My DIY Chill Wizard Knock Off

[Desert_Sky]

Says right there on the website-

Side note: Looks easy to build yourself? It's really not. Cheaper if you build it yourself? Surprisingly not.

Hmmm....Ok well Sabco's is going for a pricey $829. Minus the paint I need to finish this up, I got this put together for about half that. This is it mocked up. Getting primer and paint this weekend and test runs will commence shortly after.

 

[Schnitzengiggle]

Sweet build! PROST!

 

[Bobby_M]

I wonder if you'll have any issue getting the pump primed with the head turned that way?

 

[Desert_Sky]

I wonder if you'll have any issue getting the pump primed with the head turned that way?

This is going to sit on the ground well below the kettle. My buddy's two tier pump is mounted this way as well.

I couldn't get over not having the stainless frame that Sabco offers, so.....

 

[klyph]

Aw man, should have mexi-chromed it:

 

[Desert_Sky]

Aw man, should have mexi-chromed it:

I had that can sitting in my hands for a few minutes at Lowes. But in the end "Hammered Gray" won. Comes complete with texture....ooooooo

 

[klyph]

Thank god you didn't, that stuff looks horrible. Your finish, however looks great. Good luck on the build.

 

[Walker]

Side note: Looks easy to build yourself? It's really not. Cheaper if you build it yourself? Surprisingly not.

Seriously... who would actually believe that claim ? If it cost just as much to build it yourself as it does to buy it from them, where would they be making their money?

Sure, they probably get some savings from buying pumps and chillers in larger quantities, but someone has to then sit down and build the damn things, which they claim is not easy. So, that person building it is going to be getting paid for his apparently very skilled and/or intensive labor, wiping out the profits they had from buying components in bulk.

 

[EvilGnome6]

I wonder if you'll have any issue getting the pump primed with the head turned that way?

That's how they're supposed to be mounted. As long as you have nothing upstream restricting air from purging out of the the outlet, the pump will prime just fine.

 

[Bobby_M]

Who decides how it's supposed to be mounted? March?
If so, why is every outlet pointing up on this page? http://www.marchpump.com/

I don't really know if there's an ideal orientation, just asking.

 

[Yooper]

My March pump for my 2-tier is mounted "head up", horizontally. It primes just fine.

Nice build, Chimone. How long did it take you total? When are you going to try it out?

 

[EvilGnome6]

Who decides how it's supposed to be mounted? March?
If so, why is every outlet pointing up on this page? http://www.marchpump.com/

I don't really know if there's an ideal orientation, just asking.

Hmmm... I kind of assumed that was the ideal orientation from how it came new in the box (left-right). I'm looking through the manual and it says:

The pump should be mounted with the Electric Conduit Box on the bottom. The oil ports will then be on the top of the motor.

And then:

The pump housing should be installed with the arrow on our housing pointing in the direction of the water flow within the system. If the arrow indicating water flow is not in the direction you require when the motor is in position, remove the four round housing screws (Item 1) holding the housing to the motor assembly and rotate the housing assembly as required. Replace the four screws and tighten.

Interesting.

From that I would infer that the only orientation that is important is the conduit box (for oiling the bearings). The head can be oriented whatever way fits the user. No mention on which way primes better.

I stand corrected, it seems.

 

[artbrau]

Will you include the oxygen injector?

 

[Desert_Sky]

My March pump for my 2-tier is mounted "head up", horizontally. It primes just fine.

Nice build, Chimone. How long did it take you total? When are you going to try it out?

Well my buddy is a pretty dam good welder. He did my Brutus too. Other than ordering the parts, it took him about an hour to weld everything up. After that a quick run to the hardware store for some nuts n bolts and its good to go.

