Kettle to Counterflow Connection

[butterblum]

How do people typically connect their kettle to their Counterflow chiller input?
I am using copper pipe thread adapters to brass barbed hose connectors for my water in/out, and obviously I will just be draining the wort output end to my fermenter. I have seen fancy stainless swivel locks, but I didn't know what works best and is easiest to clean. I'm just going from a 1/2" 3-piece ball valve to a 3/8" OD copper tube.
And what is the best way to clean your chiller before using it? I don't have a pump.
Thanks

 

[kristiismean]

without a pump to flow hot pbw through it (10 minutes at least one directions, 10 minutes the other, if starting with a clean cfc) i would not even think of using it...

I am just starting to use a plate chiller, but will still use my homemade cfc for beers with a lot of pellet hops where I don't want to risk losing a hop profile by using a hop spider, etc. I use a 1/2 barb on the end of my kettle ball valve, and 3/8 silicone hose fits perfectly on the end of my cfc tube (or from my pump to my cfc) and secure the 3/8 silicone hose with a stainless steel hose clamp.

works really well...

 

[BitterSweetBrews]

I just soldered a 3/8" to 1/2" adapter on the end and then added a short length of 1/2 pipe and a 1/2" Female threaded fitting on each end. You can then put a standard hose barb or quick connect on it. I use Kent fittings quick connects. They are reasonably priced and work well. I use 1/2" id braid reinforced hose (I will upgrade to silicone sometime).

I have a pump so I run boiling wort through it for 10-15 minutes before the end of the boil (you can get a 12v/24v tan pump for under $20), I run hot water through the chiller when I am done (I have a hose adapter for my sink). Once in a while I run Oxyclean through everything.

 

[RedlegEd]

How do people typically connect their kettle to their Counterflow chiller input?
I am using copper pipe thread adapters to brass barbed hose connectors for my water in/out, and obviously I will just be draining the wort output end to my fermenter. I have seen fancy stainless swivel locks, but I didn't know what works best and is easiest to clean. I'm just going from a 1/2" 3-piece ball valve to a 3/8" OD copper tube.
And what is the best way to clean your chiller before using it? I don't have a pump.
Thanks

Hi. I use a piece of silicone tubing with a clamp on the wort-input side of the CFC since I don't use a pump either (gravity only) and there's very little pressure on that connection. The kettle end of that tubing is a Camlock QD that goes onto the ball valve on my kettle. To sanitize, about 10 minutes before flame-out, I run about 2-3 gallons of boiling wort through the CFC (don't turn on cooling water) into a SS pitcher, then pour it back into the kettle. At the end of brew day, I just run the PBW/Oxyclean solution from my kettle through the CFC, then rinse & drain thoroughly. Hope that helps. Ed