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Unitanks will only go to 40 degrees

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  • Unitanks will only go to 40 degrees

    So we are only a couple of months in to brewing here. We have 2 6bbl unitanks and 4 3bbls. I have two off the Foxx 3/4 hp chillers. 1 6bbl and 2 3bbls on each loop. The farthest tank is 26 feet so my entire supply and return is roughly 60 feet. With all solenoids open, we are roughly 12 psi. With any or all open it drops to about 5psi. I have 3/4 inch ID pex supply lines and returns. We are able to maintain ferm temps on all 3 at a time like a dream. No issues at all. With the chiller set at 26 degrees, we are only able to get the tanks down to right at 40-41 degrees when we crash. Doesn't matter if we are crashing 1, or all 3. Right now, I have 2 tanks not cooling at all( solenoids unplugged I mean) and 1 3bbl set to 36 degrees and it is still not budging below 40 degrees. Since these chillers are meant to chill small diameter lines, should I try making my return lines 1/2 in ID to provide more resistance so that the glycol stays in the tank for a longer period instead of flowing through it so quickly? Should the supply lines and return lines both be 1/2 inch? I am grasping at straws at this point but it is really making me scratch my head.

  • #2
    Have you looked inside the fermenter for any signs of icing? 26 degree glycol is pretty cold. A 5% beer will freeze around 28 degrees F. If you are developing an ice layer at the jacket and/or at the thermowell, you either may not be properly cooling the beer or you are not accurately reading the temperature. Have you taken a sample of the beer and measured with a thermometer?

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    • #3
      What IS the glycol temp? Not the setpoint, the actual temp.

      Jeff

      Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
      Johnson Thermal Systems
      sales@johnsonthermal.com
      Johnsonthermal.com
      208.453.1000

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      • #4
        Setup

        Originally posted by Johnson_Thermal View Post
        What IS the glycol temp? Not the setpoint, the actual temp.

        Jeff

        Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
        I am going to chime in with Jeff and ask:
        1. Whats the TD across your chiller as read by an accurate electronic thermometer?
        2. Whats your Supply line PRESSURE in PSIG.? [ You should have a fixed Gauge mounted on your supply header]
        3. You do not balance flow by changing line sizes. Flow balancing, when its done is done on the outlet side of just about any HX with a throttling valve.
        4. Whats the TD across your jackets?
        5. Do you " think " you have decent flow going on or is FLOW for sure?

        Those type of pumps to my knowledge have a type of internal bypass, but this fact needs to be verified.
        I would not never dead head this type of pump and I would want a Gauge on the supply line so I can see the standard running characteristic, and the dynamic changes under different load conditions.
        There are poor mans GPM tests which can be figured out pretty quick. Open one of your jacket outlets and flow into a bucket. Is the flow decent?
        You need to isolate things systematically when dealing in these realms.
        Warren Turner
        Industrial Engineering Technician
        HVACR-Electrical Systems Specialist
        Moab Brewery
        The Thought Police are Attempting to Suppress Free Speech and Sugar coat everything. This is both Cowardice and Treason given to their own kind.

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        • #5
          I have a similar set up to yours, 2 3/4 hp chillers running 4 7bbl tanks and 2 4bbl tanks. 1/2 inch diameter lines. Chillers set to 29 degrees. I have been up and running for almost 3 years now, and 40 degrees is as low as my fermenters get. I have dropped them down to 38-39 on rare occasion, but I set my crashing temp to 40 degrees and it works well for me.

          I have a separate 3/4 hp chiller set up to cool my brite tanks, it has a very short run, temp set at 31 degrees, and when I have that one running constantly I can get my 7bbl brite down to about 36-37 degrees for carbonation and packaging.

          To be clear, I don't have the heating/cooling/plumbing experience of other folks on the forum, I am just a hack plumber/brewer who pieced things together, and wanted to share that my experience with those types of chillers is similar to yours, and to other folks I've talked to.

          Good luck.

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