I am going to put McMaster QDs on everything for easy disassembly and reversing the flow for cleaning. I still need to piuck up an O2 bottle and regulator, but maiden run on the 2050 and this chiller is next weekend hopefully. I still have a few more couplers and a water filter to order

 

[Desert_Sky]

Will you include the oxygen injector?

it is in the assembly with the thermometer. HEre is the back side. Sabco has a really nice tri-clamp verison. Mine is threaded....no biggie, Im going for CIP anyway

 

[BeerSawks]

Did you buy the aeration-temp assembly or build it?

 

[Desert_Sky]

Did you buy the aeration-temp assembly or build it?

https://morebeer.com/view_product/16614//Stainless_in-line_Oxygenation_Assembly_with_no_Barbs

I priced it out and it came to pretty much the same price as if I assembled it myself.

 

[buzzkill]

that little keg lamp is just way to cool.

 

[thegreatgumbino]

Does the carbonation stone assembly have a check valve?

 

[Desert_Sky]

Does the carbonation stone assembly have a check valve?

No, the pressure needed to push liquid through the stone is enough to not need one....hopefully anyway, but I will find out tomorrow. Here is the finished ass'y. All ready for a PBW wash and trial run

And reversed for cleaning. I plan on putting some steel wool in the kettle pickup, so between a good whirlpool and that wool I shold be able to keep out all the big particulates

 

[ILOVEBEER]

Very nice buddy! I have a 40 plate chiller with SS QD's that utilize a thermometer/oxygenation stone setup. I use the pump from my RIMS to pump it. Your setup is really nice!

 

[Sawdustguy]

Congratulations on a job very well done! How many more dollars would it have cost you if you would have used the tri-covers and triclover aeration stone and GFCI like Sabco did? I remember guys claiming to be able to make this for a half of the price using the exact parts Sabco did in one thread. It was a rediculous claim when the chiller was $200, pump $125 and triclover aeration stone $75 just to start.

 

[thegreatgumbino]

No, the pressure needed to push liquid through the stone is enough to not need one....hopefully anyway, but I will find out tomorrow.

Awesome. It looks great. Good luck with the brewing today. Let us know how it works out for you.

 

[thegreatgumbino]

How'd it go yesterday?

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Nice!

Now throw on some tri-clamp fittings and your build cost will be close to that of Sabco.

 

[Desert_Sky]

Seriously, tri-clamps are expensive! The only Tri-clamp Im using is the one that will attach to the conical. Other than that, its boiling when it enters the chiller, so no need for sanitary fittings there. I don't plan on removing the QD's at all once its sanitized.

At least thats how Im justifying it anyway But 20 bucks per fitting with another 8 for the clamp? No thanks. It would be nice yes, and maybe down the road who knows, but for now this will work just fine.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Seriously, tri-clamps are expensive! The only Tri-clamp Im using is the one that will attach to the conical. Other than that, its boiling when it enters the chiller, so no need for sanitary fittings there. I don't plan on removing the QD's at all once its sanitized.

At least thats how Im justifying it anyway But 20 bucks per fitting with another 8 for the clamp? No thanks. It would be nice yes, and maybe down the road who knows, but for now this will work just fine.

Just pulling your chain. Recently bought a hopback and wanted TC's for the fit-up. the few fittings I needed for the connect cost 50% more than the HB vessel to begin with.

 

[Desert_Sky]

Just pulling your chain. Recently bought a hopback and wanted TC's for the fit-up. the few fittings I needed for the connect cost 50% more than the HB vessel to begin with.

I would love to have everything in my brewery connected with sanitary fittings, but SS has become so pricey. Who knows, maybe I'll find a smoking deal on a few down the road.

St. Pats is the cheapest Ive found for tri-clamps, if anyone knows someplace cheaper let me know.

 

[thorongil]

St. Pats is the cheapest Ive found for tri-clamps, if anyone knows someplace cheaper let me know.

Look up Swagman here on the boards... haven't bought from him myself, but everything I hear is positive...

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

The cheapest supplier is KLG stainless. Look him up on the web or on eBay. The owners name is Kevin.