DIY CF chiller success

[bgmac]

First run on the DIY CF chiller today. 11 gallons of 212F wort pushed through at 3/4 GPM. Garden hose on full blast about 9 GPM. Took about 15 minutes with a single pass to reach 68F. 30 Feet of copper pipe. My ground water is cool this time of year at about 56F.

I guess I will have to find a way to push ice water through in the summer time.

 

[cyberbackpacker]

Nice! What are those rubber fittings you used to connect the pvc to the copper? They look like their graduated...

 

[tellyho]

Awesome project! I do have to point out that that time frame is about the same as I have for my simple immersion chiller.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Kudos on the chiller! Didn't BYO have a DIY article on something similar?

 

[bgmac]

Nice! What are those rubber fittings you used to connect the pvc to the copper? They look like their graduated...

They are called dishwasher adapters, I got them from Home Depot. A bit of a PITA to slide on the 3/4 PVC but used some keg lube. Much cheaper then threaded PVC caps and brass compression fittings.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/BrassCr...ION_BOSS_STH-_-Product_URL__WA76407067withTHD

 

[bgmac]

Awesome project! I do have to point out that that time frame is about the same as I have for my simple immersion chiller.

Well, I have a 50 foot SS immersion chiller that usually take me about 50 minutes to bring 11 gallons to pitching temp while stirring the crap out of the wort and using ice water for the last 15-20 minutes.. 15 minutes with this CF Chiller. So, I would say it is a big improvement.

 

[bgmac]

Kudos on the chiller! Didn't BYO have a DIY article on something similar?

I could do a write up with some detailed pics.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

I believe this is called a trombone chiller.

 

[bgmac]

Kudos on the chiller! Didn't BYO have a DIY article on something similar?

I think so. There are many write ups for this type of chiller out there. Was going to go with all copper inner and outer as many are in the write ups, but that would have been too much gas and solder work, and $$. The PVC is much cheaper. I used the thin walled 3/4" drain PVC instead of the standard SCHED 40. Has a larger ID and super cheap. 1/2" M type thin walled copper tubing for faster heat transfer and cheaper then the L type/thicker wall. Everything was at the local Home Depot so it was an easy one stop shopping trip.

 

[bgmac]

I believe this is called a trombone chiller.

Trombone Chiller ®

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

I think so. There are many write ups for this type of chiller out there. Was going to go with all copper inner and outer as many are in the write ups, but that would have been too much gas and solder work, and $$. The PVC is much cheaper. I used the thin walled 3/4" drain PVC instead of the standard SCHED 40. Has a larger ID and super cheap. 1/2" M type thin walled copper tubing for faster heat transfer and cheaper then the L type/thicker wall. Everything was at the local Home Depot so it was an easy one stop shopping trip.

Very nice DIY project. Great idea and thanks for sharing.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Trombone Chiller ®

OK, please send residuals to Tobor_8thman (Ha ha!)

 

[tellyho]

Well, I have a 50 foot SS immersion chiller that usually take me about 50 minutes to bring 11 gallons to pitching temp while stirring the crap out of the wort and using ice water for the last 15-20 minutes.. 15 minutes with this CF Chiller. So, I would say it is a big improvement.

Ah, 11 gallons. That makes sense.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Geez. Switch to a counter flow chiller. Cool, depending on the input water temp (can always prechill) from boiling to 58F or lower temp within 10 minutes.

 

[eric19312]

Nice job.