Issues with counter flow chiller

[Chris Craig]

I've been using my CFC for a few months now, and it's doing what I need it to do for now.  Right now it's gravity fed, and with my water temperature being about 48F, I chill the wort down to about 68F.  

I'm wondering if I should be getting colder wort in the end.  I have the water faucet wide open, and the valve on my kettle wide open.

I'm planning on using a pump to move wort through the CFC so that I don't have to lift a kettle full of boiling wort in order to chill it.  I'm afraid I'm not going to be able to cool the wort down enough.

Any ideas?  The output temperature of the water from the chiller is about the same as the wort.

[fakr]

how long is your CFC Chris?

mine is 25 feet, and when using the gravity feed method, I really had to slow down the water flow or I'd end up with wort at 12C.  Using the pump, I just turn the water pressure up a little bit and hit 18-20C consistently.

I get the feeling you either have a short CFC, or the water source pressure is a bit on the low side.

[Chris Craig]

It's 25'.  I'm pretty sure it's the flow rate too.  I'm thinking of getting one of these to help with that...

http://www.homedepot.ca/product/1-2-hp- ... kit/959935

[chrismccull]

Mine is 25' also and I have to throttle the flow back in order to prevent over-cooling the wort.  

Is your outer hose 5/8" or 1/2"?

[Chris Craig]

It's 5/8

[Kyle]

If you throttle the flow on the kettle, you will be able to cool, it will just take a few more minutes for large batches.

[Chris Craig]

Yeah, I thought of that, but I really like the idea of using a transfer pump to increase flow rate.  When I make a lager, I should be able to get the temperature down in the 50s easy enough.  Plus, as a bonus, I'll be able to make better use of my garden hose.

[Richard]

using a transfer pump to increase flow rate.

The flow rate of the coolant water in the jacket right? Is your ground-water 50F?

[Chris Craig]

Yes, the flow rate of the coolant water.  The ground water is below 50F.  45-48F the last time I measured.

[fakr]

I'd say it's the water flow rate.  Mine's 25 feet, and I can pump wort through the CFC full bore with my pump, and just increase the water flow through the CFC to hit 20C.

just checked out that pump you posted...I'm just wonding if the pump would help things at all with the water pressure behind it.

Do you live in the city, or are you on a well?  If you live in the city, you have a water entrance with a pressure control valve...you might just need to set the water pressure a bit higher.  the water pressure is 100PSI at my duplex.

[Chris Craig]

I'm on a well.  I get decent pressure out of the faucet, but it's 12' of hose to the chiller, then 25' of obstructed hose there.  Do you think a transfer pump would counter all that resistance?  Kind of like balancing gas lines in your kegerator?

[fakr]

I guess it would help a little if it's GPH is higher than the GPH of your well pump.  if it's less than, it won't help at all I wouldn't think.

[Chris Craig]

Why would that matter?  GPH drops the further away you get from the pump.  The flow rate drops roughly in half when I put it through the chiller (I'll measure this tonight).  If I put a pump (this one is 1450 GPH) before the chiller, this should overcome the resistance of the chiller, wouldn't it?

[fakr]

yeah, you're right.  I was looking at it as if you put the pump in series with your tap, with very little resistance in between, I don't think the pump would do much for you.

The water coming out the output of your CFC has for sure less flow than the pump can push so it would help suck it through, or push it.

I wonder if the pump would work better on the input of the CFC or the output...or if it even matters...

[Chris Craig]

I was just wondering that myself.  There is definitely enough water coming out of the CFC to keep the pump primed.  I guess it wouldn't really matter.

I wonder if I can get a better price than $155 somewhere else...