| Author |
Message |
    
Steven Edward Haun
Member
Username: Stevehaun
Post Number: 140
Registered: 02-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, December 25, 2004 - 10:23 pm: | 
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I have 1/2" SS couplings welded into my HLT and I am contemplating converting to a HERMS. Which type of fittings would you use to connect the copper heat exchanging coil to the couplings - flare or compression? |
Kent Fletcher
Advanced Member
Username: Fletch
Post Number: 683
Registered: 11-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, December 25, 2004 - 10:44 pm: |
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I used compression, but only because I already had a couple of 90 degree 1/2 MPT x 1/2 COMP fittings on the shelf, and I used them as bulkhead (weldless) connections. The downside to that setup was tha my coil wound up off center, with one side very close to the keg wall. I later had couplings welded on, but reused the compression fittings, and now I'm planning of replacing them with flares due to the alignment problem.
I would recommend going with flare, and suggest sweating on a couple of ells on the coil ends, then sweating flared pieces into the ells. This way you can easily adjust the length of the flared end pieces to get your coil nicely centered in the HLT. Start with them a little on the long side and cut as needed after dry fitting. |
Steven Edward Haun
Member
Username: Stevehaun
Post Number: 142
Registered: 02-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, December 25, 2004 - 11:05 pm: |
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Other than neat appearance, is there any reason to keep the coil centered in the kettle? |
Kent Fletcher
Advanced Member
Username: Fletch
Post Number: 684
Registered: 11-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, December 25, 2004 - 11:13 pm: |
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Actually, there is. You get better heat transfer if you keep the liquor in the HLT moving around. Adding a stirrer accomplishes this, but is complicated somewhat with an off-center coil. Even manual stirring is difficult. |
Connie
Intermediate Member
Username: Connie
Post Number: 264
Registered: 10-2000
| | Posted on Saturday, December 25, 2004 - 11:32 pm: |
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I may have done mine wrong, but I used compression fittings and ran my coil against the sides of the HLT...maybe slower, I wouldn't know. |
Dave Witt
Advanced Member
Username: Davew
Post Number: 615
Registered: 03-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, December 26, 2004 - 05:38 am: |
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I installed my coil off-center an inch or more on purpose, just to be able to more easily get a wrench on the fittings. A pump circulates the HLT water constantly, once its up to temp. As you can see, compression fittings connect the coil to Zymico Weld-B-Gones.
 |
Ric Heinz
Member
Username: Rheinz
Post Number: 159
Registered: 01-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, December 26, 2004 - 02:41 pm: |
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Dave -
Great looking job.
Nice reflection too!
Ric
Flatfender Brewing, NW Houston |
Belly Buster Bob
Senior Member
Username: Canman
Post Number: 1949
Registered: 02-2003
| | Posted on Monday, December 27, 2004 - 02:21 pm: |
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took me awhile to figure out the reflections |
Brews and Views Archive 2004 
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