So I bought a 7 Gal Ss Brewtech chronical fermenter and later the temperature control unit with jacket. I'm getting annoyed with replacing ice and ice water that controls the temperature for the system, and have begun looking into alternate means. This has lead me to glycol and the realization of it being way too expensive for the leisurely homebrewer. I have seen several DIY projects that involve coolers and air conditioning units, but here is the main question. Could I just use a stand alone freezer to house a vessel for the glycol mixture and pumps? Additionally with a little altering of the freezer itself (drilling holes for tubing), could this be a simple glycol chiller? Any thoughts? Thanks
DIY Glycol Chiller
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lapoltba
Active Member
It would likely work just fine.
I just bought a surplus solid state chiller on Ebay. It will do about 900W cooling and easily chills down to 32F.
They were previously used in (i believe) GE MRI machines. The one I got worked very well aside from the pump being garbage. I bought a NOS 24v dc march pump on ebay and it works like a charm now. It has quick connect fittings on it, but I am in the process of plumbing up two solenoid valves and a PID controller to drive a cooling loop to my new SS Brewtech Chronical.
Here is a link to one like mine:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/SMC-INR-244-639-THERMO-CON-CHILLER-INR244639-REV-3-USED-/381154214943?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item58be8fc41f
I just bought a surplus solid state chiller on Ebay. It will do about 900W cooling and easily chills down to 32F.
They were previously used in (i believe) GE MRI machines. The one I got worked very well aside from the pump being garbage. I bought a NOS 24v dc march pump on ebay and it works like a charm now. It has quick connect fittings on it, but I am in the process of plumbing up two solenoid valves and a PID controller to drive a cooling loop to my new SS Brewtech Chronical.
Here is a link to one like mine:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/SMC-INR-244-639-THERMO-CON-CHILLER-INR244639-REV-3-USED-/381154214943?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item58be8fc41f
if you've already spend the cash on a conical, you might as well go glycol. alot easier than water. that said, you can do it in a cooler with ac unit. for a little more cash you can do it in a freezer box. or you can buy a unit thats an all in one chiller and pump.
if you do the freezer, you can either use a conductive reservoir like a aluminum or stainless kettle/stockpot, maybe a carboy etc to hold the glycol, and still be able to keep other stuff in the freezer. if you just want a glycol unit then get a small freezer and dump glycol in-- just be sure to waterproof the hell out of it so you dont get a leak. and make sure your pump is operable down at 30-40F. and then wire up your temp controller, etc.
at this point i'd say just spend the cash and get a unit like the one lapoltba did. its a chiiler and pump all in one. but shipping is usually pretty hefty as they're big units, it could get expensive. if you live anywhere near a big university you might check there for used units.
in short, your idea is totally workable for using a chest freezer. just need to decide if you want to have a small unit that is just a glycol reservoir, or a bigger unit that can hold other stuff as well as your glycol reservoir/jug/carboy/etc.
many ways to skin this cat.
if you do the freezer, you can either use a conductive reservoir like a aluminum or stainless kettle/stockpot, maybe a carboy etc to hold the glycol, and still be able to keep other stuff in the freezer. if you just want a glycol unit then get a small freezer and dump glycol in-- just be sure to waterproof the hell out of it so you dont get a leak. and make sure your pump is operable down at 30-40F. and then wire up your temp controller, etc.
at this point i'd say just spend the cash and get a unit like the one lapoltba did. its a chiiler and pump all in one. but shipping is usually pretty hefty as they're big units, it could get expensive. if you live anywhere near a big university you might check there for used units.
in short, your idea is totally workable for using a chest freezer. just need to decide if you want to have a small unit that is just a glycol reservoir, or a bigger unit that can hold other stuff as well as your glycol reservoir/jug/carboy/etc.
many ways to skin this cat.
lapoltba
Active Member
I paid much less for mine and got it from someone that probably couldn't figure out why it didn't work. Shipping was around $50. The units are fairly small and don't weigh much since they don't have a compressor.
Yevmeister
Well-Known Member
i have seen it done before but without glycol. they guy temperature controlled chest freezer filled with water that he recirculated through fermentor
-Yev
-Yev
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