Wort Chiller Advice

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ThePoShow

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Hey guys, I am finally looking at ordering a wort chiller so I no longer need to make an I've bath to cool my wort. I am a small time home brewer at the moment working with a 16 qt pot. The width on my pot is 12 1/2". Should I order the smaller 8" wort chiller or the 10" for my size pot? Also, pros and cons on stainless steel vs copper?

:cheers:
 
The bigger the chiller and wider the tubing the quicker it cools. I made mine myself out of copper and it works great but in my opinion I'd go with stainless. I like stainless better for equipment if you can find and afford it. Just my 2 cents though. What I will recommend though is to get the pop locks for it so you don't have to screw/unscrew any hoses. They just plug in and unplug. I've found them to be very inexpensive and incredibly helpful, one small brewing investment I'm glad I made.
 
Awesome. I appreciate the advice. I will be ordering my wort chiller soon. The website I am ordering from sells the stainless steel models cheaper than the copper. I think I will definitely be going to stainless route.
 
I'm assuming your ordering from nybrewsupply they are the cheapest I've seen. Stainless vs copper, to me very little difference, but copper is supposed to conduct heat quicker, but stainless would take more abuse.
 
Good to know about the differences. I'm ordering the wort chiller from Midwest supplies because I have a gift card.
 
Just a thought. I am one of the least technically apt people in the world, and I made a nice looking, fully functional wort chiller for pretty cheap. There are great videos out there to show you how. But good luck either way!
 
You might also take a look at immersion versus plate chillers. Duda Diesel has a great product at a price which is competitive with immersion chillers. Lots of discussion here, just search the forums.
 
Can anybody with experience using a stainless steel chiller give any info on whether the lower heat conductivity noticeably lengthens the time it takes to chill the wort?
 
signpost said:
Can anybody with experience using a stainless steel chiller give any info on whether the lower heat conductivity noticeably lengthens the time it takes to chill the wort?

I have and use both, noticed no difference. I like the stainless better because, well, it's stainless. I'm actually selling a used one with a recirc tube connected to it :)
 
Can anybody with experience using a stainless steel chiller give any info on whether the lower heat conductivity noticeably lengthens the time it takes to chill the wort?

I have both and for our purpose and at our scale the difference in heat conductivity doesn't mean squat.
 
I'm assuming your ordering from nybrewsupply they are the cheapest I've seen. Stainless vs copper, to me very little difference, but copper is supposed to conduct heat quicker, but stainless would take more abuse.

I got my copper chiller from them. I opted for the brass fittings because I heard horror stories about hose clamp failure and lots of hose water in chilling wort.
 
You might also take a look at immersion versus plate chillers. Duda Diesel has a great product at a price which is competitive with immersion chillers. Lots of discussion here, just search the forums.

I have had problems finding out which Plate Chillers are made in the United States versus China. I know all about the quality control improvements that China has made BUT I want to purchase one made here and not overseas. Any help with those that own them? I was considering Duda Diesel Chillers til I discovered they are also made in China.. :confused:
 
You could always call AHS or Northern Brewer and ask them. They should be able to help identify which ones are made here and which are made elsewhere. Just a thought.
 
The bigger the chiller and wider the tubing the quicker it cools. I made mine myself out of copper and it works great but in my opinion I'd go with stainless. I like stainless better for equipment if you can find and afford it. Just my 2 cents though. What I will recommend though is to get the pop locks for it so you don't have to screw/unscrew any hoses. They just plug in and unplug. I've found them to be very inexpensive and incredibly helpful, one small brewing investment I'm glad I made.

is there another term for the pop locks?

i did a quick search, and turned up nothing but this thread. I'd be interested in buying some for my wort chiller, whenever I get one.
 
Quick connects or snap fittings, you can get em in the garden section at home depot for like a dollar. I highly recommend them to anyone using a wort chiller, they make things very convenient and effortless.
 
I have had problems finding out which Plate Chillers are made in the United States versus China. I know all about the quality control improvements that China has made BUT I want to purchase one made here and not overseas. Any help with those that own them? I was considering Duda Diesel Chillers til I discovered they are also made in China.. :confused:

Check out https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f41/40-plate-chiller-89-kegcowboy-com-200974/

I was under the impression these were made stateside. I haven't bought one yet, waiting on disposable cash. At least you can ask in that thread.
 
Can anybody with experience using a stainless steel chiller give any info on whether the lower heat conductivity noticeably lengthens the time it takes to chill the wort?

From what I've read, since stainless is stronger the stainless IC's are made thinner than the copper ones, which makes up for a lot of the difference. I will be buying a chiller soon and plan to go stainless steel.
 
I just used an immersion chiller for the first time, are there any thoughts on how fast you want the water passing through the chiller?
Do you open the hose up all the way or do you pinch it back a bit. I got into an argument with one of my brew buddies about this.
I'm using a pre-chiller, I figure the faster the water is flowing the more heat it will carry away from the wort but his argument is that we're not giving the water sufficient time to cool off in the pre-chiller.

What do y'all think?
 
WreckinBrewCo said:
I just used an immersion chiller for the first time, are there any thoughts on how fast you want the water passing through the chiller?
Do you open the hose up all the way or do you pinch it back a bit. I got into an argument with one of my brew buddies about this.
I'm using a pre-chiller, I figure the faster the water is flowing the more heat it will carry away from the wort but his argument is that we're not giving the water sufficient time to cool off in the pre-chiller.

What do y'all think?

it would depend on the temperature of the water exiting the IC.. if theres not much difference after a minute then slow the flow but cooling time will increase.. the best way is to have the wort moving either by swirling or dipping the IC up and down until the differential in water temp is the same and then slow the flow untill it comes out warmer than the inlet temp :mug:

Edit: same for the pre chiller but the water exiting the IC would of course be colder than the inlet but motion is the name of the game or you won't get enough temperature transfer to make much of a difference...
 
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