Chugged pump and immersion cooler

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CButterworth

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I just purchased a Chugger pump for moving the hot liquids when doing all-grain.

However, I am also wondering if it might work for pushing ice water through my immersion cooler.

I have a ball valve on the pump outlet with 1/2" diameter and could step it down to 1/4" for feeding into the chiller.

My concern is ensuring that the pressure of ice water flowing through my immersion chiller isn't too great and that could be adjusted using the ball valve in the chugger. To avoid cavitation, I was thinking of going 1/2" into the Chugger.

Any ideas?

Charlie
 
Restriction on the outlet side ant an issue, just on the inlet side. You should be good to go. Just make sure the tubes on your chiller are secure so you don't leak ice water into your wort.
 
I live in Texas. With the humidity and the huge temperature difference, I would be very worried about condensation running into the sterol wort. Probably not an issue but I would worry about every drop carrying some wild yeast or bug. But I obsess when brewing.
 
I use the pump to whirlpool around the immersion chiller. It really speeds up the cool down. Then a Home Depot inline pump to move ice water through the chiller once the temp drops below 100 degrees. Here in Texas I always have to use ice water through the chiller.
 
I've used this one for the last two brews:

http://www.amazon.com/EcoPlus-185-Submersible-Pump-158/dp/B0018WVNXC?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00

Drop it in a cooler full of ice water and let it do its thing. Set the return line at the upper opposite end of the cooler so the warm water has time to cool before being recirculated.

If I did it again, I might go up to the 290 gph model, but then again, maybe not.

It's getting too hot in Georgia to rely on ground water for adequate cooling.
 
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Thanks guys. I purchased a $15 pond pump from Harbor Freight and used it for the immersion chiller.

The chugger was used only for hot liquor and cool wort.

Brew day was far easier without having to lift 7 gallons or so of spare water.

Charlie
 
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