Camlock Connections

[RGHops]

Getting back into brewing after 15 years off. My new setup includes a pump and an immersion chiller with a whirlpool attachment. I have male camlock fittings on the kettle, chiller, pump, and female camlock fittings on the hoses. Pretty standard setup where I will pump the wort from the kettle through the whirlpool attachment while cooling. My thinking is that once the wort is cooled, I can then pump it into the fermenter by disconnecting the hose attached to the whirlpool attachment; this should minimize the amount of wort lost since I would be pumping what is in the hoses.

My concern is that now I have a female camlock disconnect as the endpoint. I am not sure this is the best fitting to put into the fermenter while pumping the chilled wort. What does everyone else with the setup do? Do you have a sanitized connection (male fitting on a hose?) that you connect? Do you use a different connection to the whirlpool attachment? Other?

 

[day_trippr]

I have a short section of silicone tubing with a male camlock hose-clamped at one end. When I'm ready to start filling carboys I attach that to the end of the wort pump output hose and stick the bare end in the carboys...

Cheers!

 

[tll77]

I have a very similar configuration on my kettle/whirlpool setup.
You don't say what type of fermenter you are using, I have a conical, so maybe this won't apply, but this is what I do. I have a 1.5"triclamp to male camlock fitting which I attach to the racking port. When the wort is cooled I remove the female cam from the whirlpool and attach it to the male cam on the fermenter and pump the wort in.

 

[mabrungard]

Ah, I see your issue. I use an identical camlock system of hoses excepting that the camlocks in my system are all on hot-side components and are not subject to contamination. My system includes a plate chiller and it's hot side inlet is the end of the camlocks and its got plain tubing and smooth connections on the outlet side and delivery to the fermenter.

I do give caution for implementing hoses with permanent fittings on your cold side. That is an invitation for an infection source.

 

[Jlco25]

RGHops Welcome back,

I have a camlocks setup throughout my system. Camlocks are sanitary in nature, they are designed this way. My setup is slightly different but is all camlocks and TC connections. I have a dedicated hose for the whirlpool and one for transfer. I do transfer to the SS Brewtech Unitank with a 1.5 TC connector through a butterfly valve.

Since your connection is made just prior to the whirlpool the hot wort will sanitized the inner hose and the camlock just as it will the immersion chiller.

• If you are fermenting in a carboy - I would suggest getting and additional hose with a male camlock (Type E - Male QD to Hose Barb). Then you can sanitize the camlock and have the transfer hose prior rinsing in Starsan connect and conduct the transfer.

• If you are fermenting in conical fermenter - You can connect via TC to Camlock Male adapter spray Starsan on the TC valve and the camlock for safety and make your transfer.

You can find the camlock adapter at your local supply shop or I would recommend booby at www.brewhardware.com he is awesome (not making any endorsement or advertisement).


As a personal practice during my pre-brew (or staging) phase, all my hoses goes into a 5 gal bucket with filled starsan solution (5:1 ratio).

I hope this helps,

Cheers,

 

[RGHops]

Thanks for the replies. I should have mentioned that I have both an Anvil SS Bucket and a Big Mouth Bubbler for fermenters. I don't have the option of connecting to a connection on the fermenter (yet?).

I bought a SS racking cane with male cam lock fitting welded on from BrewHardware that I was going to use for something else. Sounds like sanitizing this and using it should work. Of course, I won't risk an infection just to save a few quarts for wort!