Copper Coil CFC

[BareKnuckleBrew]

I use copper CFC on a gravity fed system. It usually takes about 5-7 minutes to get a 5 gal batch from full boil to 75 degree. The project runs are $90 to build. 1 hour +/- to build

Quick heads up-
a. There is sweating of the pipes and soldering involved. If you have never soldered copper pipe/tube before do yourself a favor and do a quick google on how to. Here is a easy DIY on soldering> http://www.easy2diy.com/cm/easy/diy_ht_3d_index.asp?page_id=35749917

b. Clean the pipe/tube tips that will be joined with the fittings with emery paper or something similar this will help with soldering.

c. I have this setup for indoor kitchen use. You can add a brass garden hose adapter to the ½” male adapter in place of the hose barb.

d. coiling and getting the tubing as straight as possible is the key to the easy in getting the intern pipe/tubing inside the larger.

Tools used: small pipe cutter or hack saw, propane torch for soldering, silver solder, measuring tape, something round and sturdy(about 10” dia ) to coil around (maybe a 5gal keg… try not using a cookie jar). Duct tape or extra set of hands to secure the tubing while making coils.

Parts list: +/- $90.00
20’ - 3/8” copper tubing
20’ - 5/8” copper tubing
2 ea. NIBCO ½” caps
2 ea. NIBCO ½” 90 elbows
2 ea. NIBCO ½” male adapters
3 ea. Brass hose barb (LFA-90)
1 ea. Kitchen Faucet to Garden hose adapter

Putting the part and piece together:
1. Slow down; have a beer
2. Cut six 2” sections of the larger tubing to use for connectors for the fittings.
3. Un-coil and cut 15-19’ of the larger dia. tubing. It is highly suggested to get the tubing as straight as possible!! Lenght verance depends on your normal house water temp and ability to get the intern tube al the way thru.
4. Un-coil and cut 16-20’ of the smaller dia. Tubing; again get this tubing as straight as possible!!!
5. Round (make smooth) the edges of the smaller dia. tubing that will be traveling inside the larger. This will help keep the tubing from creating spurs and binding up while you are trying to push it thru the larger pipe.
6. Feed the smaller tubing into the larger - cuss a little; have a beer- finish pushing the tubing thru. Allow 6-8” to extend past each of the ends.
7. Find a sturdy cylinder to coil around. Secure the starting end (I used duct tape) and wrap the tubing.
8. Build the fittings. Pretty straight forward take a look at the pictures to get the basic configuration (modify as need to accommodate your setup). Drill a 3/8” hole in the ½” NIBCO cap for the inner tubing to project out of.
9. Get ready to sweat the pipes! Make sure you cleaned the pipes/tubing; used the flux. Solder all the parts/fittings together. Cross your fingers and hope for great seals.

Clean up and test drive

 

[BareKnuckleBrew]

Quick look at hooking it all up.
Garden hose adapter for the kitchen sink faucet.
A garden hose barb connertor for the cold water input line
attach cold water line to the barbed a connector on the CFC
attach a spent water output and run it back to the sink to drain.
Slip the hot wort input line to the CFC- on the opposit direction of cold water input line.
connect the wort output line and run it to your primary.

 

[eanmcnulty]

That's beautiful! Nice work. I made one with the copper inside a rubber garden hose. It works great.

 

[sarsnik]

This looks really nice. How did the 20' fare? I know lots of people use 25' but the big box stores only have 20' sections and I'm about to built one.

 

[BareKnuckleBrew]

20' works fine. I end up with 19' after cutting the six 2" sections for the fittings. which also works out great because you need about 6in extra on each end for the hot line to extrude out from.
I have made them as short as 15'... you just have to adjust the flow rates of the liquids.

 

[P-J]

Good job.!

I've built many of them over the years. It can be a fun project.
Here is one of the first that I did:

I also wrote up the process I go through fabricating it.
Counter Flow Chiller

P-J

 

[BareKnuckleBrew]