Le Chambre

This is what you'll need to build a RIMS heating chamber similar to the one we've put together here...

(By the way, OD=outer diameter, ID=inner diameter)

RIMS heating chamber bill of material

• (2) - 1/2" x 1-1/2" long copper pipe segments (not tubing - pipe!)
• (3) - 1/2" x 2-1/2" long copper pipe segments (One is missing from the photo...)
• (2) - 1/2" pipe caps
• (2) - 1-1/2" to 1/2" reducing coupling
• (2) - 1/2" tee
• (1) - 1-1/2" x 38" long copper pipe (Look for someone in construction. They may have some sections they'll give or sell to you. Otherwise, most large hardwares have it in eight foot lengths...)
• (2) - 3/16" OD x 5/32" ID x 3-7/8" long brass tubing (Available at most small hardware stores - I got mine at Northside True Value in Wayne, MI.)
• (1) - Electric Water Heater Element Flange Adapter Kit
• (1) - Incoloy 1450W low-density screw-in electric water heater element
• (1) - 1500W Dimmer (This is the most expensive component!)
• (1) - male 115v electrical end
• Electrical cord

If you've ever done any household plumbing, you likely have all the tools you'll need for this project. Alright - if you've done plumbing and drilled some holes. OK, OK! A hobby motor like a Dremel would be awfully handy, too...

RIMS heating chamber tool requirements

• Propane torch
• Drill and/or hobby motor
• Flaring tool
• Tubing cutter
• Flux paste (not really a tool, but, well... You need it!)
• Solder, silver, lead free (See above)
• Hammer (ALWAYS keep a hammer at ready when working on anything!)
• Die grinder (to fit your drill or hobby tool)
• Pipe brush
• File
• Center punch
• Assortment of plyers, screwdrivers, etc.
• 1/2" drill bit
• 3/16" drill bit

Of course, a vise is mighty handy for holding the stuff you're gonna grind, drill and solder, no?

Flange it up, baby!

First order of business is to get the element and the chamber talkin' to each other! Nifty cool solution would be to find a 1-1/2 sweat to a 1" threaded adapter. I hear Granger's and such retail-customer-unfriendly places have these animals. Ha! Who needs 'em!

Our solution is a little Cajun, but it works. Get a heating element flange adapter and grind (remember the die grinder we said you'd need?!?) the outer diameter of the threaded flange until it makes a good interference fit inside the 1-1/2" pipe. Measure the height of the flange (from the mounting flange to the top edge of the threaded flange - you'll need this dimension in the next step!

Check to make sure everything is square. If it is, slather the flange up with solder flux (this helps to slip the two together, too! The flux acts as a lubricant...), clean the ID of the copper pipe, assemble the two and solder that puppy on.

Note that the soldering described on the Solder Page (that's why the word "solder" was a different color over there) is applicable to this situation as well. The solder will adhere to the adapter and marry it nicely to the pipe. Just takes a bit more heat, that's all...

Now that that's out of the way, we need to drill a hole into which the bulkhead port will be soldered. We do this by clamping the 1-1/2" pipe into the vise, then drilling a 1/2" hole into the side of the tube, just above the flange adapter. Add 3/8" to the measurement you took in the last step Position the point of the 1/2" drill bit this amount above the flange you just soldered into the pipe. Drill a 1/2"hole. It may be easier to first center-punch the pipe, then drill a 1/8" hole first, followed by the 1/2" hole. Using this method helps prevent the drill from skating around on the pipe.

You should now have a 1/2" hole approximately 1/8" above the edge ot the threaded flange inside the pipe. Clean the OD of one of your 2-1/2" sections of 1/2" pipe, apply flux, and insert into the 1/2" hole. Only insert enough pipe to engage the pipe wall and make for a decent solder joint. Too long a length of pipe in the bulkhead will interfere with the heating element when it is installed! Sweat the two together. There! You've just completed your bulkhead port!

At this point it is a good idea to thread the element in to ensure all is square and the element doesn't interefere with anything (including the chamber walls). If anything interferes, or the flange is not square, remove the element and heat the offending component with the torch and remove with plyers or by tapping with a hammer (in the case of the adapter). Allow to cool, then reattach, taking better care to square it up/avoid intereferences. If everything is OK, remove the heating element anyway!

Now, clean the OD at the opposite end of the 1-1/2" pipe, and the ID of the 1-1/2" to 1/2" reducing coupler. Apply flux to the OD of the pipe, and solder the two together. If you couldn't locate a 1-1/2" to 1/2" reducing coupler (I couldn't for the first chamber I made...), you can make one in a manner similar to how we made our bulkhead port.: Drill a 1/2" hole in a 1-1/2" endcap and solder in a length of 1/2" pipe.

Clean the ID of the reducing coupler (1/2" side) and the OD of a 2-1/2" x 1/2" pipe section. Flux and solder into the reducing coupler.

Now, clean, flux and solder tees (we're dropping the specifics here. If you got this far, you know the drill on soldering...) to both the bulkhead port and the top of the chamber. The 90° portion will carry the wort. The 180° legs will be for the thermometer wells. Think carefully about how you want your wort-carrying hoses to lay before making these joints. I had the bulkhead line pointing up and the top line pointing away from the chamber on mine.

Solder a 1-1/2" section of 1/2" pipe into the 180° leg of each tee.

To Be Continued (Soon, I hope! It sure would be great to USE this thing...)

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