Using an IC and pond pump?

[PattyC]

I will be moving up to 10 gallon batches and need to find a more efficient way of chilling my wort without breaking my back or my wallet. Anyone use a pond pump? If so, would this be sufficient to pump ice water from a bucket through the IC in my keggle? http://www.harborfreight.com/264-gph-submersible-fountain-pump-68395.html

My other thought was to just buy a bigger IC (the one I have isn't ideal for 10-gallon batches), but again, I'm a broke grad student and want to cut down on costs. I'm already getting a couple of keggles basically for free with help from a friend who knows how to drill SS and hull them out, so if I can save more money on this, that would be even better.

 

[vinnythering]

I consistently used a small pump and an IC. Works great if you have the ice. It takes a LOT of ice though. I stopped doing it because I don't have a cheap source of it. Freezer isn't large enough to hold what I need AND food and it is too expensive at the store. I use 40 lbs of ice for a 5 gallon batch. Sounds excessive but it all melts down pretty quickly. Forget about it on a hot day, too.

 

[Hammy71]

If I'm making a lager I will use my pond pump and ice. I first chill with tap water, then hook up the pump to get those extra couple degrees.

 

[PattyC]

I consistently used a small pump and an IC. Works great if you have the ice. It takes a LOT of ice though. I stopped doing it because I don't have a cheap source of it. Freezer isn't large enough to hold what I need AND food and it is too expensive at the store. I use 40 lbs of ice for a 5 gallon batch. Sounds excessive but it all melts down pretty quickly. Forget about it on a hot day, too.

I have one of those self-serve bulk ice machines down the road so I can grab a ton of ice on brewday. That said, I'm wondering if it would be more efficient to just get another IC to stick in a bucket of ice water, especially since I already have one with garden hose attachments. I have no experience with pond pumps. Can you hook them up to a garden hose?

 

[boortzie]

I just started using one to cut down on waste water during the brewing process. It does cut through ice pretty quickly, and it takes a few minutes longer than hooking the IC up to a hose. However, if you can push the hot water into the bk or your igloos as cleaning water, and refill the ice/water bucket with ambient temp water, you can make the ice last a bit longer.

That, and I'd make sure the pump you get is strong enough to push the water through at a decent volume. Many pond pumps may not have the pushing power you want.

 

[chemman14]

When I do this I will take the wort down to ~90 then start the recirculation with ice water

 

[Brewsncrabs]

What chemann said. Ice above 90 deg seems to be a waste. I use a 1/6 hp sump pump from harbor freight and an IC. 20 lbs ice at 90 and I'm below 70 in 20 minutes total cool time. Watch for a sale and find their 20% coupon and your cheap. Works way better than small pond pump IMO.

 

[BigFloyd]

I use the similar 1268gph submersible pump from Northern Tool and ice after getting wort to 90*F with hose water. Works fine. It was $39.99 on sale.

 

[BigFloyd]

I use the similar 1268gph submersible pump from Northern Tool and ice after getting wort to 90*F with hose water. Works fine. It was $39.99 on sale and I had a $10 off.

 

[PattyC]

Thanks for the feedback. Here's the other option I'm thinking: buy a 50' wort chiller. Yeah, more investment up front, but right now I have a 25' IC for 5.5 gallon batches, and I'm looking to double my batch size with a keggle. So what would be more efficient, a 25' foot IC with a pump, or a 50' IC and then use my smaller IC in a bucket of ice hooked up to my water supply? Decisions, decisions.

 

[Hammy71]

I'd upgrade to the 50' if you plan on doing 10 gallon batches. Will make a world of difference over the 25'. Using it as a 'pre-chiller' will only be icing on the cake.

 

[Dolomieu]

Thanks for the feedback. Here's the other option I'm thinking: buy a 50' wort chiller. Yeah, more investment up front, but right now I have a 25' IC for 5.5 gallon batches, and I'm looking to double my batch size with a keggle. So what would be more efficient, a 25' foot IC with a pump, or a 50' IC and then use my smaller IC in a bucket of ice hooked up to my water supply? Decisions, decisions.

This is what i have been doing. I really like. Gets 11 gals down in 15 mins sometimes quick. Recirculating with a march pump helps too.

Plus i started using the hot water to clear kegs, hlt and mash tun.