Making my own immersion chiller?

[xSpeaker]

I'm fantasizing about my 3-tier setup that's currently in the works (mostly in my head until I put in my credit card number), and was wondering about the difficulty/cost effectiveness of making my own immersion chiller.

Most importantly: is it cheaper to buy or make one?
Next importantly: http://www.plumbingsupply.com/coppertubing.html#tubing for the tubing, then somehow getting hose fittings on it.

-would I be able to bend it how I want without too many special tools?
-is this the right type of copper?

Side/second question:
I can use a SS rope in both my MLT (to filter out the grain) AND my boil kettle (to filter out [whole] hops), right? I'm weighing the cost/benefit vs. a false bottom, which I'd really prefer not to buy given the option.

Thanks!

 

[JBrady]

http://www.learntobrew.com/store/category/gm1w/-_Chillers_Pumps.html

check out the prices here, their the cheapest that I've found so far for tubing and chillers.

 

[johnodon]

Side/second question:
I can use a SS rope in both my MLT (to filter out the grain) AND my boil kettle (to filter out [whole] hops), right? I'm weighing the cost/benefit vs. a false bottom, which I'd really prefer not to buy given the option.

Thanks!

Correct. Many people here use a 1/2" SS braided water supply line found at HD or Lowes:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_25099-104-L...rentURL=/pl__0__s?Ntt=20%22+stainless+braided

You just cut the ends and take out the tubing inside. Some of us opt to coil some 10 or 12 guage copper wire and put it inside teh braid to prevent the weight of the grain bed from crushing it.

This is basically the tut I followed:

http://brewing.lustreking.com/gear/mashtun.html

John

 

[Apendecto]

http://www.learntobrew.com/store/category/gm1w/-_Chillers_Pumps.html

check out the prices here, their the cheapest that I've found so far for tubing and chillers.

I made my own 50 footer out of 1/2 inch copper and it was just about the same price as the "Deluxe Chiller" from that link. I wrapped the copper around an old soft water tank (Corny could work) and used a small tube bender for the last bit.

 

[impur]

I used 40ft of 3/8" copper and just coiled it freehand making sure it was a small enough coil to fit in my BK. The only fitting i used was a 3/8" compression X 1/2" MPT, then a female hose adapter. The output of my IC i just put a piece of tubing over the end and it drains into a bucket. Total cost was about $20, but then again my parents own an ACE hardware

 

[RogueVassar]

I did it for $30 and it works great.

Here's the link to the thread when I was doing it: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/can-i-make-wort-chiller-no-tools-159997/

 

[Ludovico]

I made my own for $30 and it works quite well. Got my wort cooled in 15 mins vs 45+ in an icebath.

 

[MattCharleston]

I just finished making a counter flow chiller...for the extra $12 or $13 it is completely worth it. Took my boiling wort down to 70 deg. in the time it took to flow through it (bout 5 minutes per 5 gallons). I got a cheap 50 foot hose for $9, coil of copper for $17, and assorted fittings to complete the rig for about $5 more bucks. Go all the way with counterflow.

 

[elproducto]

I just made an IC with 25' of 3/8" copper and Watts fittings. No soldering, and only $35 worth of parts.

It cooled 6 gallons of boiling wort down to pitching temp in 10min!

Do it!

 

[lumpher]

craigslist. i got a 50' 1/2" ic for $20 back when.

 

[xSpeaker]

With the counterflow I worry about cleaning the inside-- is there a way to be sure that it's clean // no little hop bits are living inside?

 

[MattCharleston]

you can get a little fitting that takes a garden hose connection down to a 3/8'' barb at most hardware stores (mine came from Home Depot). I hook that up to the hose and let it rip immediately after i let the wort flow through it. If anything lasts through that kind of pressure, it deserves to stay. (only done this whole counterflow thing for one batch, so take whatever i say with a 50 pound bag of salt)

 

[Beezer94]

shows parts for immersion chiller on this page:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/simple-immersion-wort-chiller-33036/

You can change to 1/2 inch parts if thats the size tubing.

Get copper refrigeration tubing its cheaper.

This is where I got my tubing:
http://www.coppertubingsales.com/storefront/index.php