I Got The Draggin Ass Cold Crash Blues

[Dfitz]

So I crashed my ale yesterday (attempted anyway) and I'm struggling to get to, and maintain 34F. It'll get there eventually. Since last night I t's been steadily dropping. It'll likely hit 34F tonight. I'll have to re-figure this. Currently my 40 gal fermente is holding 25 gal. of a two hearted ale. My fermenter is pretty well insulated with two + coats of that silver bubble wrap. My chiller is an upright freezer holding 15 gal of PPG mixed at 20%. It's flowing fine with the controller set to 28F. My coil is 60' of 1/2" copper turbing.

 

[passedpawn]

If it's a freezer, it shouldn't drag ass. You might consider where your temp sensor is.

[edit] after reading your post, are you pumping chilling fluid to a fermentor? Post is not clear at all.

 

[kh54s10]

I read the use of a fluid chiller. If you are going from 70 degrees F to 35 F and it is 25 gallons it is going to take a while. A lot of people cold crash for a few days. Let us know how it is going tomorrow. I suspect that once you get it cooled it will stabilize.

Have you used it before? Do you have any baseline for how long it takes?

Here is a formula for how long it takes a bottle of water to freeze. Maybe you can figure something out from it.
https://www.quora.com/Thermodynamics-How-long-does-it-take-a-bottle-of-water-to-freeze-while-at-a-temperature-of-32-degrees-F

 

[Dfitz]

I read the use of a fluid chiller. If you are going from 70 degrees F to 35 F and it is 25 gallons it is going to take a while. A lot of people cold crash for a few days. Let us know how it is going tomorrow. I suspect that once you get it cooled it will stabilize.

Have you used it before? Do you have any baseline for how long it takes?

Here is a formula for how long it takes a bottle of water to freeze. Maybe you can figure something out from it.
https://www.quora.com/Thermodynamics-How-long-does-it-take-a-bottle-of-water-to-freeze-while-at-a-temperature-of-32-degrees-F

Thanks, yep first time. It's down to 40 and the hex fluid is 38. Probably be good tomorrow.

 

[Dfitz]

There we go! 34.8F and it only took 2-1/2 days. I think that's too long. I can put my fermenter on wheels, park it in front of the A/C and surround it with a insulated shroud. That'll probably cut that time in half.

It's been warm out. I measured a temp of 90F when I started chilling. Turned on the A/C on day two. I'll let the A/C rest and see how well it'll hold this temp.