Copper Bond Epoxy on Wort Chiller

Just built my first immersion wort chiller yesterday. I could only get ahold of two ten foot sections and have no welding experience so I bonded them together with a coupler and some Copper Bond Epoxy by Super Glue. Any idea if this is going to hold up in the wort's temperature? All the packaging says is, "for hot and cold water systems".

I don't have anything to base this on. But I would wager they're expecting a hot water system as in hot tap water and not boiling temps, which is what you'll be placing this into.

I say give it a try. If it doesn't work, you could get a pipe cutter and cut out the bond and then learn to solder them back together with a copper fitting. There are a ton of videos. I haven't done it myself yet, but it looks pretty easy to do. . . . difficult to do nicely.

But hey, it's baout the beer, not the equipment, right?

G'luck!

Not sure about that particular product, but the way to get an epoxied joint to release is to apply heat. Even if it works, I wouldn't want hot epoxy leaching chemicals into my beer, but that's just me.

Doh,
From Superglue's website (where it has a pdf and word doc on this product)

"PROPERTIES:

Initial color: R(white paste)/H(brown-yellow paste)
Full Strength: 24 hours
Final color: Brown-copper
Mix Ratio (parts by volume): 1:1
Working Time: 5 minutes
Temperature Use Range: 36 to 180 F
Handling Time: After 20 minutes
"

It also gives instructions on how to remove it (propane torch) and resolder the joints...

It will not hold up to boiling temperatures as the specs say. I know this from experience when I made my first chiller.

As others said cut it apart and get a coupling and solder it back together. It's not difficult, pick up an extra to do a practice run first.

Stop!! Solder Time...

^^^

I think I may have had too many home brews today....

Don't fear the soldering, Sam. It's really easy to do, but you do need a propane torch as well as proper solder and some flux.

The tools and skill will come in handy more than once....

If you really don't want to solder, how about a compression fitting from your plumbing supply store or hardware store?

Alright, so maybe I was a little over ambitous here but I went ahead and sold some books a little early (who needs to study for exams anyways?) and bought my soldering equipment. I was clearly in over my head, But it doesn't leak.



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Copper will expand more than epoxy causing cracks and leaks. BTW while the solder joint is still liquid wipe the joing with a damp rag this leaves a clean professional looking joint no hanging solder drips.