Setting up a pump looking for QD's

I followed this: https://byo.com/stories/item/1914-pumped-up-toolbox-projects

I bought many of the fittings on Bargainfittings.com. Definitely recommend the quick disconnect style hook ups. They save tons of time/frustration.

 

You definitely want QD fittings. Mine are stainless. I'm led to believe that the plastic QDs can clog more easily than SS, due to the way they're constructed. The downside to SS is that they get hot when you're pumping hot stuff - you'll need gloves if you need to handle them for any reason.

FWIW, I thought that was a slick project. I just haven't gotten around to building it.

 

I opted for Aluminum QDs since the local coupling store carries them in stock, that way I can replace or expand as needed w/o having to order online and wait for the shipment. The downside to this is that I can't run PBW or Oxi through my pump since these chemicals don't play nice with Aluminum. I would personally opt for all SS at this point if I had the chance to swap out. I would also recommend going for a T on the outlet with a ball valve on each side. One with the QD for the hose, the other with a barb. When you let the beer flow have both valves in the off position. You can then open the barb side first to let the air escape the line, then open the QD/hose side and close the barb. I have had to manipulate air out of the line too many times, just more work.

 

In my opinion.....

Triclovers are the most sanitary, the most expensive, don't drip at all, and a touch less convenient than camlocks.
Camlocks are convenient, very sanitary, can drip a bit, and are less expensive than triclover fittings
SS Quick Disconnects are the least expensive, are fairly sanitary, can drip a bit more than camlocks, and are convenient.

With all that said, I use triclovers but recommend camlocks (cam and groove).

brewhardware.com is good for camlocks
brewershardware.com is good for triclovers and camlocks
I've heard good things about bargainfittings too but have never checked them out

 

I use SS QD's. Simple enough to soak in PWB and starsan if need be.

 

Sorry, when I was discussing mine above I was talking about my camlock fittings, which I would like SS versions of.

 

I would mount it up and down. The IN port on the bottom pointed down with a 90* elbow to it, no ballvalve, male QD. The OUT port pointed up into a T with a ballvalve coming off of each end of the T, one with a barb for air release, the other with a male QD. Male QD on all other ports in your system (MLT, HLT, Kettle, Whirlpool Arm, etc.), female QD on your tubing.

 

While I have some "pump pro's" here.. What are ya'll doing to filter the crap out before the pump?

I should probably work on where my pick up is, it's on the bottom along the edge and it grabs everything. However, I love to whirlpool while cooling, as it helps a ton with an immersion chiller. Not crazy about putting all my hop in my ss spider, but.. it's all I have to work with once I get over 2 ounces or so in there and the intake clogs.

 

@FATC1TY I bag all my hops, spices, etc., and have my pickup flush with the bottom. I pull the trub in with the pickup, but haven't had any issues with the break material being in the fermentor. I squeeze my hop sacks post chill to get back all my goodness. I use a SS braid on the end of my pickup on the MLT for grain filtering. I have made 2 hoptacos, and done a large SS braid on the kettle pickup, all failed. Also did a spider, got in the way too much.

 

Yeah, I'm not just real keen on nylon sacks floating around in my kettle just yet. I have a SS 300, or 400 micron mesh filter that hangs in the kettle. It's not bad, but I've yet to determine if my utilization suffers.

Regardless, I can make it work. I do pick up a ton of trub from the bottom, but, I have seen a great increase by being able to get more out of my kettle now, despite getting the break material in the fermenters.

I need to add a QD to my chiller set up where I've put in a rigged up whirlpool arm on it... anyone done that?

 

I have a QD on my whirlpool arm that I added to my chiller. I bought the whirlpool arm from Morebeer and then brought it to my local plumbing supplier and had them set me up with the fittings for the QD. However, I'm going to detach the arm from the chiller after watching a youtube video of a guy today. He had his arm loose so he could place it where he wanted it and at whatever height he wanted. He just fastened it to a c-clamp mounted to the top of the kettle. It was pretty slick and convenient at the end of the cool down. You can take the chiller out and then whirlpool without worrying about anything in the way.

Regarding the OP and pump set-up. I have a chugger with an inlet T with the blowoff valve mentioned before. It works great for relieving the air. I also mounted mine in a cheap toolbox just for splash protection and convenience to move around as needed. However, I still struggle with a good set-up for filtering hops and trub so the thing won't clog. I have a hop spider and used a hop taco. Not crazy about either. The hop taco does clog easily and the hop spider does get in the way with an IC. I just bought two 5-inch diameter SS tea balls. I'm going to put pellets in them and let them float around and try that. Still need a filter for the trub at the intake though. That invention would make some money.

 

Here's my pump/chiller box that I built maybe there's something in my post that will help you out.

This is the input to my steelhead pump, I'm using ss qd's (which are awesome btw) on a tee that connect to a miniball valve to release air before my pump. I added the elbow so I could cleanly collect wort into a measuring cup while purging air out of the line instead of dealing with wort geysers blowing all over my kitchen.

Here's the inside, as you can I see I added another miniball valve after the tee on the output of my pump so I could use the pump on its own without the chiller and also to backflush my therminator when needed.

I bought all my fittings and valves frome brewhardware.com

 

I have a mix of SS QD's and tri-clover's, QD's on my brewpots and tri-clover's on my RIMS tube & plate chiller. The tri-clovers are nice once you get the hang of them...if you're not, watch a pro-brewer, once you get good at it you'll feel like a gunslinger. Still take more time than QD's though. The QDs were pricey, but I do love them. As MikeHartigan suggested gloves are need if using metal. I highly recommend Blichmann brewgloves.
I opted against camlocks since I despise them working on the fire department, but that is with 6", rarely maintained hose lines. I've only heard good reviews of them from homebrewers.