5 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using Camlock Fittings

Camlock couplings, also known as cam and groove fittings, are often used in industries to connect hoses, pipes and other components together. They are one of the quickest and easiest ways to create low-pressure connections. These convenient connectors are available in different sizes, starting at 1/2” all the way up to 8”.  There are larger sizes that usually have to be specially made. Despite their ease of use, choosing the incorrect quick disconnect fitting may lead to leaks, safety risks, and operational inefficiencies. 

Understanding these common mistakes helps both regular users as well as first time users. Whether you've worked with cam and groove fittings for years or just started, these fundamentals protect your operations and your budget. Understanding what not to do helps protect your equipment and saves money on repairs. The 5 most common mistakes to avoid when choosing and using quick connect couplings are:

1. Choosing the Wrong Material

2. Not considering Fluid Compatibility

3. Neglecting Pressure and Temperature Settings

4. Over-tightening or Under-tightening

5. Improper Assembly

Most of these are concerned with not choosing the correct cam and groove material and only 2 out of the 5 common mistakes deal with installation and use. To overcome these challenges we have offered five solutions to ensure the right camlock coupling is chosen and the correct installation and use instructions are followed once these couplings are purchased.

Since there are five common mistakes made when choosing and using cam lock hose fittings, we will offer 5 solutions to prevent these from occurring. 

1. Choosing the Correct Material

Picking the right material for your cam and groove coupling is crucial for safety and performance. Different materials serve unique purposes in various applications. Understanding your specific needs helps you choose the perfect material for your operation. However, selecting an incorrect material can result in costly consequences like corrosion and leaking.

The main advantages of material choice can be characterized into 4 categories:

1. The weight of the material, usually the lighter the better.

2. The durability of the material, the more durable the longer it will last.

3. The cost of the material, the lower the cost the more affordable.

4. The corrosion resistance of the material, the better the chemical resistance the more suitable.

Aluminum: offers lightweight, durability, low cost, and moderate corrosive resistance making it the most commonly used material. Aluminum has a good strength to weight ratio. Aluminum Camlocks are commonly used to transfer water, gasoline and other petroleum products, oils, coolants  and other non-corrosive liquids. Not suitable for highly acidic or highly alkaline substances

Stainless Steel: provides durability and corrosion resistance. Stainless Steel also has good resistance to extreme temperatures, it can handle high pressures, it is strong and has a good impact resistance, and it has an aesthetic appearance. Stainless Steel Camlocks are commonly used for water treatment and wastewater, sea water, food & beverage, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, acid, alkali and other corrosive liquids. 

Brass: provides durability and corrosion resistance. Brass was historically used with salt water and in the marine industry. Brass Camlocks are commonly used with water, coolants, oil and petroleum products. They are more recently being used in the assembly of server cooling cabinets in the IT (Information Technology) Industry. In recent years with the decrease in the relative price of stainless steel, many brass applications can be replaced using stainless steel products. 

Polypropylene: is lightweight, low cost and chemical resistant. Polypropylene is widely used  in agriculture and water transfer particularly in applications where a lightweight and chemical resistant coupling is required. Polypropylene has a lower pressure rating compared to metal couplings, and it's useful to know that as the temperature increases the pressure rating of a polypropylene coupling decreases. Poly Camlocks are commonly used with water, chemicals solutions, and fertilizers. 

2. Checking Fluid Compatibility 

When choosing a cam and groove hose fittings it is helpful to check how they react with the fluids being handled. Each material behaves differently in various environments as well as with different substances. A good practice to avoid compatibility issues is to match your fitting material  as well as your gasket material to both the liquid being handled. A quick check of a chemical compatibility chart can prevent costly mistakes from occurring. To make it easier for reference purposes we have attached a link to the one we use the Cole-Parmer Chemical Compatibility Database:  

https://www.coleparmer.com/chemical-resistance

All Metal Camlock hose couplings are fitted with Buna-N gaskets while Plastic Cam and groove couplings are supplied with EPDM gaskets. For more extreme application Viton Gaskets can be installed to make a coupling suitable for harsh environments. Silicone gaskets can be used to make a coupling suitable for food and beverage application. For more extreme applications PTFE enveloped or encapsulated gaskets can be used.

