Modifying copper immersion wort chiller

[level-one]

I have an immersion chiller, essentially some copper tubing wrapped up into a coil. I purchased it used on Craigslist. It looks like it could be home made but I've seen that exact thing sold in home brew shops so not sure. My problem with it is it is not tall enough to reach the bottom of my boil kettle, so only the first few bottom coils dip into the wort to chill it. I works, but not very efficiently. I would like to modify it to extend the two end tubes about 6 in. Is that possible to do? And is there someplace I could take it, like to a plumber?

 

[KeizerBrewr]

You totally can, just need to get some fittings and lead free solder to sweat and extend your input/output lines to correct your issue.

 

[Konadog]

If your in a pinch, you could also cut off the connecting ends, slip some tubing over the copper and secure with hose clamps, then do the same with the connectors you cut off at the other end.

Like this:

 

[Deadalus]

A plumber could do it right quick. As @KeizerBrewr said, you could just cut off the turn (tube cutter) and solder on new fittings. You'd need a torch, solder, flux, and a tube cutter. You could use a sharkbite push to connect fitting if you really wanted to, although I am not so familiar with their metal composition to say whether that is a good idea here. Personally, I would just solder it.

Yet another way would be to just clamp on a hose to the cut end but that would position the connection directly above the wort. Sometimes clamps leak and the water inside is not really going to be be sanitized once the chiller cools down. Had this problem with mine but the clamp was after the bend extended out of the pot.

 

[Broken Crow]

If you don't have any leaks where the hoses meet the tubes, you could just carefully bend the tubes upward and continue using it with the hoses hanging over the pot rim.

 

[camonick]

Carefully stretch and separate the lower coils like an accordion to make the overall length longer/taller.