Fitting & Thread Identifier

Don't know what thread or connection you're holding? Pick what the end looks like, measure it with a ruler or caliper, and we'll tell you what it is and what mates with it.

1

What does the end look like?

Tapered pipe threadThreads get slightly wider toward the body. Screws in and seals on the threads with tape or dope. Most sprayer plumbing.
Hose barbRidged shank that pushes into a hose and clamps. No threads on that end.
Cam-lock (cam & groove)Two lever arms on the coupler; the adapter has a groove around the nose. Quick connect for tanks and transfer.
Manifold flangeFlat round face with a gasket, held by a two-bolt split clamp. Banjo / Hypro manifold pumps and valves.
Garden hoseCoarse straight thread, about 1-1/16" across, rubber washer inside the female. Spot sprayers, wash-down.
JIC 37° flareStraight thread, male has a cone (flared) nose, female has a matching seat. Hydraulic hoses and motors.
O-ring boss (ORB / SAE)Straight thread with an O-ring at the base of the male. Ports on hydraulic motors, valves, some pumps.
O-ring face seal (ORFS)Straight thread, male has a flat face with an O-ring groove, female has a flat face. Tractor hydraulics.
Not sure — it's threadedMeasure it and we'll compare against every thread table at once.
2

Measure it

How to measure threads with a ruler
  • Diameter: measure straight across the outside of a male thread (crest to crest), or across the inside of a female. A caliper is best; a ruler to the nearest 1/32" is usually enough because standard sizes are far apart.
  • Threads per inch: lay a ruler along the threads and count the crests in one inch (count a half inch and double it on short fittings). Pipe threads are 27, 18, 14, 11.5 or 8 TPI; hydraulic threads are 20, 18, 16, 14 or 12.
  • Taper or straight? Set a straightedge along the thread crests of a male. Pipe (NPT) thread slopes visibly; JIC, ORB, ORFS and garden-hose threads are parallel.
  • Seal: no O-ring, no cone, seals on the threads → pipe thread. Cone nose → JIC. O-ring at the base of the threads → ORB. O-ring in a flat face → ORFS. Rubber washer in the female → garden hose.
Dimensions are nominal standards (ASME B1.20.1 pipe threads, SAE J514 JIC, SAE J1926 ORB, SAE J1453 ORFS, ASME B1.20.7 hose thread, A-A-59326 cam-and-groove). Measured fittings vary a few thousandths; matches are ranked by how close your measurement is. Cam-lock and flange diameters vary by maker and are approximate — the interface and nominal size are what matter.

How to identify a sprayer fitting

Almost every fitting on an ag sprayer belongs to one of a handful of families, and each family has a short list of standard sizes. The hard part is knowing which family you're holding, because several look alike: a 1/2" NPT male and a -8 JIC male are both about 0.8" across, but one seals on the threads and the other on a flared cone. The identifier above sorts by what the end looks like first, then by diameter and thread count, and ranks every standard size against what you measured.

Pipe thread (NPT) sizes

The number on a pipe fitting is the nominal pipe size, not a measurement — 1/2" NPT is 0.84" across the outside of the male thread. That's the one that trips everyone up. Female sizes are the same nominal; measure the inside of the opening and it will be a little under the male OD.

Nominal Male OD TPI Nominal Male OD TPI
1/8" 0.405" 27 1" 1.315" 11.5
1/4" 0.540" 18 1-1/4" 1.660" 11.5
3/8" 0.675" 18 1-1/2" 1.900" 11.5
1/2" 0.840" 14 2" 2.375" 11.5
3/4" 1.050" 14 3" 3.500" 8

Hose barbs

A barb is sized by the hose it fits — the hose inside diameter. The widest ridge of the barb is a little larger than the hose ID so it seals when clamped. Sprayer hose comes in 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", 5/8", 3/4", 1", 1-1/4", 1-1/2", 2" and 3" ID; the other end of the barb fitting is usually male or female pipe thread, a cam-lock, or a manifold flange.

Cam-lock types

Cam-and-groove fittings are named by the type letter (what's on each end) and the nominal size. The adapter is the male nose with the groove; the coupler is the female with the two cam arms.

Type Cam end Other end
A Adapter (male) Female pipe thread
B Coupler (female) Male pipe thread
C Coupler (female) Hose shank
D Coupler (female) Female pipe thread
E Adapter (male) Hose shank
F Adapter (male) Male pipe thread
DC / DP Dust cap (female) / dust plug (male) —

Hydraulic threads

Hydraulic fittings use dash sizes (sixteenths of an inch of tube: -8 = 1/2"). JIC 37° flare and ORB share the same straight threads, so a -8 JIC and a -8 ORB both measure 3/4"-16 — the difference is the cone versus the O-ring. ORFS uses its own thread sizes (-8 is 13/16"-16). Hypro and Ace hydraulic pump motors usually have ORB ports; the hoses on them end in JIC or ORFS.

Common questions

What size is a fitting that measures 1 inch across?

If it's a tapered pipe thread at 14 TPI, it's 3/4" NPT (1.050" OD). If it's a straight thread at 14 TPI with a cone nose, it's -10 JIC (7/8"); at 11.5 TPI with a washer, garden hose thread. Measure the TPI and look at the sealing surface — the diameter alone is ambiguous.

How do I tell NPT from BSP?

Same nominal sizes, almost the same diameters, different thread pitch and angle. 1/2" NPT is 14 TPI; 1/2" BSP is 14 too, but 3/4" and 1" differ (14 vs 14, 11.5 vs 11) and the 55° BSP form doesn't seal against 60° NPT. If the equipment is European and the threads "almost" fit, it's BSP — bring it in.

What thread is on a TeeJet nozzle body?

The boom-side connection on most TeeJet bodies is 1/4" NPT or 3/8" NPT (or a hose shank for wet booms); the cap is a Quick TeeJet bayonet, not a thread. Standard nozzle caps thread onto an 11/16"-16 body.

Can I put a hose barb straight into a cam-lock?

That's a Type C (coupler to shank) or Type E (adapter to shank) — one fitting does both jobs. Match the cam size to the mating half and the shank to the hose ID.

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Hose barb fittings · Cam-lock fittings · Adapters · Couplings · Pipe nipples · Pipe elbows · Reducing bushings · Flange fittings · Gaskets & O-rings · Clamps · Hose

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