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Chiller pump

Northern Brewer General
#1

I have been using a immersion chiller for a while now. I was thinking about upgrading to a plate chiller or making a pump bucket for it. I can’t remember if it was something I read or heard on a podcast …anyone have any experience rigging up a little pump in a bucket with ice water to recirculate the chilling water? I was looking at Lowes/Home Depot today and the one I liked the most was a flotech water pump for emergency situations, filling & draining water beds ect. Price was 87 bucks though. I would like to find something cheaper but I can make that work if need be. I chilled a brown ale today from boiling to 64 in around a half hour or less while stirring the wort every few minutes. The reason I really want something more efficient is I am on a well and hate flooding my yard or filling buckets to water all the plants.

Advice appreciated.

#2

I’ve used a sump pump to circulate ice water in an immersion chiller.

During the winter, make “free” ice. Use it to chill from boil to pitching.

During the summer, use tap water to chill to ~100. Then use the ice to bring it down to pitching temp.

http://www.amazon.com/New-636-Submersib ... B002IWQRA0
#3

+1 on using the ice water after you’ve pulled a lot of the heat out with tap water. Theres just too much heat to pull out without wasting some of the water. If you run 10gal of tap you can generally get the wort down enough to switch to ice water. QDs are handy for a quick switch. I may emply this technique myself this summer.

#4

I was thinking of doing the same thing. Have you thought of using a submersible pump for fish tanks.

#5

I’ve got something similar to this. No float to mess with like on a sump pump.

http://www.harborfreight.com/16-horsepo ... 68422.html

+1 on the quick disconnects, especially when the chiller is hot.

#6

That’s a fairly nice set up with the garden hose threads right on top. I have a Harbor freight store about 30 minutes from me I will have to call and check.

#7

The question is, does it have enough “umph” to push water through 25-50ft of copper and the associated hoses.

#8

I have a little Harbor Freight DC voltage pump that I know will push through an IC. It is shaped like a March pump but is self-priming. I’m going to use it for my final stage recirc pump.

#9

I run my output water back into my cistern, so I waste almost no water.
This would obviously not be very practical if your well is located far from where you’re chilling.

#10

I know I’m a new brewer with one batch under my belt but I wanted to share my expierence. I took my boiling wort to 80 in about 5 min with a 68$ emmersion chiller from NB. Granted I’m in the north country and I was running really cold water from a spigot in my garage. But you mentioned it took you , I think you said 30 min to go to 60*. That seems like a long time. Just trying to learn here guys…

#11

Its all dependent on your water temp, having 50F water is going to work much faster than 75F water.

#12

To the OP. this is how I chill my wort, at least during the months where the tap water isn’t sufficient to cool on its own. As far as the pump you are speaking of, keep a close eye on ebay for a while and you will find a deal, I did. I got a 1/6 hp flotec, brand new for about $35 to the door. It can be done, you just have to watch and wait! I really like my 1/6hp as well, it works perfect for my setup, a 60ft IC made from 1/2" copper. The pump puts just the right amount of pressure on everything without it being too much. Hope this helps.

#13

Ya I will surf eBay and other forms for a few weeks and hope something pops up. I also have the 65$ IM chiller from Northern brewer. I would guess it took 20-30 minutes to drop that far. I wasn’t standing over it with a stop watch though. I know it can be quicker though.

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