What size immersion wort chiller should I use?

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I don't think anyone would recommend under 25ft of 1/2" copper tubing for a 5g batch, though many/most homebrewers probably don't use a wort chiller at all (I'm talking about those not as "in the know" with internet forums and such).

I've been using my kitchen sink, and am thoroughly displeased with using it to chill 5g batches since it takes forever. My next brewing $100 is going towards a plate chiller off ebay from Dudadiesel. It should be the absolute most efficient way to chill my wort, and at that price, the most efficient means of chilling wort by price. I was going to get the smaller 30 plate chiller, which is around $85, then spend another $20 or so getting fittings to hook it into the sink.

My biggest reason for such a high-efficiency chiller is that in FL the ground water temps are usually in the mid 70s during the spring summer and fall, and over winter up in Tallahassee they'll go down to the 60s, but at my home in South FL, the groundwater will be in the mid 70s 24/7/365, even when it's 50 degrees out.
 
As much as you can afford/are willing to build is generally the best answer. Lots of people seem to do fine with a 25' IC (at 3/8" diameter), especially if your water is cold enough. I used 50' of tubing to make a 35' IC (which was as much tubing as I could fit in the pot before the height of the chiller exceeded the height of the wort) and a 15' pre-chiller. I can get wort to pitching temps in about 15 minutes.
 
For 5 gallons batch I like my 25' x 3/8" inch copper coil. Anything longer for 5 gallons...most of it will probably be out of the wort....
 
+1 Hammy. I made a chiller with 25' of 3/8 copper. In my keggle, the top of the chiller is just below the 5 gallon mark. It would nice to have a bigger chiller for larger batches.
 
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