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  • #16
    Originally posted by mntnmn View Post
    This is exactly what i have had in mind.On a smaller scale though.
    We will start with an electric 2bbl blichmann setup and are on shoe string budget.I was thinking of building one with a large cooler or insulated job tool box. Has anyone anymore experience with this? Can it be done with a used home ac compressor unit?If so how big for a small system.3 fv and 3 bt. All homebuilt plastic conical vessels.I plan to wrap the vessels in pex and insulate them with foil backed fiber glass.

    This is effectively maxing out our brewery space.The rest is need for kegs and keg systems.

    I have the 110 gal plastic induction tanks as fermenters. I had stainless brewing make me coils which I used compression fittings to attach to the top near the middle.

    Im putting it together now. I don't think you'll get very good heat transfer from Pex.

    I have 3/4" close cell sheet insulation to wrap the fermenter.

    I changed my plan from using the solenoids to the little giant pumps. About $15 difference in price and a whole lot less pain in the ass.

    I picked up two Coleman marine 70qt coolers in Kmart for $50 each.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    JC McDowell
    Bandit Brewing Co.- 3bbl brewery and growing
    Darby, MT- population 700
    OPENED Black Friday 2014!

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    • #17
      I bought 2 5k btu AC units for $100 each. 1 AC per 2 fermenters- but it may be overkill.


      Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
      JC McDowell
      Bandit Brewing Co.- 3bbl brewery and growing
      Darby, MT- population 700
      OPENED Black Friday 2014!

      Comment


      • #18
        Originally posted by jcmcdowell View Post
        I have the 110 gal plastic induction tanks as fermenters. I had stainless brewing make me coils which I used compression fittings to attach to the top near the middle.

        Im putting it together now. I don't think you'll get very good heat transfer from Pex.

        I have 3/4" close cell sheet insulation to wrap the fermenter.

        I changed my plan from using the solenoids to the little giant pumps. About $15 difference in price and a whole lot less pain in the ass.

        I picked up two Coleman marine 70qt coolers in Kmart for $50 each.


        Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
        Do you mean that the coils are inside of the fermenters?It just occured to me that may be an option.Cool from inside.Or would that be more problems that it would be worth?

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        • #19
          Originally posted by mntnmn View Post
          Do you mean that the coils are inside of the fermenters?It just occured to me that may be an option.Cool from inside.Or would that be more problems that it would be worth?
          Nevermind. On further consideration i can just see all the potential issues that cooling from inside would present. Sorry for my stupidity.

          Comment


          • #20
            Home built Glycol Chiller Question

            Originally posted by Emian View Post
            We use inexpensive home built glycol units. Each unit is built from a 5000 BTU unit with a 70 QT cooler for the glycol bath. You can use a smaller cooler, but if you go to a 48QT, you will need a bigger AC unit.

            5000 BTU AC with a 70QT cooler will easily handle two 7bbl fermenters and a 7bbl BT, with the BT at 3C and actively crash the fermenter from 18/20C to 3C in 24 hours while maintaining the 2nd FV at 10-20C. You can hold all three at 3C, but if you actively crash both fermeters to 3C at the same time, it takes a bit longer for both to reach 3C

            We build the base from a cut down pallet (gloss painted as it will get condensation dripping on it) on castors. Cut the back half of the AC cover off and expose the evaporator. Get an AC unit where the copper refrigerant lines from the compressor go up and over to the evaporator. Remove the electronic unit. Wire the fan high speed wire to its own plug and the compressor to its own wire (connected to a Ranco). Turn the compressor on and off with its own Ranco controller set to turn on at +3C and off at -3C

            Drop the evaporator in cooler. We use these aluminum housed, oil filled pumps...



            Use one pump just as a glycol bath circulation pump, over on the side of the cooler, with a hose exhaust over the evaporator.

            Then each tank has it's own pump (much easier to set up than a solenoid controlled master circuit.) controlled by a Ranco controller set to each tank. The glycol lines are run through PEX using regular pipe insulation foam.

            Cost.... for 3 x Tanks (1 BT, 2 FV)

            AC unit $125
            Pumps $200
            4 Rancos $240
            Pex $60
            5g Glycol $100
            Cooler $50
            Total $675

            Time to build 3 hours.
            How did you size the pumps for the individual tanks? What size did you end up using for those? Would you share any pictures of the setup you described?