The four most commonly used gasket material are:

1. Buna-N: Installed into Aluminum, Stainless Steel and Brass Cams

2. EPDM: Installed into Polypropylene Female couplers

3. Viton: used to upgrade the coupling for harsh environments.

4. Silicone: used to make certain materials suitable for food applications.

Buna-N Gaskets: are made out of Buna Nitrile rubber, or nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR). They are considered the standard camlock gaskets since they are installed into Aluminum, Stainless Steel and Brass couplings. Commonly used with petroleum based liquids like gasoline, greases, oils, solvants, water and many chemical solutions.

EPDM Gaskets: are made out of Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer, which is a type of  synthetic rubber. They are the standard cam lock gaskets supplied with plastic cam couplings. Commonly used with water based fluids, acids and alkali solutions as well as with many chemical solutions.

Viton Gaskets: are made out of Viton, which is a type of  high performance synthetic rubber with excellent chemical resistance. Viton is a brand of synthetic rubber made from  fluoroelastomers (Flouropolymer elastomer) that is well known for its corrosion and chemical resistance, ability to handle high temperatures and its strength. Used in applications with highly corrosive materials, concentrated chemicals, or high temperatures where they are with a variety of fluids, including fuels, oils, alcohols, acids, hydrocarbons and concentrated chemicals.

Silicone Gaskets: are made out of silicone rubber, which is a synthetic polymer containing silicon, carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. It is well known for its flexibility, durability, chemical resistance and ability to tolerate extreme temperatures. Commonly used in the food and beverage industry with a variety of  fluids  like alcohols , oils, acids, alkalis, ketones,  water and many chemical solutions.

3. Checking Pressure and Temperature Settings

Exceeding the maximum pressure or temperature can lead to leaks, and potential safety hazards. Therefore, it is necessary to check the pressure and temperature of the application and make sure the suitable body material and gasket is chosen. 

Each cam and groove body material has a different pressure rating with Stainless Steel being the highest. Generally metal camlocks have higher pressure ratings than plastic couplings. Each coupling size also has a different pressure rating. Usually, the smaller size cam locks can tolerate higher pressures. Below is a table of approximate temperature ratings for different cam and groove materials and sizes.

Pressure Ratings

Usually when taking into account the temperature rating for a camlock material, it is only the temperature rating of the gasket that needs to be considered,  this is because metal cam and groove couplers have a higher resistance to temperature than the rubber gaskets they employ. However when using plastic cam and groove couplings increased temperatures leads to softening of the coupling body and this decreases the pressure rating of the connection and could lead to leaks. Below is a table of approximate temperature ratings for gaskets.

Temperature Ratings

Adhering to pressure and temperature ratings will prevent leaks and ensure safety. 

4. Proper Assembly

Improper assembly would most likely entail loosely secured arms which can result in leakages and possible disconnection. This could happen if both the arms are not fully closed, or if only one lever arm is fully closed. 

To solve this issue of improper installation, the best procedure to properly assemble a camlock fitting pair is to:

1. Place the male adapter into the female coupler and then close both handle arms simultaneously. 

2. Be sure to fully close the arms until they are close to the body of the coupler.

3.  For added safety the safety pins (also called R-Clips) can be inserted into the designated hole in the coupler body near to the arm assembly pins.

Other reasons for improper assembly could be that the gasket is not properly installed, it could be worn or damaged, or there could be dirt or debris on the gasket parenting a flush connection.

5. Correct installation

Proper tightening of cam lock hose fittings refers to the installation of the couplings into the given application. This can involve threading the coupling too much or too little. Over-tightening can lead to thread damage, and under tightening can result in leakage. In the case of hose camlocks this can involve installing the hose clamps or crimp collar too tight or too loosely. Over-tightening can lead to the hose shank bending, and under tightening can result in leaks or even in the hose separating from the fitting. 

To Summarize:

Consequently, avoiding common mistakes when using cam and groove couplings will ensure safety, longevity, and operational efficiency for fluid transfer.  By taking proactive measures like 1) choosing the right material, 2) considering fluid compatibility, 3) checking pressure and temperature ratings, 4) proper assembly and 5) correct installation, users can avoid challenges and improve the performance of their applications.

Following these steps can ensure the seamless functioning of the camlock coupling. Moreover, these steps also contribute to promoting a safe and efficient work environment and will maximize their durability and overall benefits. 

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