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Water cooler + jacketed conical + glycol +sweat equity = good beer


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#1 Stout_fan

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Posted 23 April 2019 - 12:27 PM

I'm not sure that I've posted this but... A few years ago I purchased a Brewer's Hardware jacketed conical to finally end my frustration in attempting to cool my Blichmann fermenator. These are photos from the first test run.

Primo%20BH%20Conical%20r.jpg

The cooler was modified by TIGing a top and return plumbing on the cooler section. That .025 stainless is a bit tricky to weld and it has to be a sanitary weld as well. I just propped the cooler up on milk crates and dumped a pond pump in a bucket to recirc the glycol.

 

BH%20Caster%20detail%203r.jpg

The conical has three 3" tri-clamps as feet which needed a 12" lift kit to allow me to fill corney kegs from the racking port. The Top weld is a sanitary autogenic weld from the 3" ferrule to a 6" section of 3" dia. 309 stainless .062 thin wall tubing.

The bottom weld is a fillet from the .062 thin wall to a 1/8" thick 309 plate cut to match the casters. I had to pay a bit of attention to directing the majority of the heat to the plate as punching through the thin wall was a small problem.

 

Casters are rated at 300 lb each... Harbor freight.

 

BH%20Caster%20detail%202r.jpg

 

Not exactly a perfect stack of dimes, but it works.

 

I've since refined the pump and control,if anyone is interesred please let me know. Also if someone has a better hosting site than Photobucket please let me know, 'cause PB isn't co-operating well. :angry:


Edited by Stout_fan, 23 April 2019 - 12:27 PM.


#2 SchwanzBrewer

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Posted 28 April 2019 - 09:34 AM

For sale?


Will the cooler take the temp down to lagering and cold crash range?



#3 MyaCullen

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Posted 28 April 2019 - 10:27 AM

For sale?


Will the cooler take the temp down to lagering and cold crash range?

I got the impression this was an informative post, not a pitch



#4 Stout_fan

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Posted 29 April 2019 - 09:24 AM

Not for sale, sorry If I misled y'all.

 

I just wanted to share what I've done with a water cooler so others can duplicate my efforts if so inclined. Sorry, I regret I have not taken actual time/temp measurements. IIRC I get the 13 to 14 gallons of wort into the conical at about 70-72 degrees F about 5 PM at the end of a brew session. My setpoint for ales is 64 degrees. By the time I get done cleaning up close to 10 PM or so, it's reached the setpoint.

 

The condenser coil is just a flat array on the rear. Putting a muffin fan blowing upwards really improves the unit's cooling ability.

 

The cooler isn't exceptional, just a 100w compressor I think. I've never actually tried to get it down another 10 degrees to lager temps, although I should give that a try. I'm guessing it'll take 24 hours to get that low. Cold crashing down to 40 degrees is probably out of the question.




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