What have you built with the HD copper tubing?

[Justdrumin]

Mindenman. I did the same thing. Even after reading that others did the same thing. I told myself not to do that but I got a little too excited and just kept going. Lol. Here is what I did to correct it. I hope it helps!

With your design, does the water run through both coils? It looks like it might bypass the outside coil. Just curious. I haven't pulled the trigger on using the coil I bought because I want to find the best design. I want dual coil because I only do 5 gallon batches. Unless ya'll think the 60' 1/2" I'd won't be too tall for a 5 gallon full boil batch.

 

[sar_dog_1]

That's why I did a double coil. I do 5 gallon batches in a keggle. I havnt tested it yet but I think there will be enough backflow to force wort into both coils.

 

[revansCAAD8]

Since I've had a few folks ask about what fittings I used for the inlet & outlet, I thought I would post it. These work well for garden hoses but still considering something else, so I can easily connect/disconnect lines/hoses (maybe Camlocks since we use them for the rest of our brewery?)
Here is what I used but we built our chiller using 1/2 ID (5/8" OD) copper, so if you use a different size these wouldn't work for you:

2 x 039923037381 copper 1/2" Male Adapter (@$1.58/each) from Home Depot. Yes, these are sweated/solder on.

1 x 098268624731 WATTS LFA-668 Brass 3/4" MH x 1/2" FIP (Garden Hose) Adapter from Home Depot.

1 x 71938 Hose Adapter (swivel) 3/4" female hose threads with 1/2" female pipe threads - from ACE Hardware but I'm sure HD has them also.

Hope this helps!
Robert
GypsyBrew

 

[Fresh95]

I've been trying to find this info in other threads but am having a hard time searching for it. Does anyone know about how far from the sides of the pot it's recommended to construct an immersion coil? I don't know if I should be just shy of flush up against the sides, 1/2 an inch in, 1 inch in, or what.

I'm also wondering if there are recommendations for kitchen sink hook ups. It seems most people are using actual garden hoses. If I'm using a kitchen sink should I still get garden hose ends for my coil and connect to the sink that way via an adapter, or would some sort of camlock connection be better recommended?

 

[sar_dog_1]

Fresh, they sell them at home depot. Couple of bucks. Just ask the salesman. Thats were I got em.

 

[Fresh95]

Thanks, I actually did pick up the Watts lead free brass garden hose male and female connectors from HD when I got my cheap copper coil. I'm wondering though if they would be recommended for kitchen use as well as outdoor, attaching a small length of garden hose between kitchen sink and immersion coil, or if it would be better to make the sink to immersion coil connection with camlocks or some other connection type instead. I was planning on starting my soldering next weekend but wanted to get some opinions on what end piece might be best for my coil considering use with a standard kitchen sink.

 

[chickens4life]

what sar dog was referring to is a sink to garden hose adapter, that is all that you need to use the chiller with garden hose fittings indoors. and every hardware store should have that (and a lot of homebrew stores will to).

 

[Fresh95]

Ah, right sorry. Maybe I'm not being clear. I understand it's possible to connect a kitchen sink to the immersion chiller via garden hose adapters, I'm just wondering if that's considered the best way to do this. I know most people connect actual garden hoses and thought maybe that's why people do it with kitchen sinks too, for convenience with what's common.

Because I have no reliance on garden hoses, given other options should I still just stick with garden hose connections?

 

[poislb]

Ah, right sorry. Maybe I'm not being clear. I understand it's possible to connect a kitchen sink to the immersion chiller via garden hose adapters, I'm just wondering if that's considered the best way to do this. I know most people connect actual garden hoses and thought maybe that's why people do it with kitchen sinks too, for convenience with what's common.

Because I have no reliance on garden hoses, given other options should I still just stick with garden hose connections?

you can use whatever hose ya want, just buy the right barb. so if ya get a 3/8" hose get a 3/8" barb to 1/2' or 3/4" npt to connect to your hose fittings and just attach that to the sink. only way to make it work is to get the hose attachment fitting for the sink..make sence?

 

[poislb]

heres a pic..

 

[Epimetheus]

I know most people connect actual garden hoses and thought maybe that's why people do it with kitchen sinks too, for convenience with what's common.

Because I have no reliance on garden hoses, given other options should I still just stick with garden hose connections?

the garden-hose-to-faucet adapter is popular because faucet heads take special fine threads, and I've never seen any other adapter than to 3/4 MGHT (that's tech speak for male garden hose thread).

Like this picture. This one happens to be on the Walmart site. Fine threads on one side for the faucet, 3/4 MGHT threads on the other.

Now, once you have male garden hose threads, you can use a barbed fitting like below to hook up to vinyl tubing or garden hose or any type of tubing of the desired diameter. Or, seeing how the faucet-to-3/4-thread adapter is already there, you could use a garden hose.

