DIY glycol chilled plastic conical fermenters

[Stealthcruiser]

Sub'd !

 

[shutupjojo]

I hate this hobby now.

 

[packet]

And with the pipe wrap in place:

The glycol I ordered finally showed up today too. Still waiting on a couple fittings, but otherwise I should have most of what I need. Hopefully this weekend I'll get around to rewiring the BCS-460.

 

[RedOktoberfest]

And with the pipe wrap in place:

The glycol I ordered finally showed up today too. Still waiting on a couple fittings, but otherwise I should have most of what I need. Hopefully this weekend I'll get around to rewiring the BCS-460.

Since you ordered it, I assume you are not using automobile coolant. Please excuse my ignorance but what exactly are you using?

 

[Jaybird]

And with the pipe wrap in place:

The glycol I ordered finally showed up today too. Still waiting on a couple fittings, but otherwise I should have most of what I need. Hopefully this weekend I'll get around to rewiring the BCS-460.

Nice looking set up.... So is that a Bug Eyed Sprite I see a head light of in the picture? Or is that a Porsche?

Cheers
Jay

 

[packet]

Since you ordered it, I assume you are not using automobile coolant. Please excuse my ignorance but what exactly are you using?

USP Propylene Glycol. It's not toxic if you happen to ingest some, which is a good thing considering it'll be running through a chiller in the beer. It's not cheap, but probably worth the price for the added safety factor.

I've heard of other people using the RV Coolant you use to winterize water lines in an RV, but it tends to get chunky as it gets below 32F. Much cheaper though, ~$5/gal instead of the $20/gal I paid for the Propylene Glycol.

 

[packet]

Nice looking set up.... So is that a Bug Eyed Sprite I see a head light of in the picture? Or is that a Porsche?

Cheers
Jay

It's an old 911. Mostly restored, but needs a new paint job at some point in the next couple years.

 

[packet]

So begins my least favorite part of the project... rewiring the BCS:

 

[Carlscan26]

Why the second return lime in parallel to the one for the coil returns?

 

[packet]

Why the second return lime in parallel to the one for the coil returns?

To equalize the flow between the conicals. If you don't have that, the first conical in line gets a lot more glycol flow to it than the last one in line since there is less total pipe for the glycol to flow through.

This way they should get roughly equal amounts of glycol if more than one fermenter needs to chill at any given point in time.

 

[BadWolfBrewing]

Can't wait to see finished product! It is amazing the different skills people have. For me, re-wiring the BCS would be the easy / fun part, but building the setup would be tricky, and look like **** when I was finished... as I prove every time I build something.

You get the ICs for the conicals yet? Will those be hard-plummed or TC'd in for easy removal and cleaning? I don't remember seeing, are you just using a cooler for the glycol reservoir?

 

[packet]

Can't wait to see finished product! It is amazing the different skills people have. For me, re-wiring the BCS would be the easy / fun part, but building the setup would be tricky, and look like **** when I was finished... as I prove every time I build something.

You get the ICs for the conicals yet? Will those be hard-plummed or TC'd in for easy removal and cleaning? I don't remember seeing, are you just using a cooler for the glycol reservoir?

Oh, wiring it isn't terribly difficult. I just hate drilling holes in a new chassis and then painting everything. Giant pain in the ass.

Stainless brewing finally got the 1/2" tubing in stock yesterday. So, I put through the order for that. Hopefully it'll be here sometime next week.

I'm using ISO 7241-B couplings for the connectors to the ICs. That way there should be minimal leakage of glycol when I disconnect everything. I was going to plumb the ICs through the side, but figured the tubing would be a pain to CIP. This way I can just drop it in a bucket of PBW while I use a spray ball on the rest.

Yeah, the reservoir is going to be a cooler. I have it mostly finished and the stand for that is done except for casters that have taking ages to get here in the mail. Once the casters get here I'll take a picture of that with the reservoir.

 

[Stealthcruiser]

Yo, packet.............I don't recall whether you've sourced your pump(s) yet, ( for the glycol), but check out this site, for all KINDS of stuff!
The link is for the pump page that I narrowed down whilst browsing.
http://surpluscityliquidators.com/type_search/287?aa=1068:120V

 

[packet]

Wiring for the ball valves is done:

Cutouts for the new chassis of the BCS-460 are also done. Gotta wait for the paint to dry before I can continue.

