Robobrew Immersion Chiller

[Veets]

Finally getting around to posting this question:

I got the Robobrew v3 with the stainless steel immersion chiller a few months back, and have done a few 5 gallon brews in it. I'm wondering if there's something wrong with my immersion chiller. The inlet and outlet are on elbows, so they run parallel with the ground when the chiller is placed in the kettle. It's sized so the chiller rests on the edge of the kettle, on those elbows, when inserted into the kettle. The problem is that with a normal 5-gallon batch, only about half of the chiller coils are submerged in the wort.

Is there something wrong with mine, and other people are finding that their immersion chiller goes deeper into the kettle? Or is it possible that it's just configured for larger batches?

Thanks,
Mike

 

[verboten]

Mine is the same, it takes way too long to chill. One of the things I do is run the pump, it helps. I stretched the coils out a bit, but I am thinking I will cut the vertical run, and add some tubing in there at the top with compression fittings to get it further into the wort.

 

[golfindia]

Thermal conductivity of stainless is about 10-20 btu/ hr-degF-foot. Copper is 10-20x that.

 

[jack13]

Mine is the same, it takes way too long to chill. One of the things I do is run the pump, it helps. I stretched the coils out a bit, but I am thinking I will cut the vertical run, and add some tubing in there at the top with compression fittings to get it further into the wort.

also try positioning the tubing to that it creates a whirlpool going in the opposite direction that the water is going through your chiller

 

[Rev2010]

Yes, depending on your batch size several of the coils may not be in contact with wort. I have the Robobrew v3 and I actually find that it still chills rather fast if you leave the pump on. However, I'm now planning on buying the Jaded Mantis chiller. It's a very good price and will chill much faster. Plus, I absolutely hate the Robobrew chiller's opposite end piping. I like both in/out pipes to be right next to one another. Makes it much easier to handle and takes up less space.


Rev.

 

[Chief82]

I just bought one of these and had a feeling looking at it that it wouldn’t be fully submerged.

 

[HarkinBanks]

Same experience with mine. It certainly could be faster but I don't mind it all that much because I rest my hop spider on it and let the hops drain during the cooling. As mentioned above, running the pump helps quite a bit. Once I hit 100F, I take the hose and splash the wort on the upper coils to aerate and it helps cool a bit quicker.

 

[Jag75]

Submersible pump in an ice chest of ice water connected to the immersion chiller will cut your time in half maybe even more.

 

[Rev2010]

Submersible pump in an ice chest of ice water connected to the immersion chiller will cut your time in half maybe even more.

So would a Jaded Mantis or Scylia, and no need to for ice chests or pumps But yes I know they cost more than a cooler and pump.


Rev.

 

[Veets]

Thanks, everyone.

 

[Jag75]

So would a Jaded Mantis or Scylia, and no need to for ice chests or pumps But yes I know they cost more than a cooler and pump.



Rev.

True , luckily I had my chest already and pump cost 15$

 

[TheGoatman]

Take a hack saw and take the elbows off. It's the cheapest, quickest thing that would help along with the pump.