Hose Fittings

Systems, Gear, & DIY
1

I just recently got a march pump I’m in the process of setting up the hoses and hardware to transfer the wort around during my brewday.  I want to put in some hose disconnects so that I can easily switch things around.  Looking around at the local Home Depot these are the only hose connections that I was able to find (I already have brass disconnects):

http://www.amazon.com/Orbit-Thread-Aluminum-Repair-Garden/dp/B006ZN2414

So my question is:  Are these okay to use in-line for hot wort transfers?

They say they’re aluminum so I guess that’s okay but I’m a little leery of having cheap, Chinese-made, aluminum in contact with the wort.  I would have preferred brass connections but it looks like if I want those I’ll have to find them online.

2

I like stainless steel camlock fittings in my brewery.  Very quick, but they don’t seal off when you remove the hose.  So you have to be quick or there will be wort or water all over the place.  Self sealing quick connects would be great except that they tend to collect debris like hops and grain in them.

I’ve just learned how to live with the camlocks.

3

I’m okay with the disconnects I have (in theory, I haven’t used them yet).  I’m just wondering about the hose fittings seeing as how they’re meant for garden hose repair.

4

You might think about using a clamp that doesn’t damage your hose. the clamp in the Amazon photo will put indentations into the tubing .  Maybe use something like BrewHardware.com - High end, practical homebrewing hardware, accessories and ingredients for making beer, wine, mead, and cider. .  Also use Stainless steel instead of brass fittings.

5

Check out the disconnects at Mc Master.  They are the coolant line ones and are pass thru, so you would need them in cojunction with a valve.  I’ll get the model numbers later.

6

Here’s the Mc Master numbers.
‘Brass Coolant Hose Couplings’  male connectors ( p/n 6739K59) and  female hose connectors ( p/n 6739K64).

7

Thanks, I’ll take a look at those.

8

I would go with stainless.  You’ll never have to worry about them.

9

After a little hot liquid spilled inside of my gloves once, I came up with a system to prevent spills when changing hoses.  So, to the extent this might help others (or maybe it was an obvious solution), here’s what I do:

All of your valves are closed.  Open the purge valve/sampling port on the pump output.  Open one of the cam arms on the high side of the fitting.  The liquid level in the hose will drop.  When it drops into the comfort zone for moving the hose around, close the purge valve.  Carefully move the hose.

This does require that you repurge the air on the intake side of the pump.  But if I can avoid another burn, I can deal with repurging.

10

I use the brass McMaster high-temp coolant fittings with 1/2" high-temp thermoplastic hoses.  They work great on my system.  I use the p/n 6739K68 90-degree female fittings instead of the straight ones at the kettles, though, because they let the hoses hang vertically and are a bit easier to handle with one hand.