Counterflow build

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sbond10
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Counterflow build

Post by sbond10 » Tue Jul 17, 2018 9:24 pm

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. Jim this could one for a sticky maybe ?

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

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Jim
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Re: Counterflow build

Post by Jim » Sun Aug 05, 2018 9:50 am

Thanks for posting Sean. :)
NURSE!! He's out of bed again!

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Digby
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Re: Counterflow build

Post by Digby » Mon Oct 29, 2018 3:52 pm

Hi,

Looking to have a go at this before my next brew day and checking a few details.

Is there a particular reason for s/s tee and tails rather than copper / brass? Also if you could give some pointers on the actual hose you used or something similar and the cheapest or best source for the bits that would be fab.

Many thanks for the walk through. I may add the photos from my attempt!

Matt

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sbond10
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Re: Counterflow build

Post by sbond10 » Mon Nov 05, 2018 7:05 pm

Digby wrote:
Mon Oct 29, 2018 3:52 pm
Hi,

Looking to have a go at this before my next brew day and checking a few details.

Is there a particular reason for s/s tee and tails rather than copper / brass? Also if you could give some pointers on the actual hose you used or something similar and the cheapest or best source for the bits that would be fab.

Many thanks for the walk through. I may add the photos from my attempt!

Matt

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk

S/s equal tees and tails when I was buying worked out cheaper than the copper alternative. eBay and alipress were my main sources of parts, as you know Chinese sellers come n go so it's a case of search for the best value for money and be cheeky say if you can 2 tees and 2 hose tails from same seller make them an offer for all 4.

The hose was kindly given to me by a forum member, but it's basically braided heavy duty garden hose 3/4 inch is the size your looking for. You can also you reinforced pvc tube. Make sure you get the I/d of the tube as alot will say 17mm hose and you find it's the o/d of the hose. You want an I/d of at least 16-18mm

Any more questions please fire away

Cheers sean

Digby
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Re: Counterflow build

Post by Digby » Mon Nov 05, 2018 11:00 pm

Thanks for taking the time to reply. I see on some builds people wrapped copper wire around the tube to increase the turbulence and mixing. Is this something you considered?

Happy to get thoughts on this from others too if it helps the discussion move forward!

Cheers,

Matt

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sbond10
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Re: Counterflow build

Post by sbond10 » Tue Nov 06, 2018 9:48 am

It's something I considered but the grainfather CFC doesn't and the person that got the idea from built two one with and one without and didn't notice much. I think it's more about controling your coolant flow.
Plus I'd of had to buy a blow torch solder and copper wire adding more cost so just went with basic shove the pipe in the hole affair

joe1002
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Counterflow build

Post by joe1002 » Tue Nov 06, 2018 7:44 pm

If it helps here's a a couple of pictures of the parts I used. I'll get one of the (almost) finished article shortly.

The hose is 20mm I.D., link here

Image

Image


joe1002
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Re: Counterflow build

Post by joe1002 » Tue Nov 06, 2018 8:24 pm

And here she is. I just need to clean the flux off and get another hose connector.

ImageImageImage

Digby
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Re: Counterflow build

Post by Digby » Tue Nov 06, 2018 10:06 pm

That's awesome thank you. What size keg / FV did you use to wrap the hose / tube around? I am not sure if my 20 litre Sankey would be too small a diameter.

Sorry for all the questions!

Matt

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joe1002
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Counterflow build

Post by joe1002 » Tue Nov 06, 2018 10:15 pm

Digby wrote:That's awesome thank you. What size keg / FV did you use to wrap the hose / tube around? I am not sure if my 20 litre Sankey would be too small a diameter.

Sorry for all the questions!

Matt

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I was going to use a 20l sankey but like you, I thought it was too small. I actually ended up using one of those small calor patio gas cylinders.

Image


When you increase the 10mm pipe back up to 15mm you can use the brass couplers again, I only used solder joints as I already had them.

sbond10
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Re: Counterflow build

Post by sbond10 » Tue Nov 06, 2018 11:14 pm

I personally used a standard 25 litre fv to roll mine

That's a nice build their Joe glad I may have inspired you to build one.

Before anyone asks I recirc smartprice dishwasher tabs thru as my cleaner seems to work so far

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homebrewer
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Re: Counterflow build

Post by homebrewer » Fri Sep 20, 2019 8:33 pm

"Before anyone asks I recirc smartprice dishwasher tabs thru as my cleaner seems to work so far"

I was just typing this question out before I read this. lol

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