Can't decide on chiller...

[ScubaSteve]

I've never put any sanitizer in my plate chiller (Therminator). Never even thought of it until now, actually. I do what everyone else does, run boiling wort through it for the last 15 minutes of a boil. Requires a pump in your system.

I guess I figured that's what everyone was doing. I shouldn't have assumed What you describe is essentially the same procedure when using a tube style CFC....I do this with my Chillzilla.

Now you've got me looking a little harder at the plate chillers

 

[Captain_Bigelow]

IC v IC Whirlpool experiment

So I just got my 50ft 1/2" IC from NY Brew Supply. Here it is...

Test 1 I boiled 5 gallons of water and used just the IC (no whirlpool) and here are the results.
Ambient temp: 82
Faucet water: 74
Flow rate: 2 gallons per min
212-140: 4 mins
140-100: 8 mins
100-90: 4 mins (somebody came to my door, so I had to stop the experiment at 90).

Total time 212-90 = 16 mins.

Test 2 same 5 gallons of water using the IC and whirl-pooling arm.
Ambient temp: 82
Faucet water: 74
Flow rate: 2 gallons per min
212-140: 2 mins
140-100: 3 mins
100-80: 5 mins

Total time 212-80 = 10 mins.

Conclusion:
As you can see by whirl-pooling you can get your temperature down a lot faster (almost double). For this test I just used straight faucet water. When I am brewing for real, I would obviously use a pre-chiller and ice bath which will get the wort down to pitching temperatures.

Also the 6 minutes I saved = 12 gallons of saved water. So it works out better for the environment also!

 

[ScubaSteve]

Very nice. This is strong evidence that IC's are underrated. I personally use a CFC for form factor, but really appreciate the simplicity and reliability of an IC. Great Job

 

[patrck17]

Captain:

You can't just switch from asking about chillers to giving data based chiller results in the same thread! Now what are we going to debate about for the next few weeks? O well I guess I'll have to go back to trolling the all grain vs extract threads.

Lol, really though great experiment and results. I do think you should create a different thread highlighting your experiment for newbies to read, just something else to show up on the search.

 

[passedpawn]

Great job on the experiment. Nice, conclusive set of data there.

 

[Captain_Bigelow]

I put everything on one thread because I don't like creating lots of new threads and cluttering everything up.

Anyhow I went a head and transferred the data to a new thread. Any discussion about IC v IC (whirlpooling) please post there.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/ic-v-ic-whirl-pooling-192012/#post2229615

Thanks

 

[SamuraiSquirrel]

50' immersion chiller user here. 10-12 minute chill time in the summer (no whirlpool, just stirring). I can't wait to see the chill time when the water is 40-50 degrees in the winter.

I am sure whirlpooling has the set and forget for ten minutes benefit. But I think you can get nearly the same results if you don't mind stirring for ten minutes or just swirling the chiller around in your wort.