Extending an immersion chiller?

[johnmac]

Thanks chaps. Of course, my new IC is so small, I could easily get another one in the boiler as well

[niall]

Would there be any advantage to just getting a bigger immersion chiller? (say 25 metres?)

[johnmac]

Would there be any advantage to just getting a bigger immersion chiller? (say 25 metres?)

Yes, but it seamed more cost effective to just add onto the one I've got, rather than throw it away and start from scratch.

[niall]

Understood.

I think I'll go for a larger chiller. The one I have (same as your new one) is too small to chill a 5 gallon batch in the 10 gallon boiler, as it just won't reach low enough. It's nice to have the flexibility. We'll have to compare chilling notes on the next batch!

[delboy]

Well, I got my new chiller from Hop & Grape and what a disappointment it is. It turns out that my old chiller is from Leyland and I thought that was too small! The Leyland one is 10mm copper and the H&G one is 8mm. The Leyland one came with pipes included, the H&G one didn't.




To add insult to injury, the Leyland one is cheaper

The leyland looks to be a better chiller all right i might have to invest in one of those (im not that happy with my H&G chiller)

[niall]

That's where I'm going for mine

[awalker]

I have the hop and grape one and was just going to make another one.

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro ... 4&id=17717

and just wrap it around a corny or similar.

[delboy]

looks like it come pre-bent already, unless its too big to fit into the boiler.

[Wez]

Do you stir your wort whilst it's cooling? It cools a lot quicker if you do. Also if you're changing the design of your chiller it's worth remembering that without stirring the hottest wort will be at the top of the liquid - so that's where you want the most coils.

I haven't been stirring for fear of disturbing the break material too much, what should I be doing, stir while chiiling then let us all settle to filter? (how long?)

[Graham]

I have the hop and grape one and was just going to make another one.

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro ... 4&id=17717

and just wrap it around a corny or similar.

Yep, I wrapped mine round a fire extinguisher. Make sure the tubing is new though, cos it hardens with age and will kink, as I found out. Screwfix is a good place to get it because they are bound to have a fast turnover. Don't get it from anywhere where it is likely to have been hanging around on their shelves for any length of time.

[Graham]

I stir for the first 10-15mins, then let is settle for the next 15-20. This works out fine for me.

Sounds elementary dear Watson, but with immersion chillers, cold water into the bottom and the hot water out the top. The other way round and you are just moving heat from the top to the bottom of the bin, which will promptly rise to the top again, and you'd have to do a lot of stirring to get any efficiency out of it at all.

[Graham]

Noted

Whoops. I didn't put that there for you in particular. It was for general consumption. I did say it was obvious, but it's easy to get it wrong way round. I've seen it done, probably did it myself in the early days. My chiller is actually plumbed into the inside of a 25 litre cask, so I don't have a lot of opportunity for stirring.

[johnmac]

Well, the two chillers in series cooled 9 gall in 40 mins, which I can live with.