Bathtub wort chiller

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Cregar

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I live in arizona and as you can guess it gets pretty damn hot here. I usually chill my wort down using my bathtub full of ice water. It works pretty good but still take quite awhile.

A buddy of mine suggested using a homemade wort chiller and a fountain pump in the bathtub to chill it a lot quicker. Basically put the chiller in the wort during the last few minutes of the boil (as usual). Then fill the tub with a bunch of ice and cold water. Place the pot in the tub, attach the tube from the fountain pump to the chiller, drop the pump in the ice water and start it pumping.

Was just wonder what guys thoughts are about the idea. What size of pump (gph)?

thanks
 
Do you actually fill your bathtub with ice? That must cost a fortune? I think having a secondary coil in an ice bath would be more efficient and use less ice. :mug:
 
I use the small pond pump at Lowes and a five gallon cooler filled with ice water. For the first few minutes, I let the run off from the chiller go into my garden while I add to the cooler with the garden hose. After the run off is slightly warm to the touch, I recirculate the ice water until I hit my target temp.
 
I use the small pond pump at Lowes and a five gallon cooler filled with ice water. For the first few minutes, I let the run off from the chiller go into my garden while I add to the cooler with the garden hose. After the run off is slightly warm to the touch, I recirculate the ice water until I hit my target temp.

I was thinking about still using the bathtub because I would benefit from the cold water on the outside of the pot along with the ice water running through the chiller.
 
I was thinking about still using the bathtub because I would benefit from the cold water on the outside of the pot along with the ice water running through the chiller.

A better idea would be to stir your wort while the chiller is in it. It's best if you stir in the opposite direction of the flow of water in your chiller coil. This creates a cross current heat exchange that is highly efficient.

When I chill using this method, it takes between 12-17 minutes to chill my wort to 70 degrees. Also, I only end up using 1 large bag of ice.
 
Our groundwater is so damned hot here!


Yeah, here too. Last summer, on the last batch that I brewed before pumping ice water through the chiller it was taking forever to reach pitching temp. I went into My bathroom and tested the temp of the tap water and it was at 83 degrees!! The water tower is about two miles from my house baking in the sun all season.
 
If you are using an IC and a pump and ice, this seems to be the most economical method.

1) Use your tap water first. The delta between boiling and even 90°F water is pretty substantial.
2) Once your wort approaches 100°F, start pumping cold ice water.
3) As above counter-flow stirring helps a great deal.
 
If you are using an IC and a pump and ice, this seems to be the most economical method.

1) Use your tap water first. The delta between boiling and even 90°F water is pretty substantial.
2) Once your wort approaches 100°F, start pumping cold ice water.
3) As above counter-flow stirring helps a great deal.

I agree but, then you have to disconnect from the faucet and connect to your pump half way through the process. With my method, you simply take your discharge hose out of the garden and the stick it in your ice bath. No fixtures clamps or other potential problems.
 
Here's a pretty good thread on the matter.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?p=374336


I have a pic in here where I use a cooler full of ice. I just fill it with tap water for step 1 and then the ice water later. I've also cut down my hose lengths to more managable sizes using hoses made for washer hookups.

I use a plate chiller in this photo, but I'm recirulating my wort back to the keg, so the effect is similar to an IC.
 
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