            Comment


            • #21
              In this case you don't really size the pumps. It's really not about flow rate as much as lift. The smallest pump will have enough flow rate if you can minimize the lift.

              I built elevated birds nests that get the pumps higher to minimize lift.




              Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
              JC McDowell
              Bandit Brewing Co.- 3bbl brewery and growing
              Darby, MT- population 700
              OPENED Black Friday 2014!

              Comment


              • #22
                rust???

                Originally posted by Emian View Post
                We use inexpensive home built glycol units. Each unit is built from a 5000 BTU unit with a 70 QT cooler for the glycol bath. You can use a smaller cooler, but if you go to a 48QT, you will need a bigger AC unit.

                5000 BTU AC with a 70QT cooler will easily handle two 7bbl fermenters and a 7bbl BT, with the BT at 3C and actively crash the fermenter from 18/20C to 3C in 24 hours while maintaining the 2nd FV at 10-20C. You can hold all three at 3C, but if you actively crash both fermeters to 3C at the same time, it takes a bit longer for both to reach 3C

                We build the base from a cut down pallet (gloss painted as it will get condensation dripping on it) on castors. Cut the back half of the AC cover off and expose the evaporator. Get an AC unit where the copper refrigerant lines from the compressor go up and over to the evaporator. Remove the electronic unit. Wire the fan high speed wire to its own plug and the compressor to its own wire (connected to a Ranco). Turn the compressor on and off with its own Ranco controller set to turn on at +3C and off at -3C

                Drop the evaporator in cooler. We use these aluminum housed, oil filled pumps...



                Use one pump just as a glycol bath circulation pump, over on the side of the cooler, with a hose exhaust over the evaporator.

                Then each tank has it's own pump (much easier to set up than a solenoid controlled master circuit.) controlled by a Ranco controller set to each tank. The glycol lines are run through PEX using regular pipe insulation foam.

                Cost.... for 3 x Tanks (1 BT, 2 FV)

                AC unit $125
                Pumps $200
                4 Rancos $240
                Pex $60
                5g Glycol $100
                Cooler $50
                Total $675

                Time to build 3 hours.
                How does this not rust to heck? The evaporator has steel support plates on the edges and every time I've built one of these it's rusted out after a week or two of use.

                Comment


                • #23
                  After 2 years of use-I never had that problem.


                  Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
                  JC McDowell
                  Bandit Brewing Co.- 3bbl brewery and growing
                  Darby, MT- population 700
                  OPENED Black Friday 2014!

                  Comment


                  • #24
                    Originally posted by jcmcdowell View Post
                    After 2 years of use-I never had that problem.


                    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
                    Can you let me know what you're using for coolant? 100% glycol? Any rust inhibitors?

                    Comment


                    • #25
                      2 years and still running great. No rust. We use a 30% glycol solution that has rust inhibitors already in it.

                      mtn

                      Comment


                      • #26
                        I used RV water line antifreeze


                        Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
                        JC McDowell
                        Bandit Brewing Co.- 3bbl brewery and growing
                        Darby, MT- population 700
                        OPENED Black Friday 2014!

                        Comment


                        • #27
                          .....Food Grade?

                          Originally posted by jcmcdowell View Post
                          I used RV water line antifreeze


                          Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

                          Comment


                          • #28
                            Originally posted by Edgewood View Post
                            Do you have any pictures of your setup? I was thinking about building a similar system myself and was curious as to if it would work. My FVs would be in a ferm chamber w a AC unit and a cool bot. My chiller would mainly be used for cold crashing while being set at a low flow rate just to aid fermentation temps.
                            [ATTACH]13462[/ATTACH]
                            Quick warning here. The diagram above shows a first in first out system, which will have unbalanced flow rates to each FV. For best results, use first in last out. Also, you may want to consider a pressure bypass valve instead of a ball valve.

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                            • #29
                              glycol

