Counter Flow Chillers

[nahthanS]

Okay, stupid question perhaps.. How do you connect the whole thing up when you're chilling? Garden-hose fittings on the water side make that simple enough, what about the wort in/out? How to connect the Therminator's 1/2" NPT threaded output in & back out of the Therminator, and what type of tubing to use?

1/2" Hi-temp vinyl or 1/2" thermoplastic connected to some 1/2" quickconnector type fittings?

[BeerPal]

Okay, stupid question perhaps.. How do you connect the whole thing up when you're chilling? Garden-hose fittings on the water side make that simple enough, what about the wort in/out? How to connect the Therminator's 1/2" NPT threaded output in & back out of the Therminator, and what type of tubing to use?

1/2" Hi-temp vinyl or 1/2" thermoplastic connected to some 1/2" quickconnector type fittings?

Here are the fittings I use:



To be honest, I use whatever hose comes to hand. I don't worry too much about whether or not it's heat resistant. The wort moves through it so fast (in a 5-gallon batch, anyway) that I've never had a problem regardless of what hose I've used on the wort-in side.

[nahthanS]

if you're gravity feeding a plate chiller such as the Therminator, have you had to recirculate at all, or is once through the plate enough to bring it down to 65-70F?

[jamilz]

I've given up counter-flow chillers. I came up with what I think is a much better method of chilling wort.

If you already have an immersion chiller and a pump, you've got a much better solution than any counter-flow chiller.

I've put some pictures and text on my website:

http://www.mrmalty.com/

I hope folks that already own an immersion chiller and a pump will give this a try before spending money on anything else.

[BeerPal]

if you're gravity feeding a plate chiller such as the Therminator, have you had to recirculate at all, or is once through the plate enough to bring it down to 65-70F?

Dude, this thing is so efficient that in the winter I have to restrict the flow of cooling water to keep the wort from dropping below pitching temps. So, in answer to your question, once through will do the job. As I am fond of saying, it'll chill wort to pitching temps (or beyond, if you're not careful) as fast as you can empty your kettle.

[nahthanS]

jamil, that is an awesome recirculation system you have for chilling.. I like the idea. maximize the surface area and the fluid flow around the cooled area.

i have a immersion chiller that I built a number of years ago from a box of unused copper refrigerator tubing from the h/w store. here's a pic of it in action, near the end of a boil:

http://destroy.net/brewing/1417/images/brew4.jpg

it works extremely well for up to 10 gallons.. you're under 90F in less than 10 minutes.. from 80-70 takes about another 10, however. i'd like to eliminate that last 10 if possible..

counterflow chillers always like too much cleaning..

i like the plate chillers.. perhaps i'll try the therminator sometime soon. thanks for the info on those fstbttms..

[jamilz]

If you can get the wort whirlpooling with a pump, it will be as fast as the plate chiller, you get to leave the cold break behind, and keeping it sanitary is much easier. Give it a try.

[Gucci Pilot]

Jamil, speaking of contamination, how often do you disasemble your pump to clean crap that can bulid up? I dig the conical farm. Do still have your 12 gallon external cooled conical? What do you typically use your conicals for?


Darin