IC length for keggle

[Joetuo]

I got my keggle all set last weekend and now I need to make a new immersion chiller, but I wanted to know what length would be enough?

Thanks

 

[Moonpile]

I don't know what's optimum (not having done it yet myself), but the commercial ones I see for keggle users seem to use 50' of 1/2" for 10 gallon batches or 25' of 3/8" for 5 gallon.

 

[z987k]

how much money do you have?

Copper is rather expensive these days, if you have money to throw at it get the 50' of 1/2" otherwise 25' of 3/8" works, thats what I have for 5 gallon batches.

 

[shafferpilot]

As others have posted in other threads: The length is fairly inconsequential as the cooling water gets hot in the first couple feet of copper. Beyond that it doesn't have much capacity for additional heat and is just circulating through the pipe waiting to be exhausted. A five foot chiller would be just as effective while the wort is hot as a 25 footer for this reason. Some people use 50 foot of pipe and use splitters with multiple coils. That way more of the copper is cool at any one moment. In the end, soft copper pipe comes in 25 foot lengths and that is plenty so that's what people use.

 

[z987k]

Once the wort is down to the 90* range I would bet having a lot more surface area would help out in that last 20-30*

 

[Otter]

I used 30 feet of 3/8 for my counterflow and used the additional 20 feet (I found a roll of 50 feet) to make a pre-chiller.

Works great and gets my wort down to 65-70 degrees quick.


Primary - AHS Devil's Brew Belgian
Secondary - Midwest Peace Coffee Java Stout
Keg 1 - Vanilla Porter
Keg 2 - European Ale

 

[shafferpilot]

Once the wort is down to the 90* range I would bet having a lot more surface area would help out in that last 20-30*

definitely

 

[ohiobrewtus]

50' if you can afford it, if not, go with 30'.

 

[Joetuo]

awesome thanks for the info guys

 

[bigben]

As others have posted in other threads: The length is fairly inconsequential as the cooling water gets hot in the first couple feet of copper. Beyond that it doesn't have much capacity for additional heat and is just circulating through the pipe waiting to be exhausted. A five foot chiller would be just as effective while the wort is hot as a 25 footer for this reason. Some people use 50 foot of pipe and use splitters with multiple coils. That way more of the copper is cool at any one moment. In the end, soft copper pipe comes in 25 foot lengths and that is plenty so that's what people use.

I dont think that's correct.

Sure the water gets hot fairly quickly, but the longer it is there, the more heat it can absorb and expel. Now I realize there is a law of diminishing returns, but I think you overstated it a little about the fact that size doesn't matter(yea I know I said it).

I dont think the water in the IC get over 200 degrees in the first 5 feet.

25' for 5 gallons, 50' for 10 gallons.

I got this one abd I have only done 5 gallon batches in my keggle so far... http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.aspx?ProdID=4485. I couldn't fine 50' of copper for that price so I jumped on it...looks like it's out of stock now tho.

 

[bigben]

O snap, I just realized the price went on on the Deluxe Chiller...

I got it for $80 2 weeks ago, now it's $100.

 

[shafferpilot]

I dont think that's correct.

Sure the water gets hot fairly quickly, but the longer it is there, the more heat it can absorb and expel. Now I realize there is a law of diminishing returns, but I think you overstated it a little about the fact that size doesn't matter(yea I know I said it).

I dont think the water in the IC get over 200 degrees in the first 5 feet.

25' for 5 gallons, 50' for 10 gallons.

I got this one abd I have only done 5 gallon batches in my keggle so far... http://www.midwestsupplies.com/products/ProdByID.aspx?ProdID=4485. I couldn't fine 50' of copper for that price so I jumped on it...looks like it's out of stock now tho.

It's true, I understated a bit. Still, diminishing returns is very real. Mine is 25 foot and I do 5 gallon batches. I get it from 212 to 120 in about five minutes, but it takes over ten to get it from 120 to 80, and I use ice for that portion. Should be better in a month or two when the water gets colder.

 

[Seabee John]

Here's a bit more on this subject:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=41690

 

[Bugeaterbrewing]

The price of copper is getting really bad. I also just built a boil kettle out of a keg. When checking the price of copper tubing. I saw prices ranging from $100 to close to $150 for 50' of 1/2" tubing. I did manage to snag a 50' roll of it on eBay for just under $50 including shipping. Sure I had to wait an extra week to build a chiller, but for that much savings, I was glad to wait.

Wayne
Bugeater Brewing Company