Cheyco's CFC

Ok I have been wanting a wort chiller. I was going to build a regular Immersion unit but like someone else said Home Depot only sells 20' sections. This design looks great and is only a few dollars more than an a store bought immersion unit.

How many of you guys use pumps?

How hard would it be for me to run gravity fed being that I don't have my SS pot drilled for a ball fitting?

Any suggestions? I know my racking cane can't take that kind of heat.

You'd have to use a copper racking can and some braided PVC hose. It's pretty hard to gravity drain through a CFC alone but it will be a huge pain to do it with a racking cane. It can work if you get your kettle up high enough. Start the siphon, pinch the hose, attach to CFC input, unpinch the hose. Sanitizing CFCs is one of the biggest issues they have.

back from the dead, went out and bought the bom yesterday, will build it likely tomorrow night, and hopefully test it saturday when i do some brewing, irish red baby! ok, ok, i'm excited about the red, but not that excited, more so for the chiller.

I'm surprised no one has done this yet. But I just stopped by home depot/menards/ace hardware to get the parts to build the CFC and I thought I'd put the Watts part numbers here.

4 x 5/8" x 1/2" MIP hose barb adaptor (Watts A-493) ~ $2.00 each
2 x 3/8" Comp x 1/2" MIP w/insert (Watts A-124) $2.29 each
2 x 1/2 Female pipe tee (Watts A-808) $2.98 each

I tried to buy everything from Menards, because everything was more expensive at other places. I couldn't find the hose barbs at Menards last week, so I tried Ace hardware and they were $4.49 each! (I had to go to Ace to find a SS washer for my MLT, so I didn't have to make a special trip) I couldn't stand paying over $20 after tax on the connectors, so I went back to Menards today and found 2 in stock for $1.79, I got the last two at Home depot for $2.65, so in the end the hose barbs cost me $9.50 after tax, so it definitely pays to shop around.

I thought I'd chime in and mention that you can make it even cheaper if you don't mind soldering.

(2) 1/2" copper tees
(2) 1/2" to 1/4" reducing couplings
scrap pieces of 1/2 copper pipe

See, the garden hose fits over the copper Tee, so no barbs needed. The compression fittings are replaced by the adapter. 3/8" OD soft copper tubing is 1/4" ID or "nominal". You just need a short nipple between the Tee and Reducer. Just make sure you put a wet rag over the garden hose at the fitting to keep it from burning.

I thought about soldering, but I remember what a pain it was to solder the pipes when I installed my water softener and then when I finished my basement I discovered PEX tubing and though that if I didn't have to solder anymore, I wouldn't. So I figured it was about $10 more for the brass fittings (copper is expensive at home depot!) and will save me lots of time and I won't have to worry about leaks. But if someone solders often and is good at it, it probably wouldn't take them any longer and they would save a few bucks.

Yeah, I hear you. I had a bin full of fittings already so I only had to buy the reducers. It made the decision easy.

Can I see a pick of how you all are hooking this to your brewpot? I'm on the fence os using hose or a compression fitting right into the B-valve.

FSR402 said:

Can I see a pick of how you all are hooking this to your brewpot? I'm on the fence os using hose or a compression fitting right into the B-valve.

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I just use a copper racking cane, with a homemade hop-stopper on the end. Works a treat, though a valve would be dreamy...

Chairman Cheyco said:

I just use a copper racking cane, with a homemade hop-stopper on the end. Works a treat, though a valve would be dreamy...

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Oh, my whole brew stand is all gravity feed. With my old CFC I used a rubber hose slipped over the CFC and the ball-valve and clamped with some screw clamps. I do not like this because the hose would melt a little because I like to run boiling water thru the CFC while I'm mashing and then I leave it hooked to the B-valve during the boil.

I am planning on building one of these but I was wondering first off where the pictures went on the first post and second if I will need to get a wort wizard to get this to flow well enough to be usable. Thanks!

conpewter said:

I am planning on building one of these but I was wondering first off where the pictures went on the first post and second if I will need to get a wort wizard to get this to flow well enough to be usable. Thanks!

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What pictures do you need? here is one of mine, there are randome pictures through out the thread too.



If you need any others let me know, i can try and post up any that you could want.

No you don't need a wort wizard to use this, I use gravity to feed my wort through the chiller and it works fine you could use a wizard if you want to. i have been looking into something like that until I can afford a pump.

