PSA: Watch Your Immersion Chiller Tubing

[hibbleton]

Today I was brewing my fourth all-grain batch in the garage and everything was going smoothly. I think I have my system and banjo burner dialed in now and don't have to think too much about it. So I put my immersion chiller into the boil with 10 minutes left to sanitize it and walked away to do some other things. All of a sudden I hear water splashing on the ground and turn around to find the tubing had been burned clear through! The tubing hanging over the edge of the pot had been hanging right next to the burner and must've gotten too hot and melted. So the lesson learned today:

*Don't leave your IC tubing hanging over the edge of the pot! Prop it up with something or do something to keep it away from your burner!*

Fortunately I had some extra tubing and fixed it all up but I will definitely watch for this from now on.

 

[Hammy71]

I put flared hose fittings on mine and don't hook the hoses until flame out..... Yep....rubber/plastic melts.

 

[jds]

I put flared hose fittings on mine and don't hook the hoses until flame out..... Yep....rubber/plastic melts.

Ditto, except mine has garden hose thread (GHT) fittings on both ends.

Also, step back when you drop it in. If there's any water remaining in the chiller from the previous use, it will shoot out when steam forms elsewhere in the line.

 

[mvdilts]

+1 - just had this happen to me last weekend. One other word of caution -- make sure you have hose clamps on your tubing (and that they are tight) otherwise the tubing can shoot off spraying you with extremely hot water...

 

[Bobby_M]

This is why it's a good idea to connect your in/out hoses and just drop the thing in at flameout. There is no reason to boil this thing for 15 minutes. Just let it sit in the wort at flameout for about 3 minutes before turning the chilling water on.

 

[jtrainer]

I find it just as easy to drop the IC in as I set up my mash....

I've burned my hoses about 3 times now... I have my little system rigged to help prevent this now... until next time.