Need help with a new immersion chiller!

[CharlosCarlies]

Ok so I only recently started doing AG batches a couple weeks ago, and I've been using my old 25 ft (3/8") IC w/ pretty disappointing results. It cooled the partial boils just fine, but is definitely not adequate for cooling 5+ gallons. I want to start doing 10 gallon batches soon so a chiller upgrade is definitely in my near future.

I'm going to use my old IC as a pre-chiller and would like another 50 ft (1/2") IC for the kettle.

My question: I'm using the B3 15 gal kettle which leaves me with only 6 or 7 inches of wort when I do 5 gallon batches. Most of the 50ft chillers I've seen are 10+ inches so I'd essentially be wasting a lot of it's chilling potential right? Is there some reason nobody seems to make a shorter/wider IC?

Thanks in advance!

 

[carnevoodoo]

Make one. I've thought about getting a 50' coil and I know it wouldn't be submerged in my pot, so I would just have to do it myself.

 

[CharlosCarlies]

Make one.

Yeah I figured I might have to go that route. So there's no technical reason for the size/shape of pre-made chillers right? I can't think of any but who knows...I overlook stuff a lot.

 

[carnevoodoo]

Yeah I figured I might have to go that route. So there's no technical reason for the size/shape of pre-made chillers right? I can't think of any but who knows...I overlook stuff a lot.

Probably made due to the standard turkey fryer type pots people use. Surface area of your submerged coil won't change.

 

[CharlosCarlies]

Probably made due to the standard turkey fryer type pots people use. Surface area of your submerged coil won't change.

Cool thanks!

 

[KayaBrew]

I gotta tell you, I still do extract brews, but I also do full boils, and my 33', 3/8" copper IC gets 5 gallons from boiling down to 70F in 9 minutes. Could have something to do with the fact that we have icy-cold well water.

 

[jldc]

Consider getting a pump like this. It will do the work of the pre-chiller for you. Drop it in a bucket of ice water and off you go.

Just a thought.

 

[CharlosCarlies]

Consider getting a pump like this. It will do the work of the pre-chiller for you. Drop it in a bucket of ice water and off you go.

Just a thought.

That's an awesome idea! I'm prob still going to make another chiller though for when I start doing 10 gal boils, but that thing looks cool.

Could have something to do with the fact that we have icy-cold well water.

Yeah that's the problem here in Texas. I can get temps down to 100F within 5-10 minutes...it's the last 20 degrees that takes forever.

 

[Blender]

That's an awesome idea! I'm prob still going to make another chiller though for when I start doing 10 gal boils, but that thing looks cool.

Yeah that's the problem here in Texas. I can get temps down to 100F within 5-10 minutes...it's the last 20 degrees that takes forever.

The ice water and your present chiller will work for 5 gallon batches but for 10 you will need to upgrade. You might call B3 and ask them how much to make one in a larger diameter to fit your kettle. Here is a nice little thread on recirculating ice water.

 

[Homercidal]

They are so easy to make. I'd just build it. Just buy some tubing and bend around whatever round object fits your diameter (lots of people use a corny keg).

You can get siphon hose to fit the tubing, and a garden hose to barb adapter to go on the end you hook to the faucet.

In TX you may want to use a pump and ice water to get it cooled faster. Here in Michigan, I just use tap water...

 

[Thirsty_Monk]

It cooled the partial boils just fine, but is definitely not adequate for cooling 5+ gallons.

Have you heard of "whirlpool chiller"?
Wort-O-Matic: MyloFiore's Jamil-O-Chiller

To Increase efficiency of your current chiller you need to circulate hot liquid (Wort) around the Immersion Chiller. You can do it with pump like the whirlpool chiller or you can do it with sanitize spoon.

I do have one of 3B Immersion Chillers and they work pretty good on 5 GAL batches. B3-500 Immersion Chiller Option | MoreBeer

 

[JPicasso]

Search youtube.com for Immersion chiller building.

Bobby_M from this site posted a how-to vid that is awesome.

He uses a corny, and I did also, but my pot is not a converted keg, so it's a little too tall. If you have a wider pot (like me) I'd suggest using something a bit wider to coil around. But really, it was very easy after seeing how he did it to build one myself. The hardest part for me was drilling out garden hose fittings w/o crushing them, they kept slipping out of my cheapo vice.