Whether you're a plumber, a homeowner doing your own plumbing, or otherwise working with PVC, camlock fittings are your best friend. Camlock hose fittings are special plumbing components that are ideal for attaching PVC pipe to other pipe materials.
There are many different types of female and male camlock fittings, including those made of aluminum, stainless steel, brass, and more. There are even polypropylene camlock fittings, which are some of the most commonly used in the industry. Each of these various fittings gets connected to PVC differently, depending on the material.
If you're curious and want to know more about camlock fittings and how they connect to PVC, you've come to the right place. This article will also look at the different types of camlock fittings and how to choose the one that's right for you.
What are Camlock Fittings?
Also referred to as cam and groove couplings, camlock fittings are used to connect two different piping materials together. These types of fittings typically consist of a coupler on one side and a grooved end on the other. Cam and groove couplings can also be used to attach two halves of the same material together. It all depends on your needs.
In addition to being very versatile, camlock fittings are also easy to use and require no tools for installation. They also don't require any special preparation, such as glue or Teflon tape, and can be readily used in any environment. As such, they're the most popular type of coupler in the world and are used in many different industries.
Different Types of Camlock Fittings
As we said before, there are many different types of camlock fittings. They can be made of brass, aluminum, stainless steel, polypropylene, and nylon, to name the most common options. In addition to there being different material options, there are also different types of fittings based on your needs.
Type A - Male Adapter With Female Thread
Also known as a male camlock X, this type of fitting has a male end that fits into the female end of another camlock fitting and a female end with threaded ends.
Type B - Female Coupler With Male Thread
Also known as a female NPT camlock, this type of fitting has a female end that attaches to a male camlock X fitting, and a male threaded end.
Type C - Coupler With Hose Tail
This type of camlock fitting has a female end that attaches to a male camlock X and a male hose barb end that attaches to a hose fitting.
Type D - Coupler With Female Thread
This type of camlock fitting has a female end that attaches to a male camlock X and a female threaded side that attaches to a male thread.
Type E - Adapter With Hose Tail
This type of fitting has a male end that fits into the female end of another camlock fitting and a male hose barb end that attaches to a hose fitting.
Type F - Adapter With Male Thread
This type of fitting has a male end that fits into the female end of another camlock fitting and a male threaded side that screws into a female threaded end.
Type DC - Dust Cap For Adapter
This type of fitting is a dust cap that fits over the top of the male end of a camlock fitting to seal it off.
Type DP - Dust Plug For Coupler
This type of fitting is a dust plug with a male camlock end that fits into the end of a female coupler.
Different Components of a Camlock Fitting
As you can see, there are many different types and styles of camlock fittings. However, every fitting consists of two or three basic parts, including the following.
Male Adapter
The first crucial part of a camlock fitting is the male adapter. The male end of the camlock coupling will either fit inside of a female camlock end or have threads so that you can screw it into the female end of your PVC pipe adapter. If it has threads, it's known as the cam groove end.
Female Coupler
The second part of any camlock fitting is the female coupler end. The female end will either fit around a male camlock end and fasten to it or have threaded grooves that attach to a PVC male adapter on a PVC pipe. In the case of metal pipe, the camlock will be made of metal and the threaded end will attach to a metal pipe fitting.
Can Arms
Finally, you have cam arms, also known as cam levers, that are used to tighten the female cam fitting to the male end. Cam arms are only included on fittings with a female NPT camlock end.
Which Camlock Fitting is Right For Me?
The nice part about camlock fittings is that it's fairly easy to determine which fitting is right for you as long as you follow these two steps. First, match the material of the camlock fitting with the material of whatever you're attaching to. Next, choose a fitting that has the ends and connectors you need to make a solid connection.
How to Connect My Camlock Fitting to PVC Pipe
Now that you know the different types of camlock fittings and how to choose the one you need, let's look at how to connect camlock to PVC pipe.
- Start by gluing a male adapter onto the end of your PVC pipe. The male adapter will have a female end that goes around the outside of the pipe and a threaded male end.
- Next, select a Type A nylon or polypropylene camlock fitting.
- Screw the female end of the camlock onto the male end of the PVC adapter.
- Wrap Teflon tape around male end of the PVC adapter before screwing the female NPT camlock onto it.
- Next, select the right female NPT camlock fitting for your needs.
- To attach the female camlock to the male camlock, simply slide the female end over the male end.
- With the male end fully inserted, pull the cam handles down to lock the fittings in place.
- Remove the small pin from the cam handle and insert it into the hole just below the handle to lock the handle in place.
By following these steps, you'll create a leak proof seal while connecting to PVC pipe. If you're not sure which type of camlock fitting is right for you, the pros at PVC Fittings Online can help!