Question for people using a steam condenser

[bjhbrew]

I'm new to using a steam condenser and am curious about what people do when the boil concludes. Do you:

1) Keep the steam condenser running to remove steam while also running your wort chiller down to a certain temperature. (2 water supplies required/at what temperature would you turn it off?)

2) Turn off the steam condenser and re-route the water supply to the chiller with the lid on to expel steam.

3) Same as 2 but with the lid on and some steam is retained until the wort drops below a certain temperature.

I'm trying to set up my indoor space to be organized but also portable as it all has to be rolled into a storage closet at the end of the day. I'm hoping to be able manage my water needs from a single hose attached to a nearby sink (preferably without teeing off ad adding extra valves etc) - is it doable?

 

[hottpeper13]

I use a "Y" splitter on my outside hose bib so I can have a hose in front and back. Could you not do the same?

 

[k-os]

I use a single, dedicated cold water supply in my brewing space. During boil I have my steam condenser hooked up to it. When my boil time is done I kill the heat (turn off electric element) and disconnect the condenser from the water supply. I then hook up my plate chiller and re-circulate back into the kettle with the lid propped open enough to get my re-circulation hose back to the wort.

 

[bjhbrew]

I use a single, dedicated cold water supply in my brewing space. During boil I have my steam condenser hooked up to it. When my boil time is done I kill the heat (turn off electric element) and disconnect the condenser from the water supply. I then hook up my plate chiller and re-circulate back into the kettle with the lid propped open enough to get my re-circulation hose back to the wort.

Sounds like the easiest way to go. I guess it would only be a few minutes of steam exiting the kettle until the temp drops low enough. I thought about teeing the hose and still might but I’m hoping to simplify/keep the mess down.

 

[k-os]

Sounds like the easiest way to go. I guess it would only be a few minutes of steam exiting the kettle until the temp drops low enough. I thought about teeing the hose and still might but I’m hoping to simplify/keep the mess down.

Typically when I'm chilling I can go straight to the fermenter in one pass. When I do whirlpool hops (in my current kettle) I also recirculate with the lid partially off at around 170F, but not a whole lot of steam is created at this temp.

 

[Spartan1979]

I have to move the cold water to the chiller so I disconnect the condenser. I take the lid off while chilling because the kettle above the wort stays too hot.

 

[bjhbrew]

Okay, thanks for your answers. My plan now is to make my own garden hose with a barbed garden hose attachment to thread onto a nearby sink and a female camlock on the other end so I can easily attach it to the steam condenser and then move it over to my counterflow chiller after the boil. I'd like for the hose to be as "manageable" as possible - Do you guys think a 3/8" vinyl hose would be too restrictive for the chiller? Should I step it up to 1/2"? If my hose is less than 10' long I'm thinking maybe the extra restriction wont be all that noticeable when chilling but Im not really sure.

 

[mongoose33]

Okay, thanks for your answers. My plan now is to make my own garden hose with a barbed garden hose attachment to thread onto a nearby sink and a female camlock on the other end so I can easily attach it to the steam condenser and then move it over to my counterflow chiller after the boil. I'd like for the hose to be as "manageable" as possible - Do you guys think a 3/8" vinyl hose would be too restrictive for the chiller? Should I step it up to 1/2"? If my hose is less than 10' long I'm thinking maybe the extra restriction wont be all that noticeable when chilling but Im not really sure.

I'd step it up--you want maximum water flow through the chiller for best results.

Here's my setup--I'm running the chiller garden hose off a dedicated hose bib I had installed in my garage. The Steam Slayer is fed by a separate line coming out underneath my sink. I had a hose bib installed there as well, and use a splitter on it--one feeds my RO water filter, the other feeds the Steam Slayer.

Maybe some of this will give you an idea.

 

[bjhbrew]

I'd step it up--you want maximum water flow through the chiller for best results.

Here's my setup--I'm running the chiller garden hose off a dedicated hose bib I had installed in my garage. The Steam Slayer is fed by a separate line coming out underneath my sink. I had a hose bib installed there as well, and use a splitter on it--one feeds my RO water filter, the other feeds the Steam Slayer.

Maybe some of this will give you an idea.

View attachment 674577 View attachment 674581

That’s helpful Mongoose33! I like the idea of a separate hose bib under the counter so the sink can be used for other tasks. I have copper water supply pipes with a compression fitting shutoff. Maybe I could take off the shutoff and put a tee behind it. Do you have separate hoses for the condenser and condenser because there is some overlap where you’re running both?

 

[mongoose33]

That’s helpful Mongoose33! I like the idea of a separate hose bib under the counter so the sink can be used for other tasks. I have copper water supply pipes with a compression fitting shutoff. Maybe I could take off the shutoff and put a tee behind it. Do you have separate hoses for the condenser and condenser because there is some overlap where you’re running both?

Assume you meant "for the condenser and RO filter because there is some overlap where you're running both?"

Yes, that's exactly right. My general ritual is to fill my Bk and set it to heating the strike water, then start the RO filter refilling my 7-gallon Aquatainer. While that's filling I'll get to the point where I need to use the steam condenser but the RO water hasn't been replenished yet. So I just have two lines coming off the same hose bib.

 

[bjhbrew]

Assume you meant "for the condenser and RO filter because there is some overlap where you're running both?"

Yes, that's exactly right. My general ritual is to fill my Bk and set it to heating the strike water, then start the RO filter refilling my 7-gallon Aquatainer. While that's filling I'll get to the point where I need to use the steam condenser but the RO water hasn't been replenished yet. So I just have two lines coming off the same hose bib.

Sorry I actually meant to say condenser and chiller. (Good info on the ro process regardless). Do you have some overlap where the condenser is still running as you start chilling?