Critique my three fermenter glycol loop

[CxRxExAxM]

Sanity check before I move any further... Does anyone see any glaring issues with this dry fit? Cooling liquid in is all the way to the left. (Coming from an AC diy glycol chiller.) The two t’s on the bottom would be for pressure and temp gauge.

TIA

 

[Gruel]

If you close what I assume is the bypass valve, you will get less (or no) flow by the temp gauge, and the pressure gauge reading might also change, depending on the pressure drop in your feed manifold. So, I'd move those sensors right behind the supply, or right before the common return.

 

[mojonojo]

Have a read of this - Breweries Glycol loop hints - plumbing

 

[CxRxExAxM]

Thanks for the input. I have since moved the thermometer and pressure gauge to the front and changed the order of returns. I thought i was in first in last out before but after looking at it more, reading that link, and the pro chiller website i think i had it backwards.

I marked the new photo to show cooling liquid in and out. The yellow boxes will be solenoid valves wired to inkbird Itc-1000s. I forgot where i read it but i saw some info about being able to bleed air if needed so i added the ball valve at the top right opposite the bypass valve.

The next question i came up with is... Do you think it is better to have this setup mounted higher or lower than the fermenters if the chiller is ground level and fermenters are on a table?

 

[Gruel]

I think you want a bleed valve at the very top. So higher is better. In the talk posted by mojo, they comment on piping so that any trapped air has a clear path (always rising) to a bleed valve at the top. (They might not say it like that, but that is what they mean...)

 

[SanPancho]

dont elevate this higher than it needs to be unless your pump can handle the extra head. bleed valve should always be highest point. first in last out isnt necessary at this small size, although it might be good idea if your pump is less than powerful. ball valve isnt great for bypass, gate is better but if you cant get it in pvc then dont sweat it.

speaking of sweat- pressure test it and then insulate the hell out of it.

 

[Gruel]

+1 on highest, but not higher than necessary.