Aluminum wort chiller

[Transamguy77]

I know there is some debate on using aluminum pots so I'm mot trying to start that debate on using aluminum tubing, with that said I had done some extensive research on making a IC and priced copper and after all was said and done I ended up buying a copper chiller due to the price of copper in my area it was actually less than making one.

Today I was on the Summit Racing website looking for fuel line for my Trans Am and see that 1/2 aluminum tubing for a 25 ft roll is $22, so I was thinking if you boil it like you would the pot could that be used as an alternative to copper and stainless? What do you guys think?

 

[kevin476]

I say anyone who pays for a copper chiller at some of the prices I've seen is crazy. I bought 50' of 3/8 copper from home depot for $45 and wrapped it around my cornie keg. Garden hose fitting were a couple bucks more. This only took about 5 minutes and it's a perfect coil.

 

[wyzazz]

I can't see an issue with it, as long as it's just aluminum and doesn't have a weird coating on it. How thick is the tubing?

 

[CGVT]

I would think that it would be pretty difficult to bend without kinking.

 

[JRems]

If it's aluminum fuel line it's probably meant to bend easy. I say go for it and let us know how it works out.

 

[Transamguy77]

I can't see an issue with it, as long as it's just aluminum and doesn't have a weird coating on it. How thick is the tubing?

Summit Racing SUM-G2512 - Summit Racing® Aluminum Fuel Lines
That is the part# it does not specify on a thickness. It is not that hard to bend and doesnt kink easy either, I tried to change the routing because the guy I bought the car from had this line on it already but I don't like how he has it run so I want to replace it and run it differently. As far as a coating, if it has one I would think some brake clean and a good boil would remove it.

 

[audger]

i would not use my car's fuel line for beer. if it were new, i would say go for it. used- no.

 

[wyzazz]

Looks to be 1/16" thick, with that thickness I would be just a little worried about kinking but if you can bend it then go for it!

 

[Transamguy77]

i would not use my car's fuel line for beer. if it were new, i would say go for it. used- no.

Hahahahahaha! I would not either, I'm not trying to use the old line, I would use new but just trying to bend the old stuff it seems relatively easy to bend and not kink. There are some 90 degree bends he made not tight but tighter than the circumfrence of a corni keg.

 

[Duckfoot]

Try your local AC / Refrigeration supplier (Johnstone Supply for example) and check on the prices for copper refrigeration tubing... I got a great deal at that type of place... Granted, I was in a work uniform, so they didn't hesitate to sell to me...

 

[barhoc11]

What are copper prices in your area? I just got 50 feet of 1/2 copper tubing for $55 at home depot and it was super easy to make a rib cage chiller. This is a known method that works, for a few bucks more it seems like an obvious choice.

 

[Transamguy77]

What are copper prices in your area? I just got 50 feet of 1/2 copper tubing for $55 at home depot and it was super easy to make a rib cage chiller. This is a known method that works, for a few bucks more it seems like an obvious choice.

I was looking about 4 months ago and at that time a 50ft roll of 3/8 copper was $75 with tax. I called a plumber buddy and the best he could do was $70. 50ft of 1/2 was over $100.

 

[starman]

It was many beers ago, but as I recall the thermal conductivity of aluminum is not as good as copper... It might take slightly longer / more water through to chill.

 

[JRems]

Stainless is a worse conductor than copper or aluminum, but it works fine as a chiller. Aluminum should not be a problem.

 

[barhoc11]

I was looking about 4 months ago and at that time a 50ft roll of 3/8 copper was $75 with tax. I called a plumber buddy and the best he could do was $70. 50ft of 1/2 was over $100.

Order some online if you don't have a Lowes or HD nearby, cheaper and takes the guess work out of it. I built a rib cage chiller out of 50ft and it works great.

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...langId=-1&keyword=50 copper 1/2&storeId=10051

 

[DoctorMemory]

It was many beers ago, but as I recall the thermal conductivity of aluminum is not as good as copper... It might take slightly longer / more water through to chill.

It's about half as efficient. Stainless is pathetic, it's got like 5% the thermal conductivity of copper. Thing is, wort's pretty horrible too, so that's the limiting factor -- thermal efficiency of the chiller is a localized phenomenon, you're much better off with a 50' SS chiller than a 25' copper one, since you've got more surface area.

I'm debating making a chiller with spacers to keep the coils apart, since anywhere the coils touch is a place the wort can't get to, so it's wasted area. I'm also considering bending the coils in kind of a "flower" shape, so they cover more of the interior area of the kettle, but I'm also considering that I'm probably over-engineering a simple heat exchanger!