Don't Use Vinyl Hose on Your Chiller

[thadius856]

I used it. Never thought twice about it, either. Today was about my 25th or 30th batch with this chiller setup.

As usual, I dropped the chiller into the wort 5 minutes before the boil was over and at flameout I turned on the water. I was standing right where the hose connections in the picture.

BOOM!

I just got a 200º+ F shower. Quite a few burned spots on my abdomen and a couple on my forehead. Luckily I hightailed it out of there quickly and my clothing protecting me from the rest of it.

Lesson learned.

 

[SeeMont]

That's scarey, glad you are all right. How much pressure was on that hose? I am going to look for reinforced hose.

 

[thadius856]

*shrug* Mains pressure coming off a garden hose spigot is probably 30 PSI. Standard stuff.

 

[Temptd2]

Yikes! Glad it wasn't worse than that - but that's bad enough.

We've always used the high-temp food-grade silicone stuff - thought maybe it was overkill but now - I guess it isn't.

 

[Yellowirenut]

I open the faucet valve only a quarter turn. You can actually decrease the heat transfer by allowing the water to flow threw to quickly. Most cities deliver pressure 40-60 psi. I have seen reinforced tubing at lowes and manards that MAY be able to handle that pressure at 200f

 

[Woody1911a1]

or ....... don't insert your chiller til flame off ? mine sits in a bucket of star-san for 10 mins before needed .

 

[jeff13]

Ouch! I've been afraid of melting. I find if you screw the hose onto the chiller while the flame is on the out hose really heats up. I always lead the hose off until the last minute and the vinyl doesn't heat up

 

[rico567]

My discharge hose is just regular old cheap vinyl like that pictured (the supply hose is a 3/4" heavy garden hose), but it's lasted for years.....I suspect because I don't hook it up until after flameout and the pot is off the burner. The hoses pictured are going to take a LOT of heat coming up the sides of the pot from the burner, and before there's any liquid in there to help cool them.

 

[pricelessbrewing]

I had the connection points at the top of the copper tubing almost completely degrade. I think I'll do the starsan thing next time.

Who else doesnt boil their chiller to sterilize?

 

[vince805]

Glad you didn't get hurt too bad. I only use silicone hoses on my system: http://brewhardware.com/accessories-62/118-silicone5

 

[mjohnson]

I had that happen to me - my face happened to be about 8 inches away when it happened because I was adjusting a clamp. Bad burns over much of my face - luckily no scarring or eye damage. My problem was there was a kink in the output hose. It wouldn't have mattered if I waited to put it in till after the boil. Mine blew right by the copper where it gets hot from the outflow.

Silicone isn't rated for pressure either. Using it doesn't mean you're safe. It can also balloon and explode.

One thing I do now is keep the flow of water low until it cools a bit. Then crank it up as it gets cooler.

Be careful. Watch your kids around this stuff. Hot liquids, pumps, pressure can be dangerous if you're not careful. Its still dangerous after flameout.

 

[PAjwPhilly]

I thought it was bad when I dumped 168°F water on my bare foot during my lauter.... but the face... ouch.