Cam Lock Fittings - How and Where to Use

[jrgagne99]

For tank and pump outlets, I use female. For pump and RO inlets, I use male. My tiger hoses are all one end male and one end female, which allows me to daisy-chain hoses without the need for adapters, if necessary. In hindsight, I should have used the opposite conventions to be more anatomically intuitive. :-)

[Super Sapper]

I follow what we have been doing at work for almost 40 years. Male on discharge side of pump and on outlet of tanks. Female on suction side of pump and inlet to tank or lines. All hoses have both male and female so they can be connected for longer runs. Having the male to male and female to female adaptors is a good idea also as sometimes they are necessary.

[Ghs57]

Just pick a method and use it. In my 2 hose sizes I have a few adapters, a double male and a double female fixes that. Unless all of your hoses reach from source to destination in one piece I thing those hoses should be one male and one female on the ends, but that's just my thinking.
Where to buy, I've used ProFlow Dynamics and Brewer's Hardware, both carry SS cam locks. I have switched about 90% of my plastic cam locks to SS. I will have all changed to SS before next year. Since you do not pump hot thru those hoses I think you could also go with Aluminum cam locks. On my hot syrup hoses I use sanitary fittings, SS (tri-clover from Brewer's Hardware) and silicone hose for anything under pressure, if no pressure, like on my re-circulation line I use braid re-enforced vinyl..

I went with plastic this time, but really like those stainless fittings. Those sanitary fitting look great also. I need to look at Tiger Flex hose too.

[Ghs57]

I follow what we have been doing at work for almost 40 years. Male on discharge side of pump and on outlet of tanks. Female on suction side of pump and inlet to tank or lines. All hoses have both male and female so they can be connected for longer runs. Having the male to male and female to female adaptors is a good idea also as sometimes they are necessary.

This is what I'm trying now. I'm not 100% setup yet, as some of the fittings were on backorder and just came in.

[Lensman]

I started adding these onto my lines but one issue I’m having is if the line has some leverage on it the cam lock will start to unlock itself. Usually happens to my on my portable pump that isn’t always in the same place or starts to move around. I don’t know if there is some way to pin the locks on or something....

[Ghs57]

I started adding these onto my lines but one issue I’m having is if the line has some leverage on it the cam lock will start to unlock itself. Usually happens to my on my portable pump that isn’t always in the same place or starts to move around. I don’t know if there is some way to pin the locks on or something....

Some cam locks have a pin to keep them locked. Some are self locking. Most of the ones I've seen with pins were stainless (but not always), and a little more expensive (in the short run). It may also depend upon the size of the fitting, with smaller diameter ones not having the locking pin. The ones I bought do not have pins. Now I wish I had gone with SS, but they are working fine for now.

[wmick]

I started adding these onto my lines but one issue I’m having is if the line has some leverage on it the cam lock will start to unlock itself. Usually happens to my on my portable pump that isn’t always in the same place or starts to move around. I don’t know if there is some way to pin the locks on or something....

I find the ones with the locking pins are a real pain in the butt.... Especially when things get wet and froze, and trying to wear gloves and work in the dark.... I haven't got to figuring out how to remove them yet, but I will... Seems to me that a zip-tie or bungee-cord or piece of string around the handles might be a better solution.

[mainebackswoodssyrup]

Look up the Gatorlock brand of cam lock fittings. Not sure where my buddy got them but they are self-locking and work great. Much better than pins and still lock.