Brewers Hardware Quick Clean Tri Clamp Ball Valve

[IanMC]

Hi everyone,

I was looking for tri-clamp ball valves online today, and came across a new style offered by Brewers Hardware: https://www.brewershardware.com/1.5-Tri-Clover-Tri-Clamp-Ball-Valve-Quick-Clean-TC15VBALLTAP.html

They also have a video of its operation: [ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLEvq9cCpi8[/ame]

Anyone have any experience or thoughts on these? I've always considered 3-piece valves to be the best for sanitizability in ball valves, but this seems way simpler and just as cleanable. It's also cheaper than their 3-piece ball valve (https://www.brewershardware.com/1.5-Tri-Clover-3-Piece-Ball-Valve-TC15VBALL3P.html).

Thanks!

 

[Vesteroid]

I have them on my kettles from them, and I like them fine....not sure I would go with anything other than a .5 inch if I had ti to do over again and right outside the ball valve I got to a .5" cam fitting....so not sure what a 1.5" valve gets me....and they weigh a lot and they stick out pretty far...

but they work fine.

 

[IanMC]

Thanks for the review. Is yours the threaded one? 1.5" is a standard size for tri-clamps, but I agree with you that 1/2" is all you need for threaded fittings.

Can you compare it to a 3-piece ball valve? It seems much easier than 3-pieces for cleaning, and that is their main selling point.

 

[Doctor_M]

It's a shame the trI clover version doesn't come in 1/2" . I would imagine they would get a bunch of blichmann conical users replacing their racking arm valve with them.

 

[Vesteroid]

I have their kettles in my brewery and they are tri clamp. I believe they are easier to clean than a standard .5" three piece ball valve as the dismantle of the valve takes about 5 seconds. I also believe they have a Bette feel and perhaps easier control than a standard .5" valve. However on my other ports ( whirlpool and recirculating) I Use their .5" tri clover 3 piece valves and think I like those better.

If there were 1' qd fittings I would be higher on the 1.5" valves so I could take perhaps a 1' line down to my pumps, but so far I have not found one.

 

[IanMC]

I'm confused about your tri clamp valves.... Are the actual tri clamp flanges .5"? Most every conical or pot I've seen has 1.5" flanges. Can you give me a link to the kettle you have?

Thanks.

 

[Vesteroid]

https://www.brewershardware.com/1-Tri-Clover-3-Piece-Ball-Valve-TC10VBALL3P12ID.html

I am sorry my post is confusing.

This is the valve that has a 1.5" tri clamp face, but has a .5" bore and thats the one I use on my whirlpool ports recirc ports etc. These are smaller and I think work just as well as the ones you were looking at.

 

[Jthornburgh]

I have a 1" T/C on my kettle. It is fairly long.

 

[MerlinWerks]

HERE is link from the Brewershardware page with a good explanation of TC sizing. The actual flange size used for most homebrew equipment is 1.984", this is used on fittings/valves that have a 1" or 1.5" bore, with the exception of the valve noted a few posts above which is special from them and has a 1/2" bore...

 

[JonW]

I just put these quick clean valves from Brewers Hardware on my new brew rig build. They pop apart so quick and easy. Funny thing is that the way they are designed, they clean up really good just running water through them.

 

[MerlinWerks]

https://www.brewershardware.com/1-Tri-Clover-3-Piece-Ball-Valve-TC10VBALL3P12ID.html

I am sorry my post is confusing.

This is the valve that has a 1.5" tri clamp face, but has a .5" bore and thats the one I use on my whirlpool ports recirc ports etc. These are smaller and I think work just as well as the ones you were looking at.

It would be nice if they would eventually offer those in a "quick-clean" style.

 

[MerlinWerks]

I just put these quick clean valves from Brewers Hardware on my new brew rig build. They pop apart so quick and easy. Funny thing is that the way they are designed, they clean up really good just running water through them.

I don't know which size you have, but I have the 1/2" npt version and despite circulating hot PBW for 20 minutes followed by a hot rinse with clean water for 20 minutes, I still have a bit of malt residue behind the seals. I would have the same thing with my old 3-piece the difference being those only got dismantled every 10 brews or so and these get done every brew because it's so easy to do it.

 

[JonW]

I have the 1" size and run pressurized water through my system right at the end of the batch. That might make a difference.

 

[JonW]

https://www.brewershardware.com/1-Tri-Clover-3-Piece-Ball-Valve-TC10VBALL3P12ID.html

I am sorry my post is confusing.

This is the valve that has a 1.5" tri clamp face, but has a .5" bore and thats the one I use on my whirlpool ports recirc ports etc. These are smaller and I think work just as well as the ones you were looking at.

One of the cool things with the 3 piece valves is that you can mix and match the ends. Buy one with TC's and one with threaded fittings and swap ends between the two. That's what I did on my last rig so I could use QD's instead of TC's for my hoses.

 

[Vesteroid]

I did the same thing by buying a 1.5 tri clover to cam fitting

 

[IanMC]

https://www.brewershardware.com/1-Tri-Clover-3-Piece-Ball-Valve-TC10VBALL3P12ID.html

I am sorry my post is confusing.

This is the valve that has a 1.5" tri clamp face, but has a .5" bore and thats the one I use on my whirlpool ports recirc ports etc. These are smaller and I think work just as well as the ones you were looking at.

Thanks for clarifying. So you're saying that the bore of the quick-clean ones are ~1.5", whereas your ones are 0.5"? I agree that the extra width doesn't offer anything, given that your tubes/other fittings are probably all 0.5" also, but I don't think it would hurt either. I just like the easy cleaning ability.

 

[Nagorg]

I just received my 1.5" Quick Clean TC Ball Valve today. The thing is heavy but seems pretty awesome. I got it for better flow control for the racking arm from my conical.