Making microbore wort cooler

[TheHostMan]

Hi,

I'm pulling together the extra equipment to move from Kit brewing to Extract.

From what I can see, making a copper microbore wort cooling coil looks fairly simple.

Are there any considerations I need to make?

Or is it as simple as wrap the coil around something suitable, leave space between coils and attach hose fittings.

Any tips to avoid newbie mistakes would be appreciated

Chris

[AnthonyUK]

Hi,
Just leave enough length on the risers to hook over your pot so any leaks or condensation won't go in your wort.
I would also look at BIAB as if you can do extract then the step to AG should be straightforward and if nothing else the cost saving would be worth it.

[irv]

there is prob loads of tutorials.
it is as simple as wrapping the tube round something. although if you spend too much time looking at stuff on here you will end up building a stainless steel cooling device with flow and temperature sensors connected to 'the cloud' via a raspberry pi. (this isnt the place to get into the raspberry pi arduino debate)

if you bend the copper too much it will work harden and there is a chance you may crack it. if you have a propane torch you can heat the hardened area and anneal it before it gets to the point of failure. i would plan to do it slowly and correctly the first time.
you want your end tails to be long enough to come over and down the pot a bit, so any water leaks flood the kitchen and not waste the beer.
also think about how you will connect it to the water source drain, as that may affect your choice of tube size.
i used 10mm tube as i thought it was easier to get 10mm- 15mm adapters. but i am not a plubmer so dont know.

[thepatchworkdoll]

Hi THM
Flatten one of your piping and fiull it with salt. keep tapping to make sure the pipe is full of salt flatten the other end. It bends a treat without any kinks. when finished cot off flattened ends and empty salt out. patience is the secret but you will end up with a kink free chiller.
regards
Patch

[TheHostMan]

Thanks for the tips everyone.

I am very aware of the potential to go over the top. I have a 'man cave' full of excess Hobby kit I don't really use. Including an arduino (so I'm half way ther on that one).

What sort of length of tube is typically used. I'm looking to cool roughly 23l. I assume ther's a limit there isnt any point going beyond as the cold water will have lost its efficiency.

Chris

[themadhippy]

mines 10 meters,but when you consider a 30cm diameter pot has a circumference of nearly a meter thats only 10 coils high

[thepatchworkdoll]

Hi Themadhippy
Mies was made from a 10 metre coil as well worksa treat
regards
Patch