15 replies to this topic

[SchwanzBrewer]

I am thinking about making my own wort immersion chiller. So far as I can tell I need:25' - 30' of flexible copper tubingA bucket to wind it around10-15 feet of vinyl hose 2, 3/8 dia hose clampsaquarium pumpI think I could get all that for about $50, you think?Please feel free to point out any flaws in my plan here.Cheers,Rich

[No Party JKor]

I think most people make their own chillers, but I could be wrong. I make virtually everything I use in my brewery, so my viewpoint may be a little skewed.a corney keg works well for winding the coil, if you have one.Are you just going to recirculate ice water, or will you be using tap water too?

[passlaku]

Check this site out.https://www.donosborn.com/homebrew/wort_chiller2010.htm

[SchwanzBrewer]

I think most people make their own chillers, but I could be wrong. I make virtually everything I use in my brewery, so my viewpoint may be a little skewed.a corney keg works well for winding the coil, if you have one.Are you just going to recirculate ice water, or will you be using tap water too?

ice water with an aquarium pump.I have a 120 quart cooler that I will fill with ice water, add the pump, and cheers immersion chiller.CheersRich

Edited by rcemech, 21 January 2010 - 07:47 PM.

[harryfrog]

if you haven't bought the aquarium pump yet or don't already own one I'd suggest a sump-pump.I have one that I double duty for both wort chilling (recircing ice water) and keg/carboy washer.I built mine with copper coil, hose clamps, some vinyl tubing and a hose->barb adapter.

[gnef]

What size batches are you doing? If only 5 gallons, I think it will be fine, but for 10+ gallons, I'd recommend going with 50ft of th 1/2'' OD soft copper.When I was looking into immersion chillers before, it was more cost effective at the time for me to purchase it built from morebeer with shipping, than it would cost me just for the copper locally without any fittings, and I'd have to wrap it myself. I think the shirron chiller was even cheaper at the time, but I prefer an immersion chiller for my setup.

[davelew]

if you haven't bought the aquarium pump yet or don't already own one I'd suggest a sump-pump.

I agree with this, I'd be concerned that an aquarium pump wouldn't be powerful enough.Another option that a lot of people use in colder climates is to use a washing machine hookup hose. You cut the hose in half, and hose-clamp the bare hose to the copper tubing. The other end can screw onto a faucet with one of the gardenhose-to-faucet adapters that every homebrew shop sells. Even if your tap water is pretty warm, you can at least chill your beer from 212 to 100 with this method, and then start using ice water recirculated with the sump pump.

[No Party JKor]

Sump pump is definitely better. If you go with an aquarium pump, find a powerful one. The least powerful sump pump will be more powerful than the most powerful aquarium pump.

[gnef]

If you have a harbor freight near you, they always seem to have sales on their submersible pumps. I've had mine for years now, and still working well.

[jayb151]

Sump pump is definitely better. If you go with an aquarium pump, find a powerful one. The least powerful sump pump will be more powerful than the most powerful aquarium pump.

+1I use a pump durring winter when I can pump snow water. My chiller also accepts a hose fitting, so no vinal on mine. I use hose water durring the summer, since my water still doesnt get that warm. If you are thinking about pumping ice water, I would suggest using tap water for your "first runnings" of chill water and using the ice later. It's alot harder to bring down the wort from 100 than from 212.

[realbeerguy]

I'd go with the 1/2" x 50 ft. Buy a bending spring also to prevent kinking the copper while bending. If you are adding fittings to the end, add a ball valve on the inlet to regulate flow.

[Deerslyr]

A couple of random comments... I just picked up a 25' IC made of 3/8 copper with garden hose fittings on it. After shipping, it was only $54 and all I had to do was search the net. I don't think I could have built it for that price. As for a pump, you really need a sump pump that has a higher capacity than what an aquarium pump will afford. I actually have a plate chiller, but in my effort to go "green", I'm putting a post chiller after the plate chiller. When it goes through the post chiller, the water will cool down before it gets back to the sump pump that is pushing it all through. (A March Pump is pushing the wort through the plate chiller.)Here is the one I bought. They also sell a 50' too. Looks like the price went down dammit!

[SchwanzBrewer]

The pump I have is for the return on a 75 gal aquarium. It moves some water.I'll check on the price of copper tubing to see if its worth building.Cheers,Rich

[Stout_fan]

When I bought mine, I looked at the JUST the price of copper pipe and compared it against what my LHBS had in stock."Sheet," I said. "For five bucks I'll let them build it."I plunked down my money and for five bucks bought myself a free afternoon.

[realbeerguy]

B3 has the 1/2" 50 ft on sale for $79.95. Bought one, used it this past weekend. 212dF to 149 in 5 min. SWEET!

[djinkc]

Here's a great place to buy copper. https://www.coppertu...bing_prices.phpMaybe you could buy 100' and split the cost with some others.When I made mine I found some GH fittings that fit 3/8" tubing well enough to sweat them on. Pretty easy to do. I would think 25' would be enough for 5 gallons - I use 50ft for 11+ gallon batches.