Immersion Chiller Issues

[Dan2539]

Just picked up an immersion chiller from northern brewer: http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewi...ard-chiller-3-8-x25-with-hose-fittings.htmler

It's not bad, but I ordered it not realizing that it was smaller than I thought. I'm only doing 5 gallon batches so it should do its job cooling quick enough. I bought it with the garden hose fittings which were compression fittings. the compression fittings were pretty loose when I received it, and they leaked considerably. Had to tighten them with all my might to stop the leaking for the most part. Does anyone else hate compression fittings? I might have to cut them off and install a longer run of tubing to get the fittings to clear the sides of my new brew kettle once it arrives, Might just solder them on instead of using compression again.

I did a test run using around 3.5 gallons and the results were pretty quick without even stirring. The IC shifted in the pot when I went to attach the hoses to it and it scraped against the bottom leaving copper scratches on the bottom of porcelain coated pot. Have any of you guys had issues with your IC marking up your brew kettles? I'm getting a boilermaker and would be pretty pissed off it it scratched copper into my new kettle. Should I have gotten a better setup to use with my boilermaker?

 

[maida7]

I use an IC with a stainless pot and have never had a problem with scratches. The copper is much softer then the stainless. I can't see how it would scratch the pot. And why would it matter? You boil the pot and IC every time you make beer. It could be all scratched up and it won't effect the beer.

 

[Mirage]

You should have no problem with stainless. Those porcelain coated pots scratch so easy.

 

[Dan2539]

I use an IC with a stainless pot and have never had a problem with scratches. The copper is much softer then the stainless. I can't see how it would scratch the pot. And why would it matter? You boil the pot and IC every time you make beer. It could be all scratched up and it won't effect the beer.

Was more concerned with it imparting a metalic taste from the copper scuffing into the pot. I guess the effects would be minimal anyway.

 

[Dan2539]

Thanks guys, after some minor bending of the chiller I have it long enough to clear the side wall of the pot now. The only gripe is the compression fittings continue to leak no matter how much I torque them. I just bent the inlet and outlets downward so theres no chance of it dripping tap water into my beer. I just hate compression fittings, used them before in other applications and just don't find them all that reliable in my experience. Not a big deal so much anyway. Might solder on new fittings if I find myself bored one day

 

[maida7]

Was more concerned with it imparting a metalic taste from the copper scuffing into the pot. I guess the effects would be minimal anyway.

In large amounts copper is toxic. BUT the good news is that during fermentation your yeast friends will scrub out all that copper. Some people purposely brew with copper because they believe it makes the beer taste better. Some fancy brew pubs even have giant copper kettles. So copper before fermentation is a good thing. Post fermentation not so much.