Building a wort chiller what size tubing is best

[Oregonducks10]

What size copper tubing is best for a wort chiller

 

[BendBrewer]

I have to say with the cost of copper these days, a plate chiller might be a cheaper route.

I think most people use 3/8" copper. The bigger the better I think.

 

[Oregonducks10]

What does it take to make a plate chiller

 

[Zen_Brew]

Well, you use the word best, so a larger diameter is better, all things considered. There is little reason to go larger than 1/2" though, and many people do fine with 3/8".

As bendbrewer mentioned copper is getting a bit spendy these days

 

[BendBrewer]

What does it take to make a plate chiller

About 60 bucks and a trip to KegCowboy.com

And Go Ducks!

 

[Oregonducks10]

Do they work as well as a wort chiller?

Go ducks can't wait to renew my season tickets and go to games again with home brews

 

[BendBrewer]

Do they work as well as a wort chiller?

Go ducks can't wait to renew my season tickets and go to games again with home brews

How many questions do I have to answer in order to sit next to you for one of those?

It depends on your system really. I just recently went to a single tier stand with a March pump. I bought a CFC and have used it a few times but it was made with 1/4" ID copper and it really restricts my flow as everything else is 1/2". I have a plate chiller on order from Cowboy as they had great prices.

Are you planning on an immersion chiller or counter flow with the copper?

 

[Oregonducks10]

Immersion chiller

 

[MW66]

If you mostly do 5 gallon batches, I would say to stick with 3/8" OD, If you use 1/2" OD, it would be fine, but depends on how you stack the coil (single or rib cage), there may be a fair amount sticking out of the wort not performing any cooling function. I currently am making a dual inlet rib cage design with 50' of 3/8" OD tubing. I used a corny keg to wrap the coils. I spread the rib cage to about 11 1/2" wide and the stacked coils sit about 8" high mostly compressed. Obviously I can decompress the stack higher to suit my needs. I plan to measure the height of 5.5 gallons of wort inside my keggle and then use that as my target to determine my chiller's height. I hope this helped some.

 

[BendBrewer]

Immersion chiller

You are probably going to want to stick with your initial plan then and use copper.

Guys doing 5 gallon batches get away with 25 foot length and I think most 10 gallon brewers go with 50 feet.

3/8" or 1/2" will work. Price is going to be different.

 

[Oregonducks10]

Yeah I mainly do five gallon batches but i want to get fifty foot in I go bigger batches I don't want to have to get a new chiller

 

[BendBrewer]

Yeah I mainly do five gallon batches but i want to get fifty foot in I go bigger batches I don't want to have to get a new chiller

That's a good idea. I am on my 3rd chiller, or I will be when the new 40 Plate Chiller arrives.

 

[SoonerDoc]

I made mine out of 50' of 1/2" copper refrigerant line. Ended up costing about $70.

 

[DakotaRules]

Save yourself the headache now and go with a plate chiller. Kegcowboy rocks!

 

[CoolHandLuke]

If you use 5/8" outer diameter (1/2" inner diameter) refrigeration copper, you can solder standard 1/2" plumbing fittings along with standard garden hose ends for only a bit more than the more common 1/2 outer diameter builds. Check out this thread for details.

Good luck!

 

[Oregonducks10]

That's a good idea. I am on my 3rd chiller, or I will be when the new 40 Plate Chiller arrives.

Let me know when you go to a ducks game share some home brews