Yet Another DIY Immersion Chiller

[WayFrae]

So I finally broke down and built my immersion chiller. The total materials cost was about $42. I feel like a 20' coil should cool 5 or 6 gallons of wort down effectively but even if it isn't as effective as a 50' coil I think it will at least be better than an ice bath!

I didn't buy a tube bending spring or tool to shape the coil. I just bent it around a 2 gallon bucket and then slowly bent the ends into the right height and shape that I wanted. For the in flow I used a shark-bite dishwasher elbow and for the out I just hose clamped some polyethylene tubing to the end. Then I just put a hose clamp around the 2 ends to make it a bit more rigid and it was done. It only took me about 30 minutes, maybe less. I am at work so I just did it between helping customers haha. I was really worried about kinking the tubing but I was able to shape it really easily with not issues with crimping or kinking. All in all, I am very pleased with the end result.

 

[FrozenWinter]

You mar want to bend the ends back over so that if it leaks at the connections it doesnt drip down into your wort.

Other than that it looks like a nice chiller

 

[WayFrae]

Thanks for the heads up! I will be sure to do that. Originally I wanted to use 2 elbows on the ends but at $8 a piece I went with just the one. I am pretty confident the "in" won't leak but not so confident about the out. I think bending it out is a good idea. Thanks again!

 

[bknifefight]

You mar want to bend the ends back over so that if it leaks at the connections it doesnt drip down into your wort.

Other than that it looks like a nice chiller

+1

That is a weird hose hook-up, I have never seen one like that.

 

[WayFrae]

+1

That is a weird hose hook-up, I have never seen one like that.

It looks a little weird from that angle. It is just a 90 degree dishwasher elbow. Here is a better angle of it.

 

[rekoob]

+1 to bending the ends out over the side of your kettle.
Nice looking IC, should work just fine.

 

[SpeedYellow]

I would ditch the stainless steel clamp holding the tubing together. Then you can grab one of the ends of the cooler and bounce the coils, which speeds the cooling enormously. It's either that or stir the wort, which I personally dislike because the pot would have to remain uncovered. With my bouncing method, you can keep the pot covered in foil.

 

[WayFrae]

I would ditch the stainless steel clamp holding the tubing together. Then you can grab one of the ends of the cooler and bounce the coils, which speeds the cooling enormously. It's either that or stir the wort, which I personally dislike because the pot would have to remain uncovered. With my bouncing method, you can keep the pot covered in foil.

Ok, I didn't think about that. Thanks!