Fixing my immersion chiller

[malkore]

So I have a northern brewer 50' IC that's a bit short for my kettle, and the water in/out connections are just vinyl tubing slipped over the vertical ends, and then screw clamped. This one doesn't have the ends bent to go over the kettle lip like their current IC's do.

I have no 'nice' fittings... basically as it was a gift and the giver just bought the base model, not the one with the threaded ends.

Well if that connection gets in the wort, or if the hose is pulling at the wrong angle, it leaks water into my kettle.

So, my thought are: get a couple of brass compression fittings that up the threads to 3/8" (or something) and then put a faucet/toilet supply line (SS braid) on the input, so I have something that can take the heat, tension, and not leak!

Otherwise I'd have to use fittings, extend the copper tubing with a splice so it sits above and away from the kettle mouth.

Thoughts?

 

[Reelale]

That would probably work, but I'm not a big fan of compression fittings, in my experience they tend to leak after awhile. I like your idea of getting the fittings out from directly over the kettle. A coupling, a couple of 45 elbows, and sweating all together. That way you'd have hard copper that won't leak.

 

[wyzazz]

Sweat rigid copper to the ends of the "soft" copper IC, then with a couple of 90's and 45's you can make the bend out of the kettle and sweat Brass GHT's on there.

 

[CoolHandLuke]

They are pretty helpful at NB, you could always call the retailer and ask what they recommend.

Confirm the immersion chiller's inner diameter. Then obtain pipe and fittings at the local hardware store. Cut, sand, flux and solder. Simple.

 

[DrawTap88]

I've been thinking of doing the same thing, but with the SS IC from Midwest. So far, I've tried to just put a small ring of caulk around the "in" hose and replacing the screw down fastener, but that doesn't seem to be working.

So now I've been thinking of doing something much like the original poster said they're doing. Except, I've been thinking of moving the "in" and "out" pipes at a 45 degree angle so the IC hangs off the side of the pot.

 

[malkore]

I've never done any soldering/sweating of copper with a torch. If my in/out copper lines were longer I'd just carefully bend them, but that's not an option here sadly.

I might just get that pipe diameter, and see what ACE has for inspiration. Otherwise, I do have a friend that's sweat some plumbing jobs, as has my father in law, so that's my contingency plan. Thanks for the brainstorming session.

 

[Reelale]

It'll take you all of 5 minutes on a scrap piece of pipe to learn how. It's really simple.

 

[wyzazz]

Sweating is easy, sand then flux then heat the metal. Once it's hot enough to "wick" the solder in to the joint just work it around not heating the solder but the metal around it.

As stated above, it'll take you around 5 minutes on a scrap piece of that pipe you buy to learn how.

 

[Krelja]

could try these things they seem promising. I haven't used them for brewing yet though http://www.sharkbiteplumbing.com/lead-free-fittings