counterflow chiller

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joemez
Pale Ale
Pale Ale
Posts: 84
Joined: Thu Jul 03, 2003 7:41 am

counterflow chiller

Post by joemez »

OK, I got a nice 10 gallon pot on the way. now I need a chiller. I was going to purchase one when I realized the simplicity of it. I came accross a site that explains in detail http://hbd.org/jdbrown/chiller.htm#pict
Is there a large benifit to using all copper as opposed to using a garden hose for the outside jacket?
I will be welding a fitting on the side of my pot as apposed to a racking cane. I would assume I need some sort of screen to keep the chiller from clogging up. What do you guys use?
What steps should I take to sanitize the chiller?
Freon12
Strong Ale
Strong Ale
Posts: 404
Joined: Tue Aug 28, 2001 8:27 pm
Location: WHITELAND, IN, US

Clear hose for me.

Post by Freon12 »

I made a chiller using copper 3/8 and 1/2" clear hose with 3/8 X 3/8 X 1/2 tees so I could see what's going on with the flow properties of my chiller before building an all copper one. Both models work just fine!

You will have to remove the tube stop on one end of the tee so that the tube can go thru the fitting.

With a 200f entering tempreture and 50f water the exit tempreture was 68f by slowing the flow of water or 64f by letting it loose.

As far as a screen for the outlet, (I don't use one). Shhhhh

A whirlpool after boiling and a 10min rest and I have a very clear wort.



Brew on.
Steve
jayhawk
Strong Ale
Strong Ale
Posts: 472
Joined: Tue Dec 25, 2001 12:05 am
Location: Vancouver, BC, CA

I got one of them

Post by jayhawk »

I see you are getting serious now. Using this type of chiller is a very good idea. I see no benefit to an all copper unit. My rig uses a garden hose. A copper outside would just be more expensive and harder to maintain.

I have no spigot on my kettle, so have a metal racking cane that I attached to my chiller (via a small length of hose) to allow me to siphon the wort through the chiller to the fermenter. I have made a screen from metallic mesh that I slide over the racking cane and this prevents all the hops and trub from behind siphoned into the chiller. I put this part of the unit in to kettle with 5 or 10 minutes left in the boil to sanitize it. As for the rest of the unit, prior to brewing (ie during the mash), I run some sanitizer through it and then rinse it with near boiling water that has just been boiled. I then cap the two ends with aluminum foil and soak the in/outflow hoses in sanitizer until I'm ready to chill the wort.

Hope that makes sense.
Chris
joemez
Pale Ale
Pale Ale
Posts: 84
Joined: Thu Jul 03, 2003 7:41 am

thanks

Post by joemez »

thanks for the info guys. Using tubing or a garden hose is much cheaper as well as easier to manufacture.
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