Critique and advice for my low cost single tier HERMS keggle build.

[jdrbrew]

I'm on a mission to upgrade from my 5gal gravity setup to a 10 gallon single tier HERMS setup with 3 keggles using a few of the cheap ebay pumps. I'm trying to piece this together for the lowest workable cost. This is what I've put together so far:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AlHJVfv14hFydG9kYjAtNmN2aVhlOVNFbkdBME1UYXc#gid=7

Is there any major pieces I'm missing? Things I could get cheaper elsewhere? Advice or critiques?

I already have most general brewing accessories like fermentation vessels, thermometers, hydrometers, etc.

I'm hoping to stay in the ~ $700 range after taxes and shipping. Any input is much appreciated!

 

[HDIr0n]

Drop the pre-chiller, just pump ice water through the plate chiller. It is much more effective than a pre-chiller. If you use 5/8 hose barbs hose clamps aren't really needed. Also why the reinforced vinyl? What are you doing for a stand?

 

[jdrbrew]

The pre-chiller was mostly just because I didn't think I would require 50' for a HERMS coil. Also, the little pumps I'm using don't pump out a lot of volume, and I've heard that the faster you can pass water over a plate chiller the better. I'm in FL so my water temps get up in the mid 70s in the summer. Would you say that pumping ~35deg icewater at 150gph would be more efficient than pumping say 60deg(guessing) water from the prechiller at household water pressure(maybe 500+gph)?

Thanks for the tip on the 5/8th barbs. I didn't see them available at bargainfittings, so I'll try to pick them up locally.

The vinyl hose is mostly just to save money vs silicone. I only need that high of temp rating for the boil>chiller run and its ~3x more expensive than vinyl.

The stand we are building out of a bunch of scrap wood left over from another project, so no additional cost there.

Thanks for the tips!

 

[HDIr0n]

The pre-chiller was mostly just because I didn't think I would require 50' for a HERMS coil. Also, the little pumps I'm using don't pump out a lot of volume, and I've heard that the faster you can pass water over a plate chiller the better. I'm in FL so my water temps get up in the mid 70s in the summer. Would you say that pumping ~35deg icewater at 150gph would be more efficient than pumping say 60deg(guessing) water from the prechiller at household water pressure(maybe 500+gph)?

Thanks for the tip on the 5/8th barbs. I didn't see them available at bargainfittings, so I'll try to pick them up locally.

The vinyl hose is mostly just to save money vs silicone. I only need that high of temp rating for the boil>chiller run and its ~3x more expensive than vinyl.

The stand we are building out of a bunch of scrap wood left over from another project, so no additional cost there.

Thanks for the tips!

50' of herms coil isn't needed, and it might be a little hard for those pumps to pump through. Do you ever plan on doing lagers in the summer? I don't know what you have as far as fermentation equipment. Have you thought about a counterflow chiller? I still think that pumping ice water is the way to go, you can get a good pump from harbor freight for about $30. I always pitch my yeasts about 10 degrees F lower than my target fermentation temperature. So with most ales that is 55F and lagers 40F, ice water was the only way I was getting down that low living in Houston.

Barginfittings has them if you haven't already ordered
http://www.bargainfittings.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=36_39_61&product_id=186

HTH,
-G