Build a wort chiller is regular cooper pipe okay?

Ive decided to build my own wort chiller instead of ordering one in. I have seen instructions which call for plain copper pipe. Now i have a copper pipe at my house but whenever i touch it my hands absolutely reek of pennies. I just want to make sure I dont need any special kind of copper (like food grade) before i go out and buy some from work (I work at Home Depot)

Copper is copper. The only concern with copper tubing is ensuring it is kept clean and free of green verdigis. Home Depot would be the perfect place to buy copper, but depending on your location you might want to check on a pre-made chiller, because I've seen copper retail for quite a bit higher than a wort-chiller made when copper prices were lower.

Yeah I live on a rock, I had to switch LHBS because my first didnt even sell hops. I highly doubt they would sell a wort chiller

Copper is copper but not all copper PIPE is the same...there are different thickness that can be had a different prices.

I just built my CFC and bought 50ft of 3/8" of refrigeration grade (thin walled-type M I think its called) copper....I only used 25ft of it and bought it for 45 bucks or so shipped.

http:\\www.coppertubingsales.com

The problem I found is that HD and Lowes only had 20ft sections of the thicker copper stuff (type L). It was more expensive (48 bucks for 20ft) and was going to be harder to bend since it is thicker stuff. I also read of problems with bending and rebending of thicker copper pipe which is why I went with the thinner stuff.

Depending on how much your HD employee discount knocks off, you might want to consider going online to buy the copper.

I'll also sell you my remaining 20ft (I knocked off an extra 5ft for a pickup tube that didn't work) if you want to make a 20ft chiller...let me know....I'll sell it for what I paid for it plus shipping...just a thought.

Just a follow up on the above offer...I have exactly 25' in my cf chiller and even with my water at a trickle I see sub 75 degree temps. I'm sure 20' would be fine, although you might have to turn up the water a bit.

It's not really "pipe" but moreso "tubing". You're going to find it in thin boxes coiled up and the price is going to scare you.

Bobby_M said:

It's not really "pipe" but moreso "tubing". You're going to find it in thin boxes coiled up and the price is going to scare you.

Click to expand...

You are correct...I should have stated it was tubing...it came rolled up. I believe pipe typically comes in one thickness.

@Doc Thirst: You are correct that 20 ft CFC may not cool as well as 25ft but it also depends on the temp of the cooling water you are pumping through. You are also correct that flow rate also has an effect. Having built a 25ft CFC I now think I could have gotten away with 20ft with the temperature of my cooling water (at least this time of year).