Thank you for the picture, I was also looking at how to install a ball-valve in line with this system to regulate the flow of cooling water. I'm thinking of ordering the tubing from http://coppertubingsales.com since it's $42 for 50' of 3/8 copper mailed to my door and I know home depot will be much more than that.

Thanks for this great idea by the way cheyco!

conpewter said:

Thank you for the picture, I was also looking at how to install a ball-valve in line with this system to regulate the flow of cooling water. I'm thinking of ordering the tubing from http://coppertubingsales.com since it's $42 for 50' of 3/8 copper mailed to my door and I know home depot will be much more than that.

Thanks for this great idea by the way cheyco!

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That is a good deal on copper i will have to remember that one. For the ball valve you can just use any water hose valve. I just have a $3 one from the hardware store you shouldn't need anything special.

When I built mine, I used a small in line valve on the cold wort out tube. That way, I could fill up the CFC with Star san and shut off the valve until I was ready to start the siphon.

I came across a good deal today at a place called Fergusons in Apex, NC. They sold me 50 feet of 3/8 OD copper tubing for $25. I just told them the name of the company I work for and they hooked it up with contractor pricing. I'm building mine tonight or tomorrow, just better hope I can get a ball valve welded into the kettle before brew day on sunday.

Damn, I am in Cary. Just spent the $40 at Lowes for the 50' of the 3/8" copper tubing. If anyone needs 25' I am willing to sell.

Dude said:

It still won't matter what size tubing you use, people in hot climates like ours with 80-85 degree ground water in the summer time. Well be forced to use some kind of pre-chiller (or post-chiller) to get anywhere near good pitching temps.

I am actually going to start that project in the next couple of weeks before it heats up here. I have an old immersion chiller that I need to put garden hose fittings on.

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I have a pre-chiller, but why not just put the whole CFC in the cooler I use for my pre-chiller with the ice/water bath/. Or do you think that the hose is too insulated to impart any additional cooling in this way? I've ordered an in-line thermometer, so I'll report if I see any benefit from doing it this way.

conpewter said:

Thank you for the picture, I was also looking at how to install a ball-valve in line with this system to regulate the flow of cooling water. I'm thinking of ordering the tubing from CopperTubingSales.com :: ICS Indsutries :: since it's $42 for 50' of 3/8 copper mailed to my door and I know home depot will be much more than that.

Thanks for this great idea by the way cheyco!

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I got a flow valve in the hose section of home depot that attaches between the hose and the inlet port of the CFC. I just leave it attached to the hose and put the hose nozzle on it when I'm not using it for chillin. 3-4 dollars. Can get them in plastic or metal. Can operate with one hand. Much easier than a ball valve. And you don't need to mess around with copper fittings, etc.

This is the unit I purchased at HD. I don't have to run to the hose spigot every time i want to run water thru the CFC.

Many thanks to Cheyco and Bobby for their posts about building a CFC. I had a crappy one that I have been using but I was to chicken to build a good one. I can't solder so I went with Cheyco's. :rockin:

Thanks to all of you who share your experience and your knowledge.

I've made two 25' versions of this with no problems, but it's been a while. I'm making a new one and for some reason I'm having trouble drilling out that last fitting so the copper can pass through. I can't remember what I used to do it last time. Does anyone have tips on what size bit to use, etc.?

Cheyco recommends 25/64" drill (you can use 3/8" but that extra 1/64" makes putting it together much easier).

I used the 3/8 and was very happy with the tight fit - no leaks

any reason I couldn't use 1/2 Quick disconnects in place of the length of copper tubing at the end? Eeverything else in my system will be 1/2 with 1/2 silicone tubing...

What kind of pump are you using on your wort?

I built one of these this weekend! I used some 1/4 inch copper I had laying around for the inner. As a result of the change in fluid ratios I am able to use 15ft of hose. The trade off is the slower flow rate. Still works better than expected, nearly flawless.

Ok, here's the compression fitting i picked up from HD.



Can anyone explain the procedure for modifying this so the copper passes through? It seems the ferrule needs a pipe end to work correctly.

In the main body, shown on the right in the pic, you have to drill out the stop to 3/8" or a touch larger so your tubing will pass through. That piece on the far left can be discarded.

Still in planning stages for my cfc... has anyone tried doing this with stainless steel line like this?
It seems to be about the same price as copper. I think the increased length and smaller diameter should compensate for the conductive properties of stainless.

This thread was a great help! Many thanks!

