How do you chill using a keggle?

I was givena keggle and am excited to start 10g batches. I do AG with a converted cooler. I am not real interested in spending over a hundred dollars on a march pump another $80 on a CFC (I need to build up to that). I currently have a 25' copper immersion chiller I am planning on using as a possible pre-chiller. Will a 50' chiller work?

Other possibilities???

I've heard that for most people, a 50' IC works just fine. The length of time required to chill your batch will be dependent on your cooling water temperature.

Kayos said:

I was givena keggle and am excited to start 10g batches. I do AG with a converted cooler. I am not real interested in spending over a hundred dollars on a march pump another $80 on a CFC (I need to build up to that). I currently have a 25' copper immersion chiller I am planning on using as a possible pre-chiller. Will a 50' chiller work?

Other possibilities???

Click to expand...

In my experience a pre chiller does jack $hit.

I'd recommend 50' of 1/2" for an immersion chiller. Stiring the pot will greatly improve the effectiveness. Depending on your water temps that may be all you need.

If your water temp is high, use the tap water to get it down to 100F and then hook up a cheap garden pump and recirculate ice water thru the IC back to a bucket. With the ice you can get it down to good pitching temps in no time.

Kayos said:

I was givena keggle and am excited to start 10g batches. I do AG with a converted cooler. I am not real interested in spending over a hundred dollars on a march pump another $80 on a CFC (I need to build up to that). I currently have a 25' copper immersion chiller I am planning on using as a possible pre-chiller. Will a 50' chiller work?

Other possibilities???

Click to expand...

I would get/make a 50' chiller for the keggle... You could also try splitting the hose so that you can still use the 25' chiller you already have. Depending on what your tap/hose water temp is, will determine how low you can chill the wort, and how fast it will happen.

As for the person saying that a pre-chiller doesn't do Jack Sheit, I think it all comes down to what you do to pre-chill what's coming out of the smaller IC... Putting the smaller IC into iced salt water will do more than just putting it in ice, or normal ice water. If you can get creative, then put the iced salt water into a freezer while it's in use, or at least a fridge. That way you help to combat the heating of the chilling water while in use. Keep in mind, it is still impacted by the water temp going into it. So if your chilling water is ~75F right now (no idea what So-Cal water temp is) then you really don't need to chill it all that much more. If it's in the area of 85-90 then you have more work to do to chill it down. Also, if you use a large volume of iced salt water, such as at least a 5-7 gallon bucket (a trash barrel full might be needed come summer time) you'll probably have better results.

It's just using heat exchanger dynamics. If you have any friends in the HVAC field, see if you can get one of them to make something to help chill down the water going into the IC.