Discussion:
Wort chiller question
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Steve B
2011-10-08 03:30:28 UTC
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I made a longer wort chiller. Is it considered bad form to use sweated
fittings?

Steve
Scott
2011-10-08 14:31:38 UTC
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Post by Steve B
I made a longer wort chiller. Is it considered bad form to use sweated
fittings?
Steve
I wouldn't think so as long as you use plumber's solder (silver
solder...NO LEAD). Don't use solder intended for electronics work!
Bart Goddard
2011-10-08 15:53:46 UTC
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Tom Biasi
2011-10-08 20:25:34 UTC
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Post by Bart Goddard
Post by Steve B
I made a longer wort chiller. Is it considered bad form to use sweated
fittings?
Whose sweat? Jessical Alba's or Earnest Borgnine's?
I'd worry about cracking of the joints along the solder interface.
Rapid changes in temperature can cause this, and if you do like
I do, which is to immerse the room-temp chiller into the boiling
wort at T-minus 30 minutes, you're going to get rapid changes,
even if the joint isn't immersed.
Soldered joints handle steam through sub freezing pipes with no
problem. I would be extremely surprised if the use you describe caused
the joints to crack.

Tom
Bob F
2011-10-08 19:58:19 UTC
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Post by Steve B
I made a longer wort chiller. Is it considered bad form to use
sweated fittings?
Personally, I wouldn't consider them a problem.
Tom Biasi
2011-10-08 20:23:43 UTC
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On Fri, 7 Oct 2011 20:30:28 -0700, "Steve B"
Post by Steve B
I made a longer wort chiller. Is it considered bad form to use sweated
fittings?
Steve
No problem. To be 'Kosher' use lead free solder.

Tom
Doug Freyburger
2011-10-10 15:25:44 UTC
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Post by Tom Biasi
Post by Steve B
I made a longer wort chiller. Is it considered bad form to use sweated
fittings?
No problem.
For a chiller that fits on the outside of the wort vat. Unless you're
paranoid.
Post by Tom Biasi
To be 'Kosher' use lead free solder.
For a chiller that fits inside the wort vat I'd use stainless tubing and
do my best to bend the tubing so the joints were all outside of the
liquid. Even then I would worry about what other metals are in the
joint material.
Ranger Steve
2011-10-10 18:04:33 UTC
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Post by Tom Biasi
I made a longer wort chiller.  Is it considered bad form to use sweated
fittings?
No problem.
For a chiller that fits on the outside of the wort vat.  Unless you're
paranoid.
Post by Tom Biasi
To be 'Kosher' use lead free solder.
For a chiller that fits inside the wort vat I'd use stainless tubing and
do my best to bend the tubing so the joints were all outside of the
liquid.  Even then I would worry about what other metals are in the
joint material.
I have a couple of sweated joints my wort chiller. Have used
probably in excess of 50 times with no problems.
Steve B
2011-10-11 02:55:17 UTC
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Post by Doug Freyburger
Post by Tom Biasi
Post by Steve B
I made a longer wort chiller. Is it considered bad form to use sweated
fittings?
No problem.
For a chiller that fits on the outside of the wort vat. Unless you're
paranoid.
Post by Tom Biasi
To be 'Kosher' use lead free solder.
For a chiller that fits inside the wort vat I'd use stainless tubing and
do my best to bend the tubing so the joints were all outside of the
liquid. Even then I would worry about what other metals are in the
joint material.
I would call your idea ludicrous, but I just remembered I have a few hundred
feet of stainless tubing 20' sticks that are in my rafters that I got for
free. The Swagelocks are probably pretty expensive. I'm off to the Borg
tomorrow to get the correct connectors, but will use the sweat on one in the
bottom. I went to Ace and got two 90 sweat connectors. $7. I wasn't
paying attention. Tomorrow after I get all the right stuff, those are going
back.

Steve

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