Countertop Brutus 20

[imasickboy]

I realize that I am replying to an old thread, but this seems to be the best resource for info regard CB20 builds. I built a system identical to JKarp's several years ago. After a brief hiatus I setup my equipment again and during testing discovered a leak in my CFC (liquid crossing from wort side to coolant side) which is likely due to my poor craftsmanship (homemade unit). I'm looking at 2 options moving forward.

1. Repair the existing, or purchase a new CFC
2. Convert to a whirlpool immersion chiller setup

I like the idea of the whirlpool IC as I already whirlpool with the current setup; and I have seen others mentioning that they used an IC in their CB20 builds. I'm struggling with how to implement an IC with the heating element protruding into the boil kettle. Do I set the IC into the kettle, work the element between the coils and leave in place (a la HERMS) during the entire operation? Do I use a hook to latch the IC to the lip of the kettle top, so as to suspend the IC above the heating element in the kettle? Do others just let the IC rest atop the heating element?

For those implementing the CFC; is there a reason to flow back to the kettle? It seems a bit odd to cool a small portion of wort in the CFC then send it back to a much larger volume of wort. Any CFC users chill in a single pass format directly into the fermenter?

I have not built one of these, (yet), but in my outdoor system, I chill in a single pass using a cfc during the winter. Recirculating is only necessary for me during the warmer months.

As far as your homemade chiller, are you certain you have a leak? Because when heat up a chiller by running something hot through it, it pushes any liquid in the other cavity out. Like dropping an immersion chiller in hot wort, it will force any leftover water in the coils out.

 

[Jayhawk79]

I have not built one of these, (yet), but in my outdoor system, I chill in a single pass using a cfc during the winter. Recirculating is only necessary for me during the warmer months.

As far as your homemade chiller, are you certain you have a leak? Because when heat up a chiller by running something hot through it, it pushes any liquid in the other cavity out. Like dropping an immersion chiller in hot wort, it will force any leftover water in the coils out.

I hadn't used the CFC in a few years so I assume the system to be dry. I only had the wort (internal) line connect, no cooling water. I was simply recirculating ~110F water and there was quite a bit of water dripping out of the hose connecting the outer (cooling) line. I probably collected a pint of water. I stopped flow and blew the liquid out of the internal line. I then removed the hose feeding the cooling line so I could like directly into the copper tee. I turned the flow back on and within minutes I saw water pooling in the outer line. I'm pretty convinced that water is crossing over from the inner line to the outer line. The only real place for that to happen is at the tee. It is likely my second-rate soldering job on the copper pipe. Regardless of which route I go I'll probably invest the time in trying to sweat the pipe again just to see if it solves the problem.

 

[Bigdaddyale]

I hadn't used the CFC in a few years so I assume the system to be dry. I only had the wort (internal) line connect, no cooling water. I was simply recirculating ~110F water and there was quite a bit of water dripping out of the hose connecting the outer (cooling) line. I probably collected a pint of water. I stopped flow and blew the liquid out of the internal line. I then removed the hose feeding the cooling line so I could like directly into the copper tee. I turned the flow back on and within minutes I saw water pooling in the outer line. I'm pretty convinced that water is crossing over from the inner line to the outer line. The only real place for that to happen is at the tee. It is likely my second-rate soldering job on the copper pipe. Regardless of which route I go I'll probably invest the time in trying to sweat the pipe again just to see if it solves the problem.

I don't see how it can happen at the TEE if you made it correctly. Post a picture

 

[Bigdaddyale]

 

[Jayhawk79]

It was a poor solder on the TEE. I didn’t use a compression fitting as you show in the illustration, I soldered a 1/2”-3/8” reducer coupling to segregate the two lines. One of the solder joints at this reducer failed and began allowing water to pass through. I think the gap was a bit too big and I didn’t get it closed up. I’ll either try to solder again or scrap the TEE and build with pipe fittings (though that starts adding up quickly!).

 

[Zmanwithdog]

I realize that I am replying to an old thread, but this seems to be the best resource for info regard CB20 builds. I built a system identical to JKarp's several years ago. After a brief hiatus I setup my equipment again and during testing discovered a leak in my CFC (liquid crossing from wort side to coolant side) which is likely due to my poor craftsmanship (homemade unit). I'm looking at 2 options moving forward.

1. Repair the existing, or purchase a new CFC
2. Convert to a whirlpool immersion chiller setup

I like the idea of the whirlpool IC as I already whirlpool with the current setup; and I have seen others mentioning that they used an IC in their CB20 builds. I'm struggling with how to implement an IC with the heating element protruding into the boil kettle. Do I set the IC into the kettle, work the element between the coils and leave in place (a la HERMS) during the entire operation? Do I use a hook to latch the IC to the lip of the kettle top, so as to suspend the IC above the heating element in the kettle? Do others just let the IC rest atop the heating element?

For those implementing the CFC; is there a reason to flow back to the kettle? It seems a bit odd to cool a small portion of wort in the CFC then send it back to a much larger volume of wort. Any CFC users chill in a single pass format directly into the fermenter?

I have a temperature gauge and then two valves after my cfc before it hits the pot again. One valve goes to the pot, the other valve goes to the fermenter. I recirc to the pot until the temperature is tuned to the fermentation temperature I want and then switch valves to direct flow to the fermenter. That way it's one pass and works well.