immersion chiller feedback

[dmoldow]

Making a new chiller from refrigerator copper pipe and wondering what size I should go with. I'm getting 50' but I didn't know if I should spring for the 1/2" or if 3/8 diameter would be sufficient. I will be running water through my chiller with a pump and ice water in my hlt.

 

[b-boy]

I use 3/8 without a problem. I'd go with 50 ft. if you can.

Mine is 25ft. I'm retooling it and adding an additional 20 ft. to make it more efficient. It works well during fall/winter/spring, but bogs down in the hot weather. A lot of that is just ground water temperature issues, but the longer lines should help.

 

[Beernik]

I just made a new 50 footer with 3/8" copper. I'm using my old one as a pre-chiller.

 

[mblanks2]

Making a new chiller from refrigerator copper pipe and wondering what size I should go with. I'm getting 50' but I didn't know if I should spring for the 1/2" or if 3/8 diameter would be sufficient. I will be running water through my chiller with a pump and ice water in my hlt.

The 1/2" @ 50' will give you the most bang for your buck. More surface area to cool the wort. My.02 cents.

 

[shelly_belly]

I have both and they cool at the same rate for 5 gal batches.

 

[FuzzeWuzze]

I have both and they cool at the same rate for 5 gal batches.

This, if you do some research you'll find that the difference between 1/2 and 3/8 is really negligible.

Unfortunately you cant say the same thing about the price. Get 50' of 3/8 and call it good.

 

[amfukuda]

Mine is 3/8 and I hook it up to a water hose I have coiled in a bucket of ice water with it I can chill to pitching temp in under thirty minutes even in this Texas heat

 

[dmoldow]

I kinda thought the size diff wouldn't change it drastically, maybe a few minutes but it probably isn't worth the extra $30-40 bucks.