Wort Chiller: 3/8" or 1/2" diameter copper?

[newbrewguy11]

Looking into making an immersion chiller to save a couple of bucks. This will be for making roughly 5 gallon batches in a 36 qt stainless kettle.

What do you prefer?
3/8" x 50'
or
1/2" x 50'
or
?

 

[year2beer]

Go with 1/2 inch... more surface area... the better!

 

[neovox]

go with 1/2 inch... More surface area... The better!

+1

 

[shelly_belly]

I used to have 1/2"x50' but now I have 3/8"x50'. I honestly can't tell the difference in a 5gal batch. I'm sure the 1/2" would win in a 10 gal batch but I think it's overkill for 5.

 

[Lost]

I would go with 1/2" if you can afford it, you future proof yourself with that. You could use it on 10 gal batches. The 1/2 id is also big enough to not restrict flow on a pump so you could also use it as the heat exchanger coil in a herms setup.

Coppertubingsales.com has good prices. Make sure you know what you are ordering (l vs m vs ac line).

 

[mtnagel]

* BUMP*

I'm having this same dilemma right now. Home Depot had 50' x 1/2" for $56 (on sale) and 50' for 3/8" for $51. It seems like a no-brainer to get the bigger diameter one, but I seem to remember reading that it was more difficult to bend the 1/2" pipe. And it is only 1/8" bigger.

So what do you think?

Coppertubingsales.com has good prices. Make sure you know what you are ordering (l vs m vs ac line).

What are the differences?

 

[shelly_belly]

For $5 1/2" definitely. I wrapped my 1/2" around a corny keg and it was easy. I did solder on the in and out pieces according to Bobby_M's excellent video.

 

[mtnagel]

Thanks. How did you bend it? Just wrap it around or did you also use a spring bender?

 

[shelly_belly]

I just set the new coil next to the keg, held one end on the keg and started rotating the keg. My wife helped by turning the coil as needed. No tools used.

 

[mtnagel]

No issues with kinking?

Do you have to keep it wrapped around the keg for awhile to maintain the chiller's shape?

 

[5oBrewing]

I kinked mine a bit, but i did it by myself, i second having a helper when you do it. If i remember correctly when i did mine it held the shape pretty much immediately. I actually use the no-chill method of cooling now and don't even use my chiller anymore. i pour off the hot wort into my hdpe bucket and let it cool overnight, pull off some of the wort for a starter and pitch the next day. Its worked like a champ, i had to rig up a blowoff hose for the first time in 20 batches. Theres a pretty big thread on no chill somewhere on here. It definitely saves some of the time at the end of the boil for the chilling process. I dont think i will ever go back to forced cooling.