Counterflow chiller build.

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Sbond10

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Decided id write up how i made my counterflow chiller, sadly i didnt take any pics during the build. So youll have to use your imagination and ask questions.

So to get you going you will need

Parts list
10 metres of 3/4" hose pipe (a nice strong pipe at least 20mm i/d)
10 metres of 10mm copper pipe ( dont be tempted by the cheaper 8mm a fellow forumite used this and blew up his pump)
2 x s/s 1/2" equal tees
2x s/s 1/2" x 19mm hose tails (this final number depends on what i/d outter hose you use)
4x brass 15mm x 10mm straight reducing couplers
2 x brass straight nipple s
2 x tap hose connecters
Ptfe tape both water and gas tap
Jubillee clips.
Cable ties

The build
First of take 2 of your straight reducers, place them in a vice the get a 10mm hss drill bit and slowly drill the shoulder of the internal coupler. This isnt hard and easier than cutting steel hence why the use of brass.
Next on your work bench place your equal tee one of your freshly drilled couplers on the left ( remove both nuts and olives ) and the right the hose tail, the running nipple on the top (if your using c n g fittings you can ignore this). Ptfe the hell of the screw threads and screw them into the tee. Do the same with the other tee.

Now this is a step i missed and wished i hadnt connect your tees to a water supply via the nipple and tap connecter and check for weeps out of the reducer and tail. Once your happy time to move on to the coil.

Roll out your hose and copper coil on a flat surface you will need a 20 metre space, squirt water down your hose as lube. Slide your copper inside the hose it doesnt have to be perfectly straight it will sort its self out later. Once that is done , get a old bit of carpet (your knees will forgive you later ) an old fv and 2 of your mates. First wrap an end under then one you will sit guiding the hose on one will rotate the fv and one will feed the hose over there shoulder and down. Keep going it will get harder. You should get it all on in about 10 minutes my copper pipe slide out as i was going dont worry it will mean less cutting later.
Once its all on stand up the fv and slide it back out , now grab your cable ties and cable tie the stacks together to stop you getting a giant accordion.

Now you want to cut the outter hose so you get about 30cm copper tails on top and bottom. Now get a jubillee clip slide the on the top tail followed by your equal tee assembly. Once your hose tail is in snuggley slide your ten mm olive n nut on and tighten it up, once this is done tighten up the jubillee clip up repeat for bottom

Now your copper tails may be a little long cut them down until your happy once this is done take your remaining unmodified straighters recducers slip them on top and bottom tighten up. Now you can either some 15mm copper scraps and but them on the other end tighten up and slip standard size silicone hose on or put c n g fittings on.

Now get leak testing and get brewing

I really hope this guide helps someone and if you have any questions please ask

Cheers sean
 
I will likely want to make something like this in a few months, do you have any idea how long it might take to cool 200l? I made one in the past with 15M of 15mm pipe inside 15M of 24mm pipe and it took under an hour but I suspect it was slowed by how thick the 15mm pipe is.
 
No idea but i know someone with an 18 metre version and drops 70litres thru and it only takes one pass.

Im yet to use mine fully in anger with boiling wort. That will be happening next weekend
 
Well it got used in anger on friday seemed to work well chilled down 23 litres in 15 minutes with a high ground water temp so im impressed still. water leaks out one of the cooling jacket joint so will try sort that.

Considering mounting the cfc horizontally like the malt miller for space reasons
 
This is the full item
 

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So, here I am, not handy at all. And I was thinking: why make it yourself when one can buy a finished spiral for a couple of tenners more?!
BUT the missus found it a good idea to have those fancy taps when we bought the house, you know, where one cannot fit a hose onto.
Next thought: what it I filled a redundant fv with 10 liters of water, connected the tap via a hose with the cooling spiral, lifted the fv over my head and let gravity do its work? How many liters of cold, slowly flowing water would it take to cool a 16 liter down to 20º-ish?
 
If you can buy a cfc premade for less than 150 please putva link up plus with a powerful enough pump you could make it bigger or smaller.

I live in one of those types of houses i simply unscrew the shower hose and screw onto that.

Your best bet is to put a pic up of your fancy tap and see what other suggestions people come up with
 
If you can buy a cfc premade for less than 150 please putva link up plus with a powerful enough pump you could make it bigger or smaller.

I live in one of those types of houses i simply unscrew the shower hose and screw onto that.

Your best bet is to put a pic up of your fancy tap and see what other suggestions people come up with
20180731_163321_HDR.jpg
 
From the top my mind theres ones with like a rubber bit and jubilee clip that slips onto these taps
 
You may find the little nozzle thingy on your tap unscrews.... failing that the plastic screw on hosepipe fittings are great..I have one..couple of quid from Wilko.
 

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