Counterflow build, caniblized from immersion chiller

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ReuFroman

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Am taking apart my immersion chiller and am making a counter flow chiller. So I went to my local hardware superstore, the lowest one. I have a 1/2 pipe for the base. See the pictures. So most of the chillers I have seen are 3/8". I hope it works well. I basically am following the instructions from the wiki but with a 1/2" female npt end so I can put the stainless steal cam lock on it. Yay pumps.

My parts list (2x)
1/2" coupler with stop
5/8" tee
1/2" - 5/8" flush stop (had to do a slight hollowing at one end as it tapers slightly 1/8" or so)
1/2" female adapter
1/2" - 8" piece of pipe (from immersion chiller)
5/8" - 50' rubber hose

I'll post Picts as I soon as I finish the pieces.

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I'm curious how this is going. I'm looking at the same conversion for my next project. I'm hoping I have a 3/8" OD IC but I'll have to measure it.
 
So I'm drinking a sweet brown ale looking up tolerances and hydro cooling. I can lube up and jam the coil in. But it might be not cooling enough. Thoughts anyone?
 
Don't drink and research.

What's wrong with the immersion chiller?
 
phoenixs4r said:
Don't drink and research.

What's wrong with the immersion chiller?

Nothing. It takes a lot of water to cool to 70 degrees.

I just wanted to build one for a while is the real reason why I went this route.
 
This will be a nice big counterflow chiller once it's done, I look forward to seeing it!
 
phoenixs4r said:
Don't drink and research.

What's wrong with the immersion chiller?

Truth be told. Have a 50' stainless steel immersion chiller also. Hence what am I going to do with all this copper.
 
Here is a quick update.

Don't (expletive) do it. I have now spent a small fortune to make a super 35' chiller. Today my wife an I spent 3 hours trying to thread the hose with what seemed like a gallon of astroglide to be thwarted about 12' from the end.

I ended up going to the local farm and ranch and getting a black 1" rubber hose for $2.00 a ft. Which was cheaper than lowes at nearly 3 a foot.

There are some pros
Your friends will marvel at your giant black 1" hose
Brag about how much you spent
Drain your boil kettle in record time

Cons
A lot of work
Expensive as hell
A lot of work
Expensive as hell
Blisters the size of quarters on your fingertips

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One suggestion if you feel like fighting it again. Plug the end of the hose, fold it over and stick a clamp on it etc. Connect your air compressor to the far end of the copper coil, use a ball valve & a big hose, you need lots of volume. Push the hose on the other end and when you encounter resistance, blast it with air. I've "floated" rubber tubing & sleeves on straight pipe & tubing. Don't know if it will work in this case.
 
That is a great idea. I will have to think about it but pretty sure I will never make my own counter flow.
 
I used the black beast today. 12 gallons in 9 minutes 17 seconds. Yep fast. Really fast.

It was certainly a lot of work and will return my time pretty fast.

Overall unless you have a wish for a lot of work then take on the challenge otherwise just buy one.

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