Chiller Dramas And Cheap Chiller Tube

[alford_j]

I recently cannibalized my basic but serviceable 6m immersion chiller to make a counter flow chiller. The counter flow chiller turned out ok but after doing some testing, I found it would use 350L of water to cool 25L of boiling wort to 22C in 35 min- not quite the numbers I was hoping for :angry: . With a brew day planned for Saturday I was now chiller-less!

So, I set out to make another better immersion chiller. Today at bunnings I found 6m lengths of annealed copper tube for $19 (A 18m length is $109!)The product is being deleted and they are getting rid of it. That's about 33% off! I got 3 lengths to play with and will crack out the bending/soldering gear tonight. I'm looking at a design with 2 concentric coils- if it turns out ok I'll post a pic or 2.

If you're looking for copper tube, this is by far the cheapest I have found it.


Alfie

 

[alford_j]

Finished the chiller and gave it a run on a SNPA on Saturday. Got 25L to 22.3C in 40 minutes and used less than half the water. About 19m all up, not too bad for $70 of pipe and fittings.

 

[lefty2446]

I recently cannibalized my basic but serviceable 6m immersion chiller to make a counter flow chiller. The counter flow chiller turned out ok but after doing some testing, I found it would use 350L of water to cool 25L of boiling wort to 22C in 35 min- not quite the numbers I was hoping for :angry: . With a brew day planned for Saturday I was now chiller-less!

So, I set out to make another better immersion chiller. Today at bunnings I found 6m lengths of annealed copper tube for $19 (A 18m length is $109!)The product is being deleted and they are getting rid of it. That's about 33% off! I got 3 lengths to play with and will crack out the bending/soldering gear tonight. I'm looking at a design with 2 concentric coils- if it turns out ok I'll post a pic or 2.

If you're looking for copper tube, this is by far the cheapest I have found it.


Alfie

My CFC cools 38L to water temp + 1.5deg using water in a rough ratio of 3:1. I pump my wort through the CFC with a march pump wide open and the cooling water flat out. My CFC is 1/2" inside 3/4" all copper 9m long.

I'm surprised that your CFC would take 350L to do the same job!

Bit late now but are you sure you had it connected contra flow? Ie coldest water contacting coldest wort?

Adrian

 

[alford_j]

Yes, contra flow. Mine is 5.5m 1/2 inch copper inside 3/4 inch vinyl. I don't have a pump- just gravity. Cooling water flat out is about 10L/min from my measurement. In retrospect, I think it was the short length that led to the poor performance. I still have it so I might see if I can get some better numbers out of it.

Alf