Big Daddy Immersion Chiller (50' x 5/8")

[TwoHeadsBrewing]

holy mcjesus that's a big IC!!!

 

[schupaul]

My scribble geometry calculations says it displaces .75 gallons. It would go into a 15.5 gallon kettle when it's down under 11 gallons so I'll be fine. In other words, it doesn't go in when boilovers are likely.

I'm brewing this Saturday and I'll give it a go.

Are you going to whirlpool with this also? I would like to. I was thinking of making the same version of yours but adding a whirlpool also. The only question I have is where to put the whirlpool. I was thinking of putting another weldless valve at the bottom of the keggle and adding a hooked arm so the flow would circle. Is a march pump going to have enough get up and go to make a whilpool? Or, should I just make a cheap copper arm that attaches to the IC and adjust it to just below the liquid level and pump with the march pump? Which is going to work better? I like the idea of the bent dip tube on another ball valve at the bottom but I have never whilpooled and dont know which is going to work better.

 

[schupaul]

My scribble geometry calculations says it displaces .75 gallons. It would go into a 15.5 gallon kettle when it's down under 11 gallons so I'll be fine. In other words, it doesn't go in when boilovers are likely.

I'm brewing this Saturday and I'll give it a go.

another thing I was thinking about is making it a permenant mount by adding sometype of bulkhead adapters at the top of keggle near the hand holds and adding quick disconnects to the outside of the keggle for a nice clean install. Bad idea?

 

[BA_from_GA]

That's a beauty. i did a 60 foot 1/2 in and fortunately got the copper free from work, which we pay 120 for 60 feet, and that's with a bulk discount for the quantities we get, so you got one hell of a deal on the copper! Well done.

 

[Bobby_M]

I used it yesterday to chill two separate 5 gallon batches. It obviously sticks out of the top of the wort on those. I also didn't have time to setup a whirlpooling wort return but I did have the wort recirculating and had the output hitting the coils that were sticking out. With 67F tap water, it took about 15 minutes to get the wort to 71F. I'm fine with that.

 

[Dog House Brew]

I know it was your first time brewing with it, but do you think this is going to be your favorite type of chiller? Not realyy related....what 2 types did you brew?

 

[Bobby_M]

It's really hard to say at this point because the trick to good IC chilling is pumping icewater when the tap is running over 60F. I just ran out of time to put it together so I went with what I had. The two separate batches were a partigyled 1.099 Russian Imperial Stout and a 1.040 "second runnings" whatever it ends up Stout that I boiled in my HLT.

 

[Dog House Brew]

Have you had to change your screen in your kettle? I guess when whirlpooling your trub is in the middle. Isn't this where your "hopstopper" would be? Just wonder how you get around all the cold break in order to drain the kettle. I really like the idea of leaving the break in the kettle.

 

[schupaul]

Ok Here is my version.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28885114@N03/3967202202/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28885114@N03/3966424871/

Cant wait to use it this weekend.

 

[wilserbrewer]

I like it schupal...at first I was like wtf, an IC w/ three hook ups.

 

[Bobby_M]

Have you had to change your screen in your kettle? I guess when whirlpooling your trub is in the middle. Isn't this where your "hopstopper" would be? Just wonder how you get around all the cold break in order to drain the kettle. I really like the idea of leaving the break in the kettle.

The hop screen has been removed and now I have the pickup tube short and off center so the chiller sits right on the bottom. I'm purposely leaving about 1/2 quart of wort/trub in the center depression. If I really wanted a tight whirlpool and clean wort, I'd remove the chiller and hop bags and continue the pumping for about 5 minutes, then cut it off and let it settle for 15 minutes.

 

[SilverKing]

Are the "upright" sections of tubing from the original roll, or did you use any pieces that were already straight?

 

[Bobby_M]

The uprights are rigid copper. I picked up a 5' section at Lowes. They very well could have been cut off the roll though. I just wanted to start with perfectly straight pieces.

 

[SilverKing]

The uprights are rigid copper. I picked up a 5' section at Lowes. They very well could have been cut off the roll though. I just wanted to start with perfectly straight pieces.

cool, I did the same thing for the longer of my two uprights. Turns out Lowes and Home Depot are selling 50' of 1/2" for just $55, so I jumped on it. Then I talked to a friend of mine who works in building maintenance... he had a roll of it just laying around...mine for free. Can't beat that.

It was just a little short of 50', so I got a 2' section of rigid from the store for the upright. I would have like a couple extra coils, but free is free. 10 Gal batches, just around the corner.

 

[Bobby_M]

It looks great and I'm sure it will handle 10g batches no problem.

 

[reddskinnfan]

What are/were your cooling times with the chiller?

 

[EvilBrewer]

What are/were your cooling times with the chiller?

"With 67F tap water, it took about 15 minutes to get the wort to 71F. I'm fine with that." (post number 35-ish)

reddskinnfan: Is that about what you get with yours? Noticed your name on tastybrew with a similar build.