Building an immersion chiller - 2 25' or 1 50'?

[SamuraiSquirrel]

So I picked up 50 ft of 1/2" copper to build an immersion chiller. As before any DIY build I am wondering what the best design is to give me the best chilling time.

I have seen plenty of single coil 50' chillers and a few 50' with a large circle and a smaller one in the center.

I would like to keep it a single 10" diameter coil if possible (wrapped around a corny). That should make my chiller coil about 10" high if I calculated correctly. This should work perfect since I brew mostly 6.5 gallon batches in a 10 gallon pot. I don't have a pump so the whirlpool chiller is out of the question. I just plan on gently stirring while it's chilling.

So I was wondering if should just build a single 50' chiller or 2 25' chillers stacked on top of one another? There would be two coolant inputs and to outputs.

I'm just wondering how much more efficient it would be than a standard single 50' coil.

Any thoughts or input would be appreciated.

 

[Arkador]

I'd do a single 50ft imersion chiller. Easier to build a single piece, and less complexity over your other considerations

 

[RogueAg]

I'd recommend a single piece chiller... using 50'. I made mine of 1/2", 50' copper coil... wrapped it around a corny just as you're doing to do. It's easy and simpler than a 2 piece chiller.

I'd post a pic of mine, but I don't have enough posts under my belt. Your math is right... your coil should be roughly 10" tall.... Mine is 9.5" tall with the "risers" extending another 9" high and making a 90 degree turn horizontally, with barbed fittings soldered on.

One tip I'd give: To make my compact and tightly wound... I had some scrap romex laying around... stripping the wires... and wrapped it once around the coil at 3 different points to keep the coil stack snug so it didn't flop around like a slinky. Just a thought.

 

[SamuraiSquirrel]

Yeah, I am going to make the "risers" about 24" so that I can use it in my pot or a keggle if I ever get that thing up and running.

I have some spare copper that I am going to use for the vertical pieces. The full 50' will make up the coil.

I guess I'll just go with the single coil 50' then. I guess if I'm not happy with the chill time I can always just cut it in half and modify it at a later time.

How long does it take you guys using 50' half inch chiller to get get 5 or 6 gallons down to 70's?

I plan on just stirring. No pump. no prechiller ice bath or any of the stuff at this point.

 

[Bobby_M]

Assuming your coolant water is at least under 70F, either will work. The dual 25' will definitely offer an advantage at the cost of a more complicated build.

 

[mosquitocontrol]

If yo don't have a pump how do you plan to run cooling water thru two separate 25 ft chillers at once? Just do one 5o foot. It will be good for the finishing temps.

 

[SamuraiSquirrel]

As far as DIY projects go more complicated = more awesome ............. as long as it turns out somewhat as intended.

I've got some ideas for the dual 25' build. I still need to think about it a little longer before the final decision. Plus the tubing I got was a little bent up when I got it out of the box so building it tonight is no longer an option. I'll return it and get some non-dented up tubing. This gives me a little while longer to think it over.

$3 hose splitter to run water through both of them if I decide to go the dual 25' route.

 

[Bobby_M]

If you want it to be awesome ;-) you should take a 1" copper end cap, drill two 1/2" holes into it and solder the tubing in. Convert the 1" cap to a 3/4 GH thread.

 

[SamuraiSquirrel]

Snazzy idea. That would eliminate cheap rigged up looking hose splitter design. I will definately consider this.