                              Just adding my experience to cheap glycol set up. I use draft line chiller. Pretty much plug and play with a johnson controller for each vessel. More expensive than a homemade set up but for me was a good compromise between DIY and a proper commercial set up.
                              60 Foot Glycol Power Pack Beer Chiller | 3 Gallon Tank Capacity, 1/3 HP This glycol refrigeration system for chilling draft beer or wine, although a relatively small glycol chiller, is one of the most reliable glycol cooling systems available in the market today. Its steel construction and small footprint also make this EC0-33 glycol draft system one of the most ideal glycol cooling systems for any installation. With a 60 foot run (max distance from cooler to beverage dispenser), this is a great glycol unit for small breweries, restaurants and bars. For your peace of mind, this long draw glycol draft system also has a one year parts/labor warranty included. Aside from glycol cooling systems manufactured by BVL Controls, you can also choose from units made by trusted brand UBC. Choose from a relatively small glycol chiller of two pounds or a fifteen-gallon glycol draft system. EC0-33 Glycol Beer Line Chiller System Details and Features A relatively small glycol chiller that can deliver chilled beer for up to 60 feet from the cold room until the beer tap or tower (Remember to consider that trunkline with 10 products or more have 2 outgoing and 2 return glycol lines thus doubling the length of line to figure into your setup.) Voltage AC: 120 Refrigerant: R134a BTU: 2300 Plug (NEMA): 5-15P Amp: 5.82 Charge: 12 oz. Tank capacity of this glycol draft system: 3 gallons Foam insulation: one inch Approximate pressure: 18 (low), 150 (high) Cooling Solution for a 60' Beer Glycol Chiller System, 1/3 HP Glycol chillers are an investment - make sure you are treating yours like one by using the proper amount of coolant and water in your glycol solution. The coolant solution mix is for this unit is usually 25% glycol / 75% water. See operational instructions or call for more details. Most manufacturers recommend you change your solution at least once a year.


                              Chills 5BBL from 70 to 35 overnight. Cant really go much lower than that because the glycol bath temp minimum temp setting is 27, hard to get those last few degrees. Someone more knowledgeable than me could hack the thing and go lower Im sure. Use reinforced 3/8" tubing with insulation wrap. Chiller is also elevated on a shelf to near the top of the fermenters to keep it from backflowing and flooding reservoir. Three of them have been in service for 15 months with no issue.

                              Comment


                              • #30
                                Solution

                                Originally posted by FarGohn View Post
                                Just adding my experience to cheap glycol set up. I use draft line chiller. Pretty much plug and play with a johnson controller for each vessel. More expensive than a homemade set up but for me was a good compromise between DIY and a proper commercial set up.
                                60 Foot Glycol Power Pack Beer Chiller | 3 Gallon Tank Capacity, 1/3 HP This glycol refrigeration system for chilling draft beer or wine, although a relatively small glycol chiller, is one of the most reliable glycol cooling systems available in the market today. Its steel construction and small footprint also make this EC0-33 glycol draft system one of the most ideal glycol cooling systems for any installation. With a 60 foot run (max distance from cooler to beverage dispenser), this is a great glycol unit for small breweries, restaurants and bars. For your peace of mind, this long draw glycol draft system also has a one year parts/labor warranty included. Aside from glycol cooling systems manufactured by BVL Controls, you can also choose from units made by trusted brand UBC. Choose from a relatively small glycol chiller of two pounds or a fifteen-gallon glycol draft system. EC0-33 Glycol Beer Line Chiller System Details and Features A relatively small glycol chiller that can deliver chilled beer for up to 60 feet from the cold room until the beer tap or tower (Remember to consider that trunkline with 10 products or more have 2 outgoing and 2 return glycol lines thus doubling the length of line to figure into your setup.) Voltage AC: 120 Refrigerant: R134a BTU: 2300 Plug (NEMA): 5-15P Amp: 5.82 Charge: 12 oz. Tank capacity of this glycol draft system: 3 gallons Foam insulation: one inch Approximate pressure: 18 (low), 150 (high) Cooling Solution for a 60' Beer Glycol Chiller System, 1/3 HP Glycol chillers are an investment - make sure you are treating yours like one by using the proper amount of coolant and water in your glycol solution. The coolant solution mix is for this unit is usually 25% glycol / 75% water. See operational instructions or call for more details. Most manufacturers recommend you change your solution at least once a year.


                                Chills 5BBL from 70 to 35 overnight. Cant really go much lower than that because the glycol bath temp minimum temp setting is 27, hard to get those last few degrees. Someone more knowledgeable than me could hack the thing and go lower Im sure. Use reinforced 3/8" tubing with insulation wrap. Chiller is also elevated on a shelf to near the top of the fermenters to keep it from backflowing and flooding reservoir. Three of them have been in service for 15 months with no issue.
                                Have you thought about overriding the line chillers temperature setting by removing the bulit-in temp probe from the glycol bath so that it's always reading hot (therefore running continuously) and then running the unit off a Ranco or equivalent controller with it's temperature probe immersed in the glycol bath?

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