 

[hungry4hops]

Here's mine! 60' 1/2" double coil next to my old 20' 1/2" can't wait to take it for a test run!

 

[ultravista]

hungry4hops - how did you get the coils coiled so even?

I've got 50 ft of the 5/8 tubing.

 

[hungry4hops]

Take it slow Dont rush, it also helps to hold the beginning in place so that the entire coil stays tight

 

[ultravista]

Take it slow Dont rush, it also helps to hold the beginning in place so that the entire coil stays tight

What are you wrapping the inner and outer coils around?

 

[hungry4hops]

What are you wrapping the inner and outer coils around?

I used a keg for the outer coil and a gallon paint can for the inner coil

 

[ultravista]

Is it one solid continuous coil? How do you coil, start with one end, get to where you think the middle is, then start the larger coil? Are the inner and outer coils the same length, about 25 ft?

 

[MindenMan]

With your design, does the water run through both coils? It looks like it might bypass the outside coil. Just curious. I haven't pulled the trigger on using the coil I bought because I want to find the best design. I want dual coil because I only do 5 gallon batches. Unless ya'll think the 60' 1/2" I'd won't be too tall for a 5 gallon full boil batch.

Yes, in theory the water runs through both coils at the same time. Due to ell's and kinks, it may not be at the same volume exactly. But instead of taking heat out in 1 coil and putting it back in in the second being in series, parallel cooling actually being a by-product of a winding mistake.

 

[Justdrumin]

Here's mine! 60' 1/2" double coil next to my old 20' 1/2" can't wait to take it for a test run!

This is the design I will do. You had to wind the coils in opposite directions right? And how did you figure out how long to make each coil? Are they both the same length? Thanks! I just ordered some cornys for my new chest freezer too : D so I just need to go to my dads and find a paint can in his garage.

 

[hungry4hops]

This is the design I will do. You had to wind the coils in opposite directions right? And how did you figure out how long to make each coil? Are they both the same length? Thanks! I just ordered some cornys for my new chest freezer too : D so I just need to go to my dads and find a paint can in his garage.

Yup opposite directions, They were the same length but the inner coil ended up being slightly taller. I just spaced out the outer rings a bit so they would be the same height. I'm wasent sure how to measure out the lengths, but I'm happy the way it turned out

 

[Justdrumin]

Yup opposite directions, They were the same length but the inner coil ended up being slightly taller. I just spaced out the outer rings a bit so they would be the same height. I'm wasent sure how to measure out the lengths, but I'm happy the way it turned out

Is there anyway to measure it or should I just eyeball it? I guess I could measure a piece of twine or something and do it that way.

 

[poislb]

heres a 30 footer, made 2 of them from a 60ft roll.

 

[RADMAD]

Just finished my 50 ft dual coil chiller!! Now if Santa just brings me the new pot I designed this for I will be able to go all grain!

 

[Justdrumin]

Just finished my 50 ft dual coil chiller!! Now if Santa just brings me the new pot I designed this for I will be able to go all grain!

Nicely done sir! Fantastic design.

 

[MikeInMKE]

Just finished my 50 ft dual coil chiller!! Now if Santa just brings me the new pot I designed this for I will be able to go all grain!

Objet d'art!

 

[jtrainer]

shlept my arse to 4 HD's and not a one had reduced priced copper. I hate u guys....

What I would have made was and add-on IC AND a CounterFlow chiller.

That's all I have no pics as I have no discounted copper.

 

[In_Vino_Veritas]

Here's mine! 60' 1/2" double coil next to my old 20' 1/2" can't wait to take it for a test run!

Just finished my 50 ft dual coil chiller!! Now if Santa just brings me the new pot I designed this for I will be able to go all grain!

Looks great!

Quick question for either of you, going to solder for the first time some copper pipe. How are you cleaning you post-solder assembly? I saw a guy use carb cleaner, but that stuffs pretty harsh. My work will be small enough to go into the dishwasher, so was thinking about a Dawn soak and then into the dishwasher.

 

[savannahbrew]

I bought 60 foot of the 3/8 because they had it and I figured I could use it for something. I am trying to upgrade to a herms system and really want to go with 1/2 throughout. So any suggestions for a use or anyone wanna trade 1/2 inch for 3/8?

 

[decoleur]

Quick questions about coiling copper ics.

How do you get the feed tube on the inside to be so straight? When I tried to coil some smaller copper with the feed tube on the inside as I coiled. The transition from straight to coil was rough and got a small link. The coil was lopsided as the feed tube changed how close I could coil against the paint can. What do you do?

 

[logdrum]

Any cooling data on the dual coil?