Immersion or CFC chiller?

[czubak]

I have a trade offer on the table for either a 3/8"x50' copper IC or a 25' CFC chiller with a Blichmann thrumometer. Both are DIY. Both will do the trick.

I've never used a CFC before and would just use gravity to chill. Part of me wants to try something new as I've only ever used IC's.


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[Matt F]

I use to use a home made CFC and it worked but was not terribly fast. I found I liked my IPAs a lot better when I went back to an immersion chiller and chilled faster by stirring and letting it whirlpool chill. Later on I added a pump and love using that. I have a 1/2" x 50' copper IC so not sure how well a 3/8" x 50' works in comparison.

[czubak]

I had a 1/2"x50' on my keg setup. Sold it with that as its half out of my wort with my new short/wide kettles. I now do 2, 5 & the rare 10 gallon batch so that's making this more of a dilemma as well.

People claim one pass with a CFC and it's to pitching temps if you throttle the valve to a slow rate is assume.


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[DrPaulsen]

I love my chillzilla CFC, but previously had a homemade one (possibly Franklin's old one) and was not happy with it. It's just a matter of total surface area either way.

[czubak]

Here is the CFC. I'm leaning this direction for some reason [emoji38]

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[bf514921]

I had immersion, but took along time to chill, I went to a CFC in stainless, I whirlpool with it really like it. It also doubles as a Herms coil, taking a cue frome the good docs setup

[czubak]

IC

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[Matt F]

Yeah, Lee had my old CFC chiller. It looked just like the one in your picture. It was 3/8" copper inside a garden hose. Took about 45 minutes to run off 10 gallons in to a fermenter. Hop flavor disappeared as the hops sat there hot for a long while. That was before I learned of hop stands though so I could have worked with that now. The new CFCs like Brandon and Lee have are really nice. I think they run around $200 but I am sure there are deals to be had.

I still really like my whirlpool immersion chiller. I can take 10 gallons to 66F in under 10 minutes. It only takes a few minutes to get down to 100F.

Looking at your two options, either will work. I was not a fan of the homemade CFC but it does work. Just know it is not fast. If you were recirculating ice water with a pump it might work a lot better.

[whitedj]

Is that a pvc hose on the cfc? I've read that rubber was preferred due to the lack of thermal resistance of the vinyl... no clue as to if that would decrease life much.

[czubak]

I assume it's vinyl garden hose.


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[czubak]

I'm sticking with immersion.

Wanting to order one today. I can't buy copper and fittings any less than purchasing one ready to go.

I can get either a 304 stainless or copper for $~80 each. Both 3/8"x50'. I've read copper is a better with heat transfer. Will it be that much better than stainless? I don't really have a preference either way, just need to own one again ASAP.


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[tony b]

Copper is over 20x better than SS for thermal conductivity.

[czubak]

Twenty times!!! Oh laaaawwwwdy! Bought me a copper unit, will test it out asap


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[tony b]

Yep, based upon a direct comparison of their thermal conductivities.

Like I've said before -

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[Matt F]

Copper is also good to have in a boil. Provides some goodies for yeast. Some brewers throw chunks of copper in their kettles for that purpose.