Kalinka glycol chiller

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I'm considering purchasing a kalinka-ice 25ft. Glycol chiller to control temps in my SS Brewtech brewmaster series 1/2 barrel fermenter. My question is, would I be able to cold crash to 37 degrees with that chiller?
http://www.beveragefactory.com/draf...rdKOKG9_HolHCz9krSARCiGEkvPfybhEmEaAj1F8P8HAQ

If the chiller can go below 37 degrees, then yes. You want to have any type of chiller go lower than the target temperature your are looking for. The description states "Excellent for Freezing Ice-Towers" so I will assume it can go down to freezing temps.

Also, it looks like it includes a pump as well and it looks like a strong one. I wouldn't use that to pump the glycol through the FTSS, just unplug that pump and insert the pump that comes with the FTSS into the built in reservoir on that Glycol chiller. Just make sure you have the proper glycol to water mixture.
 
I have that chiller. It goes down to about freezing, give or take. I would use the built in pump to pump the glycol. You could plumb a glycol loop with a motorized ball valve that opens when the thermostat demands cooling.
 
Im assuming you wouldnt use the pump because of the tubing that comes with the ftss? If so, do you think if I replace that with reinforced hose lines it would handle that motor?
 
Im assuming you wouldnt use the pump because of the tubing that comes with the ftss? If so, do you think if I replace that with reinforced hose lines it would handle that motor?

I have never used this chiller and I don't know how powerful the pump is, I would assume it would be pretty strong to move near freezing glycol up 25' of tubing.

You could pop the small ID vinyl tubing that comes with the FTSS if it's too strong.
 
You'd have plenty of BTU's to pull down a half barrel, you could probably run 2-3 1/2 barrels at 33 with that unit. . I think the pump will be fine with the setup. 250gph isn't to strong to be a real challenge. I'm using a chiller that is rated at 150 BTU's per hour and I have no problem holding 32 degrees at 75 degrees ambient temps on my SS 1/2 barrel. I can crash to 33 in about 7-8 hours. I use a 30-70 mix of glycol.
 
You'd have plenty of BTU's to pull down a half barrel, you could probably run 2-3 1/2 barrels at 33 with that unit. . I think the pump will be fine with the setup. 250gph isn't to strong to be a real challenge. I'm using a chiller that is rated at 150 BTU's per hour and I have no problem holding 32 degrees at 75 degrees ambient temps on my SS 1/2 barrel. I can crash to 33 in about 7-8 hours. I use a 30-70 mix of glycol.

The pump might be fine but he would still need to modify it so the FTSS temp controller can turn it on and off when needed, you can't let it pump cold glycol through it at all times.
 
The pump might be fine but he would still need to modify it so the FTSS temp controller can turn it on and off when needed, you can't let it pump cold glycol through it at all times.

If the pump has a normal plug that goes into an outlet on the chiller, put a temp controller in-between. That is what I do with mine, it is a micromatic. If there is not a plug than you need to splice into the power line to the pump and wire one in.
 
The pump might be fine but he would still need to modify it so the FTSS temp controller can turn it on and off when needed, you can't let it pump cold glycol through it at all times.


I'm completely confused by your reply. If he has the FTSS system he has a pump and a controller. If not he needs a way to manage temps. But that's not what he asked, he asked if the chiller had enough cooling capacity to pull his keg down.
 
If the pump has a normal plug that goes into an outlet on the chiller, put a temp controller in-between. That is what I do with mine, it is a micromatic. If there is not a plug than you need to splice into the power line to the pump and wire one in.

Then why purchase the FTSS system? You've just eliminated the temp controller and the pump it comes with and are just keeping the coils and lid, really a big waste of money if you ask me. You may as well just get a custom coil made from stainless brewing, a temp controller like a Johnson (or anything similar) and use the glycol chiller and rewire the pump on the glycol chiller to be controlled by the Johnson temp controller. But then again, the pump on the glycol chiller may need to be on at all times to circulate the glycol so it stays evenly chilled.

One other way you could do it and still use the temp controller of the FTSS:

1. Run the pump that is mounted on the glycol chiller continuous where it cycles the glycol through a manifold that loops back to its reservoir.

2. Attach a 12VDC Normally closed motorized valve onto that manifold and connect to the other end to the chilling coils.

The output of the FTSS is 12VDC, now when the FTSS temp controller goes on, rather then turning on it's own water pump, it's opening up the valve on the 12VDC motorized valve allowing cold glycol to flow through the coils. Once the fermenter reaches the predetermined temp set on the FTSS controller, it will turn off the 12VDC supply essentially closing that normally closed valve and cut off chilling to that fermenter.

This was the Glycol is constantly being circulated with it own pump, you don't have to modify the Glycol pump and later on, add more conicals to that chiller by adding more valves to that manifold.
 
I'm completely confused by your reply. If he has the FTSS system he has a pump and a controller. If not he needs a way to manage temps. But that's not what he asked, he asked if the chiller had enough cooling capacity to pull his keg down.

Someone mentioned only using the pump that came with the glycol chiller and foregoing the pump that came with the FTSS system.
 
Just food for thought... perhaps run a test with water instead of beer first. I have BrewTechs brewbucket with the FTS, and thought I could double-duty my below-freezing glycol/water soup that I use for my tap lines. The chilled slurry was cold enough to break the seal around the coils and I ended up with glycol/water in my beer.
 
Just food for thought... perhaps run a test with water instead of beer first. I have BrewTechs brewbucket with the FTS, and thought I could double-duty my below-freezing glycol/water soup that I use for my tap lines. The chilled slurry was cold enough to break the seal around the coils and I ended up with glycol/water in my beer.

Chilling fermenting beer is a lot different than chilling water. You're fighting against the yeast that are fermenting the beer and creating heat at the same time. Of course the yeast are not creating a lot of heat, but enough to make the chiller work slightly bit more than just chilling regular water.
 
FYI this is rated at 1150 BTU/hr. you can buy a 5,000 BTU/hr window A/C examble and create a DIY chiller for about $300
 
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I ended up with the rapids wholesale 3 gallon 2300 btu chiller and wired a plug on the pump. I will run my 1st batch in the new set up this weekend and see how it goes. FYI it is much easier to put the sleeve on the conical before it's assembled and hooked up to glycol. That's a lesson for next time, I guess.

https://www.flickr.com/gp/137629642@N04/7Tb063
 

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