HERMS coil?

[baer19d]

What is the optimal length and diameter for for the coil in a HERMS system? 3/8" or 1/2"? 25' or 50'?

 

[aangel]

"It depends". Seriously, it depends. 25' means half the contact time with the HLT water. All that means is that you *might* have to increase the temperature of the HLT water in case your mash water out at the top of the coil isn't high enough.

No matter the components, you will have to tune your system.

 

[augiedoggy]

it depends on the speed of the flow through the coil as well as the diameter of the coil...I used a 25' 3/8 copper coil from the home depot in mine. it worked fairly well and I had more issues keeping the water circulated in the hlt and temps consistent... I have since moved on to a rims tube which is faster with my 30a power source since I can use the rims heater and heat my hlt heater at the same time to get up to sparge temps.

 

[Roadie]

I went from 3/8" x 25 feet to 1/2" x 50 feet as I didn't like having to have the HLT temp set so high to maintain the mash temps I wanted. Now that isn't an issue.

 

[baer19d]

Should I use stainless or copper?

 

[kal]

For a HERMS coil the two liquids are nearly the same temp so stainless works fine. The benefits of copper are not seen.

I also recommend 1/2" diameter, 50 feet long.

I know of few brewers who based their setups on my design that went 3/8" x 25 feet that had less than optimal heat transfer and ended upgrading to 1/2" x 50 feet like Roadie.

Kal

 

[turkeygecko]

"I know of few brewers who based their setups on my design that went 3/8" x 25 feet that had less than optimal heat transfer and ended upgrading to 1/2" x 50 feet like Roadie."

I am one of those brewers. Definitely recommend the 50 ft x 1/2 inch... much better heat transfer


Sent from my iPad using Home Brew

 

[ChocolateMaltyBalls]

Stainless has worked fine for me. What batch size are you doing? Over 5gal I'd go 50' for sure.

 

[augiedoggy]

Judging by the improved performance I had when going to the rims I would have to agree that the 25ft coil was likely hindering my performance.

 

[ruralbrew]

I was planing on using a 3/8x25' coil for my system. It was an old copper immersion chiller I got in the deal when I purchased some kegging equipment from someone getting out of brewing. Being as I already have it and I am using an insulated cooler for a mash tun I figured it would work fine, as many people make great beer with just an insulated mash tun. It may take a little longer to ramp up the temps than with a 1/2" coil but for maintaining temperature I would think it would work just fine.

Considering as I will be able to brew indoors rather than standing outside in Wisconsin winters I would be just fine with waiting a bit for the system to ramp up to mashout temperature.

 

[turkeygecko]

I was planing on using a 3/8x25' coil for my system. It was an old copper immersion chiller I got in the deal when I purchased some kegging equipment from someone getting out of brewing. Being as I already have it and I am using an insulated cooler for a mash tun I figured it would work fine, as many people make great beer with just an insulated mash tun. It may take a little longer to ramp up the temps than with a 1/2" coil but for maintaining temperature I would think it would work just fine.

Considering as I will be able to brew indoors rather than standing outside in Wisconsin winters I would be just fine with waiting a bit for the system to ramp up to mashout temperature.

This is what I figured too, but it was incorrect. Maybe your mash tun insulation will mitigate the problem of heat but, taking too long to hit your desired mash temp is essentially mashing lower for a long time.

 

[baer19d]

Stainless has worked fine for me. What batch size are you doing? Over 5gal I'd go 50' for sure.

Right now I'm mostly doing 5 gal but my brewers is capable of 15. 1/2" x 50' is what I figured.