Here's how mine turned out using your instructions. Took me only about an hour to make. The parts cost me $90 total, but the good part is that hose and tubing was 50 feet. My CFC is 25', so i have enough material to make another. I think i'll make it next weekend and sell it on CL or Ebay. Solid!

long live this thread :rockin:. I wish I would have known what a CFC was before I did my first AG brew using the immersion wort chiller. The immersion wort chiller had a hard time getting the wort temperature down quickly. Think I might go up to Home Depot and price all the parts in a few.

cheers
-Chris

I read through this thread and decided I'd just go into ACE across the street and peice it together.... one thing that came out of this that I have not seen on this thread, and that I think simplifies things just a bit, is the valve attached directly to the Tee. In Kansas City we have very warm water in the summer and ver cold water in the winter so controlling the flow is mandatory.
There really is no need to have a 6 to 10 inch peice of hose coupling the brass tee to your water supply. Just plug right in.

just made mine today after using an IC for the last 8 months and taking over 30 minutes to cool the wort. Planning on installing a weldless fitting to my Boil kettle and letting good ol gravity feed it through the CFC.

Just made mine, thanks a lot, im gona test it next weekend but im positive it will work great. Because thread is rather old i want to update prices i payed on the components
25' 5/8" garden hose (couldnt find 25'' so i had to go with 50''- $12 at costco)
25' 3/8"OD copper tubing- $37 with 2x 1/2'' tees and shipping from SIM Supply
2- 1/2" NPT female brass tees- $2.75 each ^^^^^^^^^^
2- 3/8"compression x 1/2"male NPT fittings $4 each from lowes
4- 5/8"hose barb x 1/2" male NPT fittings $3.08 each from lowes
4- 5/8" Hose clamps 0.95 each from homedepo
Total ~$78

I was just wondering if you absolutely have to get the "high temp" garden hose. Can you just use the cheaper stuff? I can't get a 25 ft. garden hose in town for less than $25. I found a CFC on Austinhomebrew.com for about the same price as it would be for me to make one using the high temp hose. Just wondering if it would be possible to use anything other than rubber garden hose.

Thanks!

rcsoccer said:

I was just wondering if you absolutely have to get the "high temp" garden hose. Can you just use the cheaper stuff? I can't get a 25 ft. garden hose in town for less than $25. I found a CFC on Austinhomebrew.com for about the same price as it would be for me to make one using the high temp hose. Just wondering if it would be possible to use anything other than rubber garden hose.

Thanks!

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I guess i missed high temp garden hose requirement because i used the cheapest i could find. I run 2 5 gal batches of really hot wort (~190 F) and it worked fine, actually its perfect, at 90 F weather i had to reduce cooling water flow to i would say 10-20% of my supply to get wort at 72

I just built my CFC according to this thread and tested it tonight for the first time with boiling water. This bad boy took down 5 gallons of 212 degree water to 66 degrees within 12-15 minutes! I do not have a pump and before today did not have a valve, but after installing a weldless ball valve I will rely on gravity to feed the CFC....worked very well during my test.

One thing that I did on the build that really helped was using a funnel to force some water & dishwashing liquid down the hose ... this helped tremendously when feeding the copper into the rubber tubing. Total build time was 1 hr.

I bought all the parts off the shelf at HD and the whole shebang cost $100. I realize I could have probably cut down the cost, but once I get an idea in my head it's hard to wait the few extra days for internet shipping...I would highly recommend this build for anyone considering a DIY CFC.

Bringing this one back from the dead.....

Getting ready to build this over the holiday weekend most likely and have a question on the 'T' junctions and fittings
Does the 3/8" copper tubing run through the 5/8" hose barb and out through the T and the compression fitting?

I know this is an old thread, but hopefully someone who has constructed this CFC can help here.

I just bought all of the materials to make this for a friend. I made one a year ago and used copper fittings and Copper Bond (similar to JB Weld I guess), however I'm getting leaks in the copper reducers. So my friend wanted one because he likes mine so much, but I told him this was a better route with the compression fittings.

Anyway, I went to start drilling through the stop in the compression fittings with a 3/8" bit and it's way harder than I though it would be. With the copper reducer, it took about 15 seconds. With this brass compression fitting, I've had the drill on it for almost 5 minutes (with rests every 30 seconds or so) and it's not even a quarter of the way through the stop.

So what type of drill and bit did y'all use? I'm assuming a drill press is needed, as my 19v cordless hasn't really done much. And not only that, but what it has done is really messy and not a clean hole (which isn't going to bode well to stop leaks).

Any advice?