Buckling in new stainless immersion chiller, normal?

[IanMC]

Hi all,

I just bought a new stainless steel immersion chiller, and while the bends on the coils look good, the sharper radius bends have some pretty noticeable buckling in the tubing. This is 3/8" OD stainless. Is this normal/expected with stainless? I've only used copper chillers in the past.

Thanks!

 

[day_trippr]

Normal.
You can't use a mandrel for this, and the outside wall isn't going to stretch much, so the inside wall has to compress one way or the other to make a radius actually happen. My 50' 1/2" SS IC has the same ripples where the bend radius is tight. NBD...

Cheers!

 

[SundayBrewer]

Looks like machine crimp marks instead of a tube bender. I don't have them.

 

[IslandLizard]

Normal.

The Hydras don't have the rippling.

 

[IanMC]

Normal.
You can't use a mandrel for this, and the outside wall isn't going to stretch much, so the inside wall has to compress one way or the other to make a radius actually happen. My 50' 1/2" SS IC has the same ripples where the bend radius is tight. NBD...

Cheers!

Awesome! Thanks for the quick response, and for putting my mind at ease. I was worried I was going to have to ship this back.

 

[IanMC]

Looks like machine crimp marks instead of a tube bender. I don't have them.

Is yours stainless or copper?

 

[SundayBrewer]

Is yours stainless or copper?

https://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Steel-Wort-Chiller-Exchange/dp/B00GO5HT0O

 

[day_trippr]

The Hydras don't have the rippling.

Hydras are copper. Still
When they ship a stainless steel version, be sure to look at the tight bends...

Cheers!

 

[IanMC]

https://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Steel-Wort-Chiller-Exchange/dp/B00GO5HT0O

Mine is the 3/8" version of that same one from NY Brew Supply. 50ft. https://www.nybrewsupply.com/collec...roducts/3-8-x-50-stainless-steel-wort-chiller Does the smaller diameter have anything to do with it? I thought it was more difficult to bend larger tubing without kinking.

 

[SundayBrewer]

Mine is the 3/8" version of that same one from NY Brew Supply. 50ft. https://www.nybrewsupply.com/collec...roducts/3-8-x-50-stainless-steel-wort-chiller Does the smaller diameter have anything to do with it? I thought it was more difficult to bend larger tubing without kinking.

I wouldn't worry. I believe the crimping could make it stronger and it won't slow the flow.

 

[Bilsch]

I’ve got a 1/2” stainless IC from Stainless brewing and a 3/8” one from NY and neither have this rippling on the tubes.

 

[IslandLizard]

Hydras are copper. Still
When they ship a stainless steel version, be sure to look at the tight bends...

Cheers!

The Hydras use much larger radii on the 2 connection tubes. Their stainless one uses copper connection tubes.

 

[IanMC]

I’ve got a 1/2” stainless IC from Stainless brewing and a 3/8” one from NY and neither have this rippling on the tubes.

Ugh. I guess I need to call NY tomorrow and ask them if this is what their entire stock looks like. I wonder if I just got a bad one.
Thanks for the info.

I wouldn't worry. I believe the crimping could make it stronger and it won't slow the flow.

Yeah I think I'd be fine with it, if this is the way they all are. I just don't want to get stuck with something that is a manufacturing anomaly.

 

[Robert65]

I have a beta version of the new stainless Hydra. No ripples.

 

[IanMC]

I just got a response from NY Brew Supply:

This is normal. We now use a thinner wall of tubing because it has better heat transference properties. This also keeps the price in check. Conversely, this also means that it doesn't bend tightly quite as smoothly. It does not affect the performance of the chiller at all.

Good enough answer for me! By the way, their customer service was excellent and very fast. This is my second interaction with this company, and so far I would definitely recommend them.

Thanks, everyone, for your feedback.