocks. I want all my hoses to have female ends for simplicity and consistency. From Bobby's website, it sounds like he suggests BIG C (5/8" hose barbed female camlocks; assume I'll use a hose clamp to ensure it doesn't slip off). Does that sound right? I don't think I'll have any hard right angles in my setup.
So the hose from the hopback goes to the chugger (are their any real concerns to getting the plastic chugger if I'm installing male camlocks and will rarely remove them?). I think the camlock male A fittings IN & OUT there should be fine. Then another hose with the same configuration as earlier headed to the CFC.
OK, the CFC has a 3/8" copper tube. Everything to this point has been 1/2". Am I going to experience any problems? Seems 3/8" would cool faster than a 1/2". But I'm guessing I need 3/8" compression fittings. I see Bobby has 5/8" compression camlocks on his website. Anything that would work for me? Or do I need a 3/8" compression fitting to a 1/2" NPT and then either an A or F camlock? Least connections the better!!
Thanks for any assistance with this!