Counterflow Versus Immersion Chiller

I got frustrated with my homemade counterflow chiller and it's clogs, so I ripped it apart, soldered another 20 feet of copper onto it, coiled it back up, stuck some hose adapters on it, and made it an immersion. Used it for the first time today and it was AWESOME. Super fast, easy to use and way less hassle.

 

What was the original length? I've been considering making a counterflow, maybe with larger tubing (to prevent clogging like you're experiencing), and I'm wondering where the balance between efficiency and cost lies.

 

I'm curious about your previous setup too. I have a 25ft counterflow chiller with 3/8 OD copper tubing that I haven't had any issues with. No clogging whatsoever. Did you use anything to filter out the hop material before pumping it through the chiller? I'm just using a ss braided filter on my dip tube and it's working great for me so far.

 

It was a 20 foot counter flow, now it's a 40 foot immersion. 3/8 inch diameter. I had a false bottom and a chore boy on the pickup tube in a keggle. I don't have a pump so it was all gravity fed. Today's brew has totally sold me on the immersion.

 

Thanks for the reply. Whatever works is great!

That makes sense that you weren't using a pump. I did have some issues with my counter flow chiller working the one time I used it without a pump, but a pump was in the plans already and it's been great with it.

 

I'm not running a pump, but my 20 ft 3/8 tubing CFC has been working fine with only gravity. It's great you've solved your problem - just wanted to share a positive result without a pump and no clogging.

 

a 3/8 CFC that clogs... The problem is not the CFC but the inlet. Somehow you need to figure out how to keep the hops OUT of it.

My 20-y-old 3/8 25-ft CFC has never clogged.

MC

 

Well I don't have to worry about it clogging now, because it's an immersion. Cute pup by the way, we have two blue merle mutts ourselves.

 

Thanks. The one of my profile is a blue merle too, but his coat is not the usual blue merle. Just a bit more mixed. He was a 66 lbs rascal, now about a 50 lbs rascal. He's been following THIS here big dog through the woods.

MC