Counterflow Chiller?

[BrewIt]

For those of you who have made a counterflow chiller I have 1 question about it. I was wondering what kind of wire/gauge wire you have used to wrap around the 3/8 tubing? Im planning on making one soon and wanted to do it right the first time. Thanks for any input.

Dave

 

[j_adkison27]

I used a garden hose on the outside. Is that what you are referring to? The outer tubing?

 

[brettg20]

I used garden hose w/ copper on the inside.

 

[dharbolt]

I didn't wrap my inner tubing and mine works great... but if you wish to wrap yours i would use 14 gauge wire as it is easy to work with and will break up the water over the whole length just fine. 12 will work if you have it, but will be more difficult to keep in place while soldering.

 

[pannell77]

I used 18 gauge bare copper wire to wrap my copper piping. I soldered it about every 5' to keep it tightly wrapped when shoving it through the garden hose. Works great.

 

[TerraNova]

I have always doubted that wrapping the inner tube in wire to create turbulence actually worked. You are sending liquid in a spiral anyway, the wire just seemed superfluous.

Then I had two friends that each made one, one with and one without the wire, which both used the same size copper tubing inner coil and the same garden hose (one friend thought he was improving on the others design) run a side by side test and they got the exact same results.

Also, check this out...

[ame="http://youtu.be/UwiW3aSM7Yo"]http://youtu.be/UwiW3aSM7Yo[/ame]

 

[BrewIt]

In my head the copper wire just keeps the copper tubing centered in the outter hose. Thus making it more efficient and consistent by surrounding the copper tubing with even amounts of water on all sides of it. Thanks everyone for their input.

 

[sigmund]

In my head the copper wire just keeps the copper tubing centered in the outter hose. Thus making it more efficient and consistent by surrounding the copper tubing with even amounts of water on all sides of it. Thanks everyone for their input.

The wire makes people feel like it is more efficient but it doesn't appear it actually gains anything (as shown above). Adding length to the chiller is far easier and gives more cooling capacity.

 

[alien]

+1 The wire doesn't do much unless the coolant is flowing slowly, and makes it harder to get the hose over the coil.

 

[BrewIt]

I didnt use the wire. It was too much of a pain in the ass. But I did make it a bit longer. I made it 18 feet instead of 15 like most people. I'll post a pic of the finished product a later.

 

[BrewIt]

Here it is.

 

[BrewIt]

Not pretty but it works!

 

[TerraNova]

Nice. Looks great to me. An apparatus that works as designed is a great thing,...especially DIY ones.

Test it out yet?

 

[BrewIt]

Not yet. Waiting for my kettle valve to come. Cant wait!