Aerator

joejaz · 01-12-2008, 10:42 PM

Eventually will have to get CFC once I start doing all grain. Could you put a water faucet aerator on the output end of the chiller or would this cause too much foam. Would you have enough pressure without a march pump? If it didn't cause excesssive foam I would think it wouild evenly aerate the entire wort going through.

**Bobby_M** · 01-13-2008, 01:17 AM

I gravity drained through my CFC for a few batches and while it works, it is slow going. After I got the pump, I was able to sanitize the chiller by recirculating hot wort instead of running saniter through prior to brewing. It makes life easier.

joejaz · 01-13-2008, 03:55 AM

Bobby, what about the aerator idea. I got the idea after thinking about your set up. Also Brewer's Apprentice has a 25 ft CFC for $70. I figure with the price of copper and the fittings, it doesn't pay to try and make one. How long is your CFC, it cooled pretty fast.

**bradsul** · 01-13-2008, 04:01 AM

I've personally got a 25' CFC that I gravity drain (picture). It takes less than 20 minutes to drain 23L (around 6 gallons).

I'm not sure the aerator would work because the wort leaves the chiller fairly slowly so there would be very little turbulence. If you had a pump I think it would work very well however.

mr x · 01-13-2008, 04:09 AM

I use a gravity cfc, and I get about 2 inches of foam in my carboy with it free flowing. I then use a wine degasser for aeration. They work excellent.

I think if you try to restrict with an aerator, you won't have any success with gravity feed.

joejaz · 01-13-2008, 04:25 AM

I got a pump that I use to drain the pool cover. I have to see what kind it is and whether I could use that. I would definitely have to clean and sterilize it some way. I don't know if the heat would damage the propeller ( i guess you call it that) because it's rubber. Here's a stupid question, where do you hook it up to the CFC, the input or output end?

5 Is Not Enough · 01-13-2008, 03:33 PM

I have a 25' cfc of 3/8" od copper. I would not add any other restrictions as it drains pretty slow anyway. Some people tie a nylon screen bag around the end and that should aerate & strain without much restriction.

As far as pump positioning, it depends on the pump. I use a 12V RV water pump that is not rated for heat, so it has to go after the chiller. If you have a pump rated at 200'f, you would go before. You also have to consider whether or not the pump is self priming. Since the shurflo(rv pump) is self priming, there is no problem "pulling" the wort through. A march pump is not and needs to be positioned where gravity will feed it first.

ScubaSteve · 01-14-2008, 04:50 PM

The aerator will almost definitely clog. Not to mention, cold wort is syrupy. Skip that idea and get a pure o2 rig from morebeer for $30. You could even put it inline with the chiller.

**Bsquared** · 01-15-2008, 01:16 AM

Check this out http://www.wortwizard.com/.

I'm in the process of setting up a DYI version of this. I have a 25' CFC that I am pumping water from my MLT with my March pump through the CFC. I have a Faucet vacuum aerator attached on the return the creates a vacuum. I attach the vacuum line to my carboy and a line to the CFC. The idea is to create a vacuum in the carboy and suck the wort through the chiller.

I have not got it all hooked up yet, bit I can pull a good vacuum with the faucet attachment so I don't see why it wont work. Saposidly as the wort flows in to the carboy, the air being sucked out will aerate the wort. Look ate the " how it works " on the wort wizard.