Camlock and Storz are two entirely separate quick-coupling systems that never interconnect — and they answer different questions. Camlock (cam-and-groove, EN 14420-7 / MIL-C-27487) is the industrial standard for liquid transfer — chemicals, fuels, water, food media — with an asymmetric adapter/coupler pair in six body types plus dust caps; it must never be used for compressed air or gases. Storz (a family of DIN standards) is the symmetric, sexless coupling of fire fighting and high-volume water: any two same-size Storz halves mate with a quarter turn, and forged couplings are rated for 16 bar where cast ones manage only about 6 bar. Choose by medium, sector and interoperability — not by price.
What Are Camlock and Storz Couplings?
A Camlock coupling pairs a male adapter (grooved spigot) with a female coupler carrying two lever cam arms; pressing the arms down drives cam lobes into the groove and compresses the internal gasket. It is standardised in EN 14420-7 and the US MIL-C-27487 lineage (the older DIN 2828 is withdrawn). Bodies come in aluminium, 316 stainless steel, brass, polypropylene and PVDF; gaskets in NBR, EPDM, FKM and PTFE — the combination sets chemical compatibility.
A Storz coupling carries identical interlocking lugs on both halves — there is no male or female. A quarter-turn engages the lugs and compresses the face gaskets against each other. Storz is defined by DIN standards and dimensioned by lug spacing: the common sizes are Storz D (31 mm lug spacing, ~25 mm hose), C (66 mm, ~52 mm), B (89 mm, ~75 mm) and A (133 mm, ~110 mm). Any two same-size Storz halves mate regardless of manufacturer; different sizes never do.
The critical safety rule sits with Camlock: it is a liquids-only system. Under gas or compressed-air pressure there is stored energy and no controlled venting — a knocked-open cam arm releases the coupling explosively. Air and gas lines use dedicated claw or safety air couplings, and steam uses bolted-clamp assemblies only (see the Steam Hose Technical Guide). Camlock also should never appear on steam duty.
Camlock Body Types — Getting the Letters Right
The six body types split cleanly into adapters (male groove end) and couplers (female cam-arm end):
| Type | Part | Other end |
|---|---|---|
| A | Adapter (male) | Female thread |
| B | Coupler (female) | Male thread |
| C | Coupler (female) | Hose tail |
| D | Coupler (female) | Female thread |
| E | Adapter (male) | Hose tail |
| F | Adapter (male) | Male thread |
| DC / DP | Dust cap / dust plug | Protects coupler / adapter |
Mnemonic: A, E, F are adapters; B, C, D are couplers. Threads follow the usual rules — G/BSPP (parallel, seals on a washer) or R/BSPT and NPT (tapered, seal on the thread), and BSPT and NPT are not interchangeable.
Comparison at a Glance
| Feature | Camlock (cam-and-groove) | Storz |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | EN 14420-7 / MIL-C-27487 (DIN 2828 withdrawn) | DIN standard family |
| Geometry | Asymmetric: adapter + coupler | Symmetric, sexless |
| Media | Liquids only — never air/gases | Water, foam solutions |
| Typical rating | ~10–16 bar depending on size/material; falls with size | Forged: 16 bar; cast: ~6 bar |
| Sizes | ~DN 12–150 | D/C/B/A by lug spacing (31/66/89/133 mm) |
| Materials | Al, SS316, brass, PP, PVDF | Aluminium (forged or cast), SS |
| Gaskets | NBR, EPDM, FKM, PTFE | Mostly EPDM/NBR face gaskets |
| Connection | Lever arms, tolerant of slight misalignment | Quarter-turn, needs axial alignment |
| Primary sectors | Chemical, fuel, agriculture, food | Fire services, municipal water, dewatering |
| Interchangeability | With any matching cam-groove size | Same size always mates; sizes never mix |
Neither system mates with the other — nor with the other quick systems in the EN 14420 family: Guillemin (EN 14420-8, the French symmetrical coupling) and TW tank-truck couplings (EN 14420-6) are further separate worlds. Transitioning between systems requires a proper adapter spool, itself rated for the duty.
Which Coupling for Which Application?
Chemical and petroleum transfer: Camlock, in the body/gasket combination the medium demands — 316 stainless with FKM or PTFE gaskets for aggressive chemistry, aluminium with NBR for diesel duty. For flammable liquids in ATEX zones, electrical continuity across the assembly must be verified (measured per ISO 8031) and the line earthed. For spill-free connection points, compare dry-disconnect systems in Dry-Disconnect vs Dry-Break Couplings.
Fire fighting and municipal water: Storz, without debate — the sexless geometry means any crew connects any hose to any hydrant in seconds, which is the entire operational point. Verify forged (16 bar) hardware on brigade and standpipe duty.
Dewatering, mining, construction: both appear; Storz wins on rough sites (no delicate cam arms to snag, higher rating with forged bodies), Camlock wins where lines connect to threaded plant and tanks. Pair the coupling with the right hose — see Layflat Hose: What Every Buyer Needs to Know.
Food and beverage: Camlock in 316 stainless with food-grade gaskets (FDA 21 CFR 177.2600 compounds; EC 1935/2004 framework), where the certificate applies to the specific gasket compound. For hygienic process connections proper, Tri-Clamp (DIN 32676) and DIN 11851 unions are the systems of choice — different again, and covered in Tri-Clamp vs DIN 11851.
Compressed air and gases: neither Camlock (prohibited) nor Storz — dedicated air/gas coupling systems only.
Selection Checklist
- Medium — liquid? Camlock is eligible. Gas or compressed air? Camlock is excluded, full stop; use dedicated gas couplings.
- Interoperability — connecting to fire infrastructure or shared water systems: Storz, in the site's size (D/C/B/A).
- Pressure at temperature — check the coupling rating (which falls with size and derates hot) against the line's transient pressure; forged vs cast matters decisively on Storz.
- Body material — chemistry, external corrosion (316 SS for marine/washdown), weight (aluminium for handling).
- Gasket compound — NBR for oils/fuels, EPDM for water and many aqueous chemicals (never oils), FKM for aggressive chemistry (not ketones), PTFE for the broadest resistance.
- ATEX/electrostatics — verified continuity per ISO 8031 and earthing for flammable liquids.
- Locking security — safety pins or clips on cam arms where vibration or snagging is credible; many operators mandate them site-wide.
- Certificates — material certificates, pressure rating documentation, food-contact certificates for the gasket compound where relevant.
Maintenance and Failure Modes
Camlock assemblies fail through cam-arm and pin wear, weakened arm retention, and — most often — gasket degradation: a nicked or swollen gasket leaks long before the metalwork fails, so match the compound to the medium and inspect at every connection. Storz couplings fail through lug damage after impact: dropped aluminium couplings deform rather than crack and may engage with insufficient depth — inspect lugs and seating faces, and retire deformed hardware. Both systems share one iron rule: depressurise before disconnecting; opening a coupling under pressure launches hardware.
Cost and Total Cost of Ownership
Camlock is the commodity — global production to interchangeable dimensions keeps unit prices low, and stainless bodies with FKM or PTFE gaskets specified from day one typically cut gasket replacement frequency by well over half in aggressive service. Storz costs more per piece (lug machining, forging) but halves the number of SKUs — one part covers both ends — which is a real saving across a large fleet or municipal inventory. In both cases downtime, not hardware, dominates: a failed coupling on a loading bay costs multiples of its price per hour.
Browse industrial fittings, or search directly for camlock couplings and Storz couplings; datasheets are in the catalogues. Our engineering team matches coupling system, body material and gasket to your medium and pressure-tests complete hose assemblies — request a quotation with your fluid, pressure and site standard.