Cooling Coil Freezing Beer

[Iowa Brewer]

Hi all!

Cold-crashed for 1st time with my homemade glycol-chiller & spike cooling coil (set up in a CF10), and ended up with a big ice ball around the cooling coil.

My made with an igloo cooler & a window AC unit, so I can’t set the temperature (dials are gone).

Don’t know my glycol:water, as I’ve tweaked it a lot, but it’s pretty glycol heavy, and water was getting down to 7°F with thermostat temp between 38–40°F (I’m guessing the ice ball was having an insulating effect).

Any suggestions or tricks for keeping ice from forming, next time?

Many thanks
Ps. Beer from the non-iced portion turned out great!

 

[SaltNeck]

Can't offer any help with your problem, but you've invented a unique way to turn every beer into an eis beer!!

 

[ifrit2050]

Do you have a temps controller on the AC unit? (like an inkbird) With the probe in a thermowell inside the fermenter will help to prevent the ice formation.

 

[Iowa Brewer]

Do you have a temps controller on the AC unit? (like an inkbird) With the probe in a thermowell inside the fermenter will help to prevent the ice formation.

Hey there! Yes I do, the one that Spike includes in their temp control package (it’s like an inkbird)

 

[Bobby_M]

No, that really wasn't the question. The DIY glycol unit itself needs a controller where the probe is in your cooler full of solution. You set that controller to something like 28F. The controller you have on your CF10 is the one that cycles the pump on and off. Without those two separate control loops setup, that's the exact reason you're freezing the beer. The glycol in the system is way too cold.

 

[SanPancho]

you'll save yourself energy costs as well as avoid wild temp swings if you bring your glycol up to about 15F below your intended fermenter target. (or lowest target if you have multiple tanks) there's no reason for such a large temp diff until its time to do final crash and prepare for keg/packaging. put the two controllers next to each other, and every time you change the ferm temp, you do the same to the glycol. easy peasy.

 

[superiorsat]

This is what you need to cycle the ac unit on and off to keep the glycol at a set temp. Inkbird controller, I really like the thermowell that I got off Amazon because they have a cord strain relief that when you push the probe all the way in to the end you tighten the cord releif to keep it there.

 

[Iowa Brewer]

This is Brilliant help!
Thank you all so much.
Had no idea I was missing this from my set up. Man, this site is the best

 

[Iowa Brewer]

No, that really wasn't the question. The DIY glycol unit itself needs a controller where the probe is in your cooler full of solution. You set that controller to something like 28F. The controller you have on your CF10 is the one that cycles the pump on and off. Without those two separate control loops setup, that's the exact reason you're freezing the beer. The glycol in the system is way too cold.

Thanks, Bobby, this helps a lot!

 

[Iowa Brewer]

you'll save yourself energy costs as well as avoid wild temp swings if you bring your glycol up to about 15F below your intended fermenter target. (or lowest target if you have multiple tanks) there's no reason for such a large temp diff until its time to do final crash and prepare for keg/packaging. put the two controllers next to each other, and every time you change the ferm temp, you do the same to the glycol. easy peasy.

ace! Thanks,SanPancho

 

[Iowa Brewer]

This is what you need to cycle the ac unit on and off to keep the glycol at a set temp. Inkbird controller, I really like the thermowell that I got off Amazon because they have a cord strain relief that when you push the probe all the way in to the end you tighten the cord releif to keep it there.

Cheers, superiorsat! This is very helpful!