Hot Tub RIMS Tube

[Punx Clever]

Mine was around 2.75" as well. I just managed to get it on there just right so that the clamp would go on. Since I won't be brewing for a while, it may be a good idea to grind it down.

As for the temperature probe... the pressure probe taps are 1/8" NPT. Auber makes an 1/8" RTD probe that will fit in the port... assuming you have a port that clears the element on your tube. This was also a reason why I went with the universal replacement tube, more ports.

The pressure sensor you have there looks like a diaphragm that pushes a rod to open/close a microswitch. Could possibly (depending on how much pressure it needs to trip) be used to prevent the element from going unless the pump was pumping. Just a thought.

Other than the slight oversize on the flange, you can see why this would make an awesome rims tube. When I get a stand built and move to my keggles / keg MLT, I'm going to have the rims tube vertical beside the mash tun, and never worry about air pockets in the tube again.

 

[Punx Clever]

So I went ahead and did some work. Here are the results:

This is what the clamp looks like not ground down.



This is ground down.



Both were leak free, grinding made attachment less of a hassle.

As always, YMMV.

 

[bendiy]

I can see it closes much tighter.

I tried to get the clamp on just the tube, no gasket, no second half, but it wouldn't even come close. I almost bent the hinge pin. I'm going to grind it down first. It should work fine after that.

 

[bendiy]

I've modified my flange by grinding off 1/8 inch all around to reduce the diameter by 1/4 inch total.

I remeasured and found that the flange was actually 2 7/8 inch in diameter. It is now 2 5/8 inch in diameter.

I would not go any smaller than 2 5/8 inch.

This gives you a little more than the standard 2.5 inch fittings. Since the flange is much thinner than the standard fittings, it forces the flange to the largest part of the tri clover clamp (See red arrow in image below). This makes the fitting nice and tight and still gives you some room to tighten the clamp more. I think if you grind it all the way down to 2.5, the screw on the clamp would bottom out before tightening enough.

 

[bendiy]

Here is my assembled tub with all the fittings. The brass quick disconnects are from morebeer and the chrome quick disconnects are from bargin fittings. I modified them slightly to be interchangeable. The brass fittings represent my hose connections in the setup, but no hoses are shown.

I should be able to do a water test this weekend.

 

[Punx Clever]

Lookin good!

 

[thepirho]

Ask and ye shall recieve:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AoAePys-pI6sdFVBRTdZRVpPZHFjVGJDRk80UmVpekE

I didn't include fittings other than the tri-clover, the pump, or enclosures (including heatsink for the relay) because everyone does things differently.

So you didnt use the built in sensor?

 

[Punx Clever]

So you didnt use the built in sensor?

The heater tube I bought was just the tube with an element installed. No control box, no temp sensor, nothing.

I have at Pt100 RTD with 1/8" NPT threads installed in one of the pressure sensor ports on the tube.

 

[bendiy]

So you didnt use the built in sensor?

My tube came out of a used hot tub. Punx bought his new online. The one he bought has 3 or 4 1/8" NPT fittings built in. The one I have has only one 1/8" NPT fittings that had a pressure sensor on it. The temp sensor on mine just reads the surface temperature of the metal tube. That is the only built in temp sensor. I'll probably measure my temp at the output, but it is nice to have the 1/8" NPT fitting there if I need it.

 

[user 144271]

I wonder if any these guys a re still alive. LOL

Seemed like a very creative idea

 

[CreekBrewery]

I haven't killed myself yet! My hot tub RIMS, new not used, has been rockin' it for a few years now with no signs of slowing down.

 

[user 144271]

Glad to hear it I think it is a really cool idea

 

[acidrain]

Remember, fitting sizes are based on the size of tube, not the size of the fittings.

Not true, tri-clovers are based on outside diameter of the tube.
The outside dimension of the flange on a 2" TC is 2.516". https://www.google.com/search?q=tri...echnologies.com%2Fstore%2Fpage98.html;598;253

OP, what is the outside diameter of that tube? That may play into it more than anything since the TC clamp will need to go small enough.

 

[bendiy]

@acidrain
See these posts:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/hot-tub-rims-tube-288299/#post3588820
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/hot-tub-rims-tube-288299/#post3658320

It's not really the diameter of the tube that's the issue, it's the flange size. Since the flange is thinner than a normal tri-clover fitting, I had to size my flange a little larger to get a tight fit. Since you asked, my tube is 2.24 inches outside diameter, but the flange is 2.625 after I ground it down some.

@cooldood
My Hot Tub RIMS tube is still rock'n :rockin: I was just using it last night. I added a cover to the power terminals for additional safety.

I also added a temp sensor to the one port I have:

 

[bendiy]

oh... and did get a new 5500 Watt element so there's not nasties left stuck on the old element.

 

[Punx Clever]

Still alive? Sure am! Just used my Hot Tub RIMS Tube to make a Pumpkin Milk Stout:

The needle valve to the right of the temp probe is for purging air when I first built it (was running it horizontal on a different tun). it is no longer needed.

The switch is wired between the PID and the SSR, so it only sees a volt or two, but effectively cuts power to the element.

The pump is switched by plugging/unplugging from the GFCI

 

[Punx Clever]

Remember, fitting sizes are based on the size of tube, not the size of the fittings.

Not true, tri-clovers are based on outside diameter of the tube.
The outside dimension of the flange on a 2" TC is 2.516". .

So, what you are telling me is that fitting sizes are based on the size of the tube, not the size of the fitting, right?

 

[Stealthcruiser]

It's only fitting.

 

[CreamyGoodness]

No one is going to comment that the OP put the words "Rims" and "Hot Tub" next to each other unironically?

I must have the dirtiest mind ever...