de-slanting a SS wort chiller?

[Polyphaeon]

Got a decent 50 foot 3/8 SS wort chiller, works excellently but, as you can see it has a mean slant. It was a little slanted out of the box but got really bad after moving it around during chilling. I've played with the hose clamps but cant really make any improvements on the shape. Anyone else have this problem? Its not really a big deal but it will bug me.

 

[iijakii]

I'd say try again with hose clamps or zip ties. Unless you have a tubing coiler, you'll **** it up so much worse if you try to bend it at all.

 

[Polyphaeon]

Yeah definitely not looking to do any bending. I guess I will just try to find something that holds it in the right shape and clamp it down the best I can. Thanks.

 

[Stealthcruiser]

When you "zip" tie it, you are going loosely around 3 or 4 coils (vertically), and then between the coils with another zip tie( around the vertical zip ties, snugging them all as needed to hold the shape), yes?

You could also zip tie a vertical rib down one or two sides,to do the same thing.

 

[Polyphaeon]

Is there a specific type of ziptie that I should use? I don't really like the idea of boiling random bits of plastic in there. Maybe I will try to hunt down some kind of SS rib

 

[Stealthcruiser]

I wouldn't worry about the plastic myself, but another option:
Do you know how to "safety wire", as used in aircraft maintenance, and other applications to keep fasteners installed?


Edit: Like this?

https://www.google.com/search?hl=en......1ac.1.34.heirloom-hp..0.13.704.GQ86KiS_WUo

Uses stainless safety wire, and is hell for stout.

It's pretty easy, ( but I do it for a living....), but you could do it as well.

 

[Jim_Holmes]

try zip tying a stiffner rod vertically inside at 3 points

 

[Stealthcruiser]

try zip tying a stiffner rod vertically inside at 3 points

He was concerned about "random bits of plastic", or something like that.

 

[Polyphaeon]

Stealthcruiser, yes, I dont really like the idea of boiling plastics especially when we all put effort into making sure everything else is good to go in there. I might try wires or even some large hose clamps which I can flatten out first. Thanks!

 

[Polyphaeon]

Tried zip ties, they did not help. Ended up getting some SS wire and pulling it into shape with one pass with that.

 

[Komocabo]

Mine did the same thing. (I had the same one before I got my plate chiller.) It didn't cause any issues with the function so I left it as it was, wonky and all. Sure it didn't look perfect, but again, didn't have any issues cooling. Doesn't really help you answer your question, but thought I'd mention it. I get the wire helped, but wonder if you'll have issues cleaning it. I also used to stretch mine out for 10 gal batches to have it higher in the wort, since heat rises. Tying it together limits the adjustability, in my opinion.
Cheers

 

[Polyphaeon]

I hear that. It just goes around one tube once on each side, so there is only a very small area which stuff can hide under. I agitate aggressively when chilling so don't have that worry.

 

[EAT]

I would actually prefer a slant; there's more surface area for the wort to be cooled.