DIY Wort chiller diameter

[gazpacho]

I've just found myself a coil of 10mm copper pipe so I'm about to form it into a wort chiller. Is there an optimum diameter for the coils or are they just made to fit the fermenting vessel? I can understand needing to leave an inch or two from the outside of the coil to the outside of the bin so more fluid is cooled than bin but apart from that I can't see ant problems. Is it better to space the coils out so there is more surface area "visable" to the wort or does it really not matter that much?

[trucker5774]

No big worries with what you are doing. Go as planned with a gap to the sides of the boiler space the coils out to the depth of the brew and away you go. Cold in at the bottom!!

[gazpacho]

cheers, I'm just going through the garage and found some speedfit 3/4 bsp (connects to hoselock hose pipe fittings) to 22 mm connectors...now to find some for 22 down to 10, think that may be brass though as I can't afford the mortgage on more speedfit connectors

[GARYSMIFF]

My chiller came down to size of Copper vs something to wrap it around. I have used CO2 tanks,Patio Gas and Cornies, I'm sure there is some science on what coil water should go 1st (top or Bottom) but i'll leave that up to the people with an anal character here. to advise on rings.

[MightyMouth]

I would make it at least 6 inches in diameter smaller than your kettle. Give you room to move it a round which helps chill it down much faster.

[gazpacho]

just put my brain in gear....washing machine taps are so cheap and are 3/4 by 15mm so thats a lot cheaper and I will have a red and blue marker to as which is cold and which is not quite so cold

now to find some 10 to 15mm copper adaptors

[trucker5774]

Good luck. .................Don't forget the "1 bottle rule"...................One for each member that comments on your post..........watch this expand now

[GARYSMIFF]

If you don't have the colour code taps you can always use the power of touch!

[gazpacho]

I like the 1 bottle rule, got plenty of non returnable empties here

I wish I could use the touch rule, got bugger all feeling in my fingers due to chemo and another 10 drugs every day, as we used to say in Macclesfield, more beer, fatter women

[MightyMouth]

I used Brass hoselock fittings from B&Q, the inside diameter is about 9mm so I just opened them out to 10mm and soldered directly to the IC pipe.

[OldSpeckledBadger]

My hoses are from my old washing machine so I used washing machine taps to short lengths of 15mm pipe then 15 to 10 converters to the IC.

[HantsGaz]

I made mine from 25m of 8mm tubing and wrapped it around a cornie. I copied the twin IC design that Gurgeh made and it works extremely well. Last weekend it cooled my wort from boiling to 30 in about 15 mins max.

Here's my hose connection 15mm to 8mm reducer onto garden hose held on with a jubilee clip.

[gazpacho]

My other half's eyes lit up when I came out of the garage with a paint tin in my hands and she thought I had gone for brushes when I asked her to hold it as I returned into my lair......don't think she expected the brazing torch and copper pipe on my return though

Giver her my utmost respect, she got that pipe wrapped round my neck so quick that it was warmed up nicely to wrap around the paint tin...Crown Wheatgrass 5 litres

Just waiting for my ebay purchase of the last few parts then full mash brewing here we come. Now does anyone know how to make Roosters Cream apart from Sean Franklin