I am Building a HERMS with a 3500W 240V element. My vessel is a 2 gal igloo cooler. I went to HD today to buy the copper tubing for the HEX and wasn't sure what to get. I was looking to get Type L tubing. They have 1/2 OD which takes a 3/8 copper plumbing fitting or they have 5/8 OD which takes the regular 1/2 copper plumbing fitting.
I would like to use the 5/8 OD tubing but maybe the size is overkill. My concern would be flow rate but not having used a HERMS system before I don't know if the difference between the 1/2 and 5/8 really means anything.
Also my cooler is 8" diameter at the top but it has these ribs on the inside. The best I could measure is that the diameter at the bottom is about 6.75" between the ribs. Would the 5/8 tubing be able to bend in that tight of radius? Below is picture of my cooler.
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It is the surface area to volume ratio. Let me illustrate, a piece of tubing with a 2 inch diameter 6" long will not cool the liquid as well as a 3/8" pipe 6" long. To put it simply, the heat does not have enough time to penetrate into the fluid in the center of the pipe and therefor is not cooled.
I use a RIMS but, I would use 3/8" tubing. If you need more flow make 2 or more circuits and plumb them in parallel. You will be very happy with the results and it will be cheaper.
Look, you arent trying to win a race when you recirculate, your flow isnt THAT fast. You have plenty of length and surface area with the coil specified above to meet your requirements. Trust me.
Thanks for the advice guys. I installed the heater element last night. I put a bead of silicone on the bottom and let sit overnight. I leak tested when I got home today and no looks so I'm stoked about that.
I went with 20' 3/8 because I didn't think I could get the 1/2 inch bent in tight enough radius to fit in the cooler. I got a 5.5" vent pipe at Lowes to bend the tubing around and it worked out to be perfect. My coils just fit inside the ribs inside my cooler. I got most of the fittings sweated on now I am just waiting for my thermowells before I sweat the last few fittings. I just need to cut some holes in the lid or make wood lid out of some scrap plywood I got laying around.
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Glad to see someone else is going with a seperate Herms Hex! I am in the middle of building my stand/rig. I have the basic rig built and used it last weekend, will try to get some pics up of it later this week. I am planning the same thing with a hex. I currently have a 5 gallon cooler, now im wondering if its too big, but i think it should be ok. I am pretty much following This build as a guilde. But i plan to build the controller onto the cooler as i believe The Pol did. At least i think it was him, i have looked at so many dam rigs lately. I am also planning on incorporating a stirring motor to prevent stratification of the water.
Glad to see someone else is going with a seperate Herms Hex! I am in the middle of building my stand/rig. I have the basic rig built and used it last weekend, will try to get some pics up of it later this week. I am planning the same thing with a hex. I currently have a 5 gallon cooler, now im wondering if its too big, but i think it should be ok. I am pretty much following This build as a guilde. But i plan to build the controller onto the cooler as i believe The Pol did. At least i think it was him, i have looked at so many dam rigs lately. I am also planning on incorporating a stirring motor to prevent stratification of the water.
Yeah I had the A419 mounted to the HLT HERMS HEX... now Yooper has it
HERMS Build Advice
Which is why the new rig will be
Linear Mode
