OK, decided to shelve the boiler heat exchanger cooler idea for the time being.
Looking to build a counterflow cooler, does the following sound OK ?
10m microbore copper 8mm OD
10m hosepipe 5/8" ID
(both ends with tee peice style setup for wort and cooling water inlets/outlets).
I'm wondering if the 5/8" hose which is wider than conventional 1/2" hosepipe will be OK ? I was also thinking of coiling copper wire around the microbore, soldering every foot or so to hold in place to give some turbulance in the cooling water flow.
Any comments ?
Counterflow cooler
I'm sure those are the sizes I used, Andy.
There are some instructions on the web for the design of the joints, but it's pretty obvious if you've got any DIY ability, which I'm sure you have. Just remember the cold water goes in at the bottom.
There's a diagram showing how to do the pipework about halfway down http://www.howtobrew.com/appendices/appendixC.html.
There are some instructions on the web for the design of the joints, but it's pretty obvious if you've got any DIY ability, which I'm sure you have. Just remember the cold water goes in at the bottom.
There's a diagram showing how to do the pipework about halfway down http://www.howtobrew.com/appendices/appendixC.html.
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Andy
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Cheers Jim!
I've never soldered copper before but am quite happy to give it a shot, rather learn
on a homebrew gadget rather than my central heating piping
I was wondering if my 2Kw heat gun would do the trick rather than buying a blowtorch,
some googling suggests it would be OK. Obviously I'll get lead free solder.
I've got the end piece construction sorted in my head 15mm equal T with some 15mm copper at one end (which the hose will attach to) and a 15mm->8mm fitting reducer at the other end (bored out a tad such that the 8mm will fit past the stop). Then some hose attached to the stem piece of the tee for the water supply.
Got a whole load of 1.6mm copper wire from BnQ today (selling off meter tail cabling for £2 per 25 metres - it's got 7 copper strands in it so that's 175m of copper for £2
). I'm going to wind (some of) this round the microbore before putting into the hose.
I've never soldered copper before but am quite happy to give it a shot, rather learn
on a homebrew gadget rather than my central heating piping
I was wondering if my 2Kw heat gun would do the trick rather than buying a blowtorch,
some googling suggests it would be OK. Obviously I'll get lead free solder.
I've got the end piece construction sorted in my head 15mm equal T with some 15mm copper at one end (which the hose will attach to) and a 15mm->8mm fitting reducer at the other end (bored out a tad such that the 8mm will fit past the stop). Then some hose attached to the stem piece of the tee for the water supply.
Got a whole load of 1.6mm copper wire from BnQ today (selling off meter tail cabling for £2 per 25 metres - it's got 7 copper strands in it so that's 175m of copper for £2
). I'm going to wind (some of) this round the microbore before putting into the hose.Use yorkshire fittings rather than the capillary type if you're new to plumbing; it's much easier to avoid leaky joints.
To be honest, I would go for a blowtorch. They aren't all that expensive, and lead free solder needs plenty of heat to melt it. If you don't get enough heat on the joints, they will leak (take my word for it! ).
Incidentally, you won't find any other kind of solder than lead-free on sale in DIY shops these days.
The secret of getting good joints is to clean the pipe and the joint thoroughly before making the joint (use fine wet-or-dry paper). You MUST use flux on the joints after cleaning.
To be honest, I would go for a blowtorch. They aren't all that expensive, and lead free solder needs plenty of heat to melt it. If you don't get enough heat on the joints, they will leak (take my word for it!
).Incidentally, you won't find any other kind of solder than lead-free on sale in DIY shops these days.
The secret of getting good joints is to clean the pipe and the joint thoroughly before making the joint (use fine wet-or-dry paper). You MUST use flux on the joints after cleaning.
It's probably worth mentioning that shoving 10 metres or so of copper pipe through a hosepipe is guaranteed to make you refer to said pipe in very unflattering terms. In short, it's a pig of a job.
Andy, you metioned wrapping some copper wire round it first; I think you'll regret it if you do! Try rubbing a bit of soap on the outside of the 8mm pipe instead.
Andy, you metioned wrapping some copper wire round it first; I think you'll regret it if you do! Try rubbing a bit of soap on the outside of the 8mm pipe instead.
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Andy
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Thanks for the comments guys.
I may well persevere with the copper wire thing, might do a little test insertion first </matron>.
The hose I've got is a 5/8" bore which is a 1/8" wider than conventional 1/2" hose pipe so it might not be as bad ?
Jim, was it a one man job building the thing ? Seems that two people would make life a little easier.... Perhaps if you've got time (ahem) then you could knock up some short construction notes ?
I may well persevere with the copper wire thing, might do a little test insertion first </matron>.
The hose I've got is a 5/8" bore which is a 1/8" wider than conventional 1/2" hose pipe so it might not be as bad ?
Jim, was it a one man job building the thing ? Seems that two people would make life a little easier.... Perhaps if you've got time (ahem) then you could knock up some short construction notes ?
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Andy
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Yes, I've got driveway, garage and garden to use. I can see it being a real pig of a job to do though Any tips for unrolling the copper coil ? Did you use an external spring or any tool ? And when inserting the copper was it a "push" only job or did you thread through wire or similar to allow some pulling through also ?
Any tips for unrolling the copper coil ? Did you use an external spring or any tool ? And when inserting the copper was it a "push" only job or did you thread through wire or similar to allow some pulling through also ?QUOTE (andy @ Dec 14 2005, 02:29 PM) ..........Jim, was it a one man job building the thing ? Seems that two people would make life a little easier.... Perhaps if you've got time (ahem) then you could knock up some short construction notes ?
I did it all by myself, but if you have a helper when shoving the pipe through the hose it would probably make life easier.
My ambition is to add the construction notes to the main website, but since I've had that ambition for about a year now, I think your chiller will be built and have several brews through it before I get round to it! :rolleyes:
I did it all by myself, but if you have a helper when shoving the pipe through the hose it would probably make life easier.
My ambition is to add the construction notes to the main website, but since I've had that ambition for about a year now, I think your chiller will be built and have several brews through it before I get round to it! :rolleyes:
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Andy
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OK.
I was also going to use 10mm copper microbore and planned to do without the compression fitting and use a 15->10mm fitting reducer (with the internal stop drilled out) which mates directly with the 15mm tee piece. This does mean some soldering when the plastic hose is in situ but I reckon a strategically positioned wet rag will stop things melting I was also going to use 10mm copper microbore...
I'll definitely use BES Ltd, they have loads of great stuff at good prices. The basic delivery charge is high but the savings over a local plumbers merchants / BnQ soon outweigh that when a few bits and pieces are purchased.
I was also going to use 10mm copper microbore and planned to do without the compression fitting and use a 15->10mm fitting reducer (with the internal stop drilled out) which mates directly with the 15mm tee piece. This does mean some soldering when the plastic hose is in situ but I reckon a strategically positioned wet rag will stop things melting
I was also going to use 10mm copper microbore...I'll definitely use BES Ltd, they have loads of great stuff at good prices. The basic delivery charge is high but the savings over a local plumbers merchants / BnQ soon outweigh that when a few bits and pieces are purchased.