DIY Glycol Chiller--need a little assembly help please!

[luckybeagle]

I don't know why I didn't do this earlier, but here I am doing it now!

I'm making a glycol chiller for my 2xBucket Buddy fermenters (I'll be drilling the lids and fitting the kegland coils in them).

I've taken apart the AC unit that I'm using and have two questions:

1. There are three wires attached to the condenser--green and yellow. I'm assuming these are just ground wires. Can I reaffix these to some other metal component that WON'T be submerged?
2. The AC unit had a dial for a "thermostat," not an LCD temperature readout like some of the others I've seen. Do I just connect the red and black wires that go through this dial mechanism to bypass it and its attached thermostat probe?

Thank you!

 

[day_trippr]

If by "green and yellow" you mean each wire is green/yellow striped, yes, those would be "safety ground" wires to tie various metal bits to a common rail - usually the frame. As long as there is a low impedance continuity between each connected metal piece to chassis ground and the wire that ends up on the ground lug of the AC line cord everything will be legit.

As for the thermostat bypass, typically there will be a black "AC hot" from the line cord on the input side of the thermostat and a red "switched AC" on the output side. Remove both from the thermostat, connect them together, and you'll then control the compressor (at least) from the line cord and presumably an external controller ala InkBird. At that point the thermostat and its temperature probe are completely out of the electrical picture...

Cheers!

 

[luckybeagle]

Awesome dude! Exactly what I needed to know, and clearly/concisely stated. Thanks so much. Really excited about this project. I'll post the completed job here in this thread once finished. Rounding up parts at the moment and have a goal of 2 weeks to have it all wrapped up.

No more behemoth chest freezers that only fit one of these fermenters at a time!

 

[JAReeves]

I have since modified this slightly so the return tubing is not in the insulation with the chilled glycol solution. It's cheap and really a great system to make at home.

 

[luckybeagle]

I have since modified this slightly so the return tubing is not in the insulation with the chilled glycol solution. It's cheap and really a great system to make at home.View attachment 829165

Looks great! Could you also take a picture of where the tubing enters your fermenter? I just bought a bunch of 1/2" PVC, elbows, insulation etc as my lines got super condensated during cold crashing and I wanted to go with a hard piping look, but I'm perpetually short on time and wrapping the vinyl lines might be a better solution (and make it easier to remove the fermenter lid)

Thanks!

 

[JAReeves]

Looks great! Could you also take a picture of where the tubing enters your fermenter? I just bought a bunch of 1/2" PVC, elbows, insulation etc as my lines got super condensated during cold crashing and I wanted to go with a hard piping look, but I'm perpetually short on time and wrapping the vinyl lines might be a better solution (and make it easier to remove the fermenter lid)

Thanks!

Not sure if this will help you or not. The two SSBrewTech bucket lids were tapped in the center so I could use the anvil cooling system instead-so much cheaper! All in to cool 3 fermenters, including glycol, I spent about 600.

 

[luckybeagle]

Not sure if this will help you or not. The two SSBrewTech bucket lids were tapped in the center so I could use the anvil cooling system instead-so much cheaper! All in to cool 3 fermenters, including glycol, I spent about 600.View attachment 829389View attachment 829390

Good deal! Solid setup, thanks so much for the pics. Do you find that the foam insulation and the fermenter sleeve cuts condensation down to a minimum? OR are you still dealing with drippy drips when you crash/ferment low?

With any luck I'll find an hour or so today to finish mounting my lines. I'll follow up with a pic at some point in the near future.

 

[JAReeves]

It still drips, as do the fermenters. I just swap out towels as the pick up the condensation. No biggie, mostly just an issue in summer.

 

[BayerischBier]

Not sure if this will help you or not. The two SSBrewTech bucket lids were tapped in the center so I could use the anvil cooling system instead-so much cheaper! All in to cool 3 fermenters, including glycol, I spent about 600.View attachment 829389

Hi -- trying to scope out my moves to glycol. would you be so kind and, clarify , then drop a link to the the coils? you mentioned kegland... but this might Anvil.
I am thinking how to keep using old carboys or drop them for cheap buckets but also to glycol some of the tapping cornies.

 

[JAReeves]

The Anvil cooling system works just fine in carboys, but you would want to put them in a pan to catch the condensation, also a t-shirt or something to keep out the light and also pick up some of the drips (sort of act like a swamp cooler).