 

[Carlscan26]

To equalize the flow between the conicals. If you don't have that, the first conical in line gets a lot more glycol flow to it than the last one in line since there is less total pipe for the glycol to flow through.

This way they should get roughly equal amounts of glycol if more than one fermenter needs to chill at any given point in time.

So I could see that if it was a loop on the supply side if the chillers. The way you have it though I really don't see that balancing out.

I went through a similar exercise when we installed a pool. All of the returns to them pool were on a loop to equalize the pressure and flow. It was that or make each run the same length which wasn't practical.

I don't see how that setup balances the pressure/flow across the chillers given that its on the low pressure side.

 

[delloman]

can you give me the link on those valves plz

 

[packet]

So I could see that if it was a loop on the supply side if the chillers. The way you have it though I really don't see that balancing out.

I went through a similar exercise when we installed a pool. All of the returns to them pool were on a loop to equalize the pressure and flow. It was that it make each run the same length which wasn't practical.

I don't see how that setup balances the pressure/flow across the chillers given that its on the low pressure side.

Here it is from people that make glycol chillers for a living:

http://www.prochiller.com/files/GLYCOLGUIDE.pdf

page 4, along with a diagram.

 

[packet]

can you give me the link on those valves plz

Here's the model I bought:

http://www.china-electricvalves.com/product/product32.html

I got them through here:

http://tf-valvefittings.com/

While it was a bit sketchy to order, at the time there was nothing in stock for motorized ball valves in the US. It took about 2 weeks for them to manufacture the valves and get them to my door. So, over all, it was pretty quick.

 

[packet]

Inside the cooler:

Waiting on a dip tube for the return line, but otherwise that should be good to go for parts. I also need to position the A/C a bit better in cooler.

And in place next to the brewery:

 

[neosapien]

I have brewer's envy


amazing job.

 

[mrklueber]

Looks great!! Well done! Have been following the thread for a while. Looks like you are getting close to being operational.

 

[packet]

Looks great!! Well done! Have been following the thread for a while. Looks like you are getting close to being operational.

Hopefully in a week or two. I need to wire up the controller today or tomorrow, but other than that it's just waiting for the remaining fittings in the conicals.

I need to cut the neoprene for insulating the conicals too, but I'm waiting on the fittings for that.

 

[Carlscan26]

Here it is from people that make glycol chillers for a living:

http://www.prochiller.com/files/GLYCOLGUIDE.pdf

page 4, along with a diagram.

Alright I see it now thanks. I thought you had both ends of the red connected making one loop. First time I've seen this balanced on the return side but the end result is the same - balanced, equidistant paths.

 

[packet]

Alright I see it now thanks. I thought you had both ends of the red connected making one loop. First time I've seen this balanced on the return side but the end result is the same - balanced, equidistant paths.

Bingo.

I suppose you could do it supply side, but then you'd be increasing the temp of the glycol slightly before it got to the conicals. Probably better to do it on the return side.

 

[fpweeks]

Sub'd

 

[packet]

BCS rewired:

 

[starman]

Very well done. Your chiller / conical table rig + JimmyHugh's rasberrypi brain build for its interface, web access, and ease of adding control zones would be the ultimate fermentation system.

Sub'd!

 

[packet]

Very well done. Your chiller / conical table rig + JimmyHugh's rasberrypi brain build for its interface, web access, and ease of adding control zones would be the ultimate fermentation system.

Sub'd!

Got a link to his raspberrypi build?

The BCS has a full web interface that's relatively easy to use. Programming it can be a bit of a pain though.

 

[mattd2]

One thing I haven't been able to determine - are the conicals jacketed, or are you putting a coil inside/outside them?

 

[packet]

One thing I haven't been able to determine - are the conicals jacketed, or are you putting a coil inside/outside them?

I'm putting a coil inside each conical, and heat tape wrapped around the outside for heating in the winter. I still need to insulate the conicals and have a couple rolls of 1/2" neoprene for that, but am waiting for the remaining fittings before I do that.