National Homebrew Club Ireland

Brewing Discussions => Equipment & Chemicals => Topic started by: Ronanc89 on May 13, 2013, 01:18:25 PM

Title: Copper pipe
Post by: Ronanc89 on May 13, 2013, 01:18:25 PM
Hey does anyone know a good place for cheap copper pipe?
Title: Re: Copper pipe
Post by: delzep on May 13, 2013, 01:28:08 PM
Plenty of ghost estates about... ;)
Title: Re: Copper pipe
Post by: JimmyM on May 13, 2013, 01:34:27 PM
Local plumber merchant is probably the best place Price fluctuates though - avoid woodies and B&Q.

I've found Chadwicks have dissapointed me on price (of other stuff) lately. i.e. they were the same as the prices in woodies.
Title: Re: Copper pipe
Post by: Jacob on May 13, 2013, 01:54:06 PM
Got some cooper pipes from them -> Davies - Artane (http://www.davies.ie/index.htm)
Title: Re: Copper pipe
Post by: ColMack on May 13, 2013, 02:56:04 PM
Quote from: JimmyM on May 13, 2013, 01:34:27 PM
Local plumber merchant is probably the best place Price fluctuates though - avoid woodies and B&Q.
I've found Chadwicks have dissapointed me on price (of other stuff) lately. i.e. they were the same as the prices in woodies.

The price seems very high at the moment alright.  I was quoted €54 for a 30m coil of 10mm copper in my local DPL last week.  Is it just me or is that very expensive?

They sell 1/2 inch straight copper pipe by the meter which is handy though.
Title: Re: Copper pipe
Post by: Ciderhead on May 13, 2013, 02:58:21 PM
Quote from: JimmyM on May 13, 2013, 01:34:27 PM
Local plumber merchant is probably the best place Price fluctuates though - avoid woodies and B&Q.

I've found Chadwicks have dissapointed me on price (of other stuff) lately. i.e. they were the same as the prices in woodies.

Chadwicks have 3 price lists, I kid you not  >:(
The "Jimmy one" which is the same as the one for the D4 girls that come in for a washer...
I used to be on that list until I started showing up at the counter swearing like a sailor, wearing my snickers workwear arse hanging out, pencil behind my ear, drawing air through my teeth and giving out about Polish doing it for nothing and the cost of copper.
Title: Re: Copper pipe
Post by: JimmyM on May 13, 2013, 03:14:50 PM
Haha Ah right - i was thinking this was the case alright - they apply a gob-shite tax then. I'll know in future.

My memory isnt the best but...
54 is alright i think for 30m.
I remember paying around 20 for 10m a while ago.

To give you an idea - I saw a 10m coil in B&Q last week and I cant remember the price exactly but it was more than 30 possibly close to 40.
Title: Re: Copper pipe
Post by: Ciderhead on May 13, 2013, 03:32:08 PM
you only need 10M, 30 metres would make you a monster wort chiller.
Title: Re: Copper pipe
Post by: JimmyM on May 13, 2013, 03:42:27 PM
www.goodwins.ie are an ok online shop build4less.ie is another (not sure if they do plumbing) - they both can be expensive for certain things.

http://www.goodwins.ie/p-1208-copper-pipe-1-2-inch-55-metre.aspx
Thats 22.48 inc vat for 5.5 meters - but its half inch 15mm.

The only 10mm they have is insulated and is 100 euro for 25 metres. The insulation strips off easily enough - but obviously, you would go with your DPL guy as the quote probably isnt that bad at all!!
Title: Re: Copper pipe
Post by: DEMPSEY on May 13, 2013, 04:54:51 PM
Quote from: Ciderhead on May 13, 2013, 02:58:21 PM
Chadwicks have 3 price lists, I kid you not  >:(
The "Jimmy one" which is the same as the one for the D4 girls that come in for a washer...
I used to be on that list until I started showing up at the counter swearing like a sailor, wearing my snickers workwear arse hanging out, pencil behind my ear, drawing air through my teeth and giving out about Polish doing it for nothing and the cost of copper.
Too true :) ;D
Title: Re: Copper pipe
Post by: Covey on May 13, 2013, 09:17:02 PM
i got 5.5 1/2 inch for E19, then tried making a wort chiller with a pub keg  :'( well at least i can try to get some cash back for the scrap.
Title: Re: Copper pipe
Post by: Ronanc89 on May 14, 2013, 10:47:52 AM
Thanks for the help guys! Im guessing 10m of the stuff would make a pretty nice chiller, but how large a diameter should i aim for? Im guessing the bigger the better as it will result in a larger surface area.
Title: Re: Copper pipe
Post by: Ciderhead on May 14, 2013, 11:17:09 AM
10mm is what you are after for optimum heat transfer and flow
Title: Re: Copper pipe
Post by: ColMack on May 14, 2013, 12:05:47 PM
Quote from: Ronanc89 on May 14, 2013, 10:47:52 AM
Thanks for the help guys! Im guessing 10m of the stuff would make a pretty nice chiller, but how large a diameter should i aim for? Im guessing the bigger the better as it will result in a larger surface area.

Generally people use a paint tin or even a corny keg as the guide for diameter.  You want it to fit in your boiler and presumably you wouldn't want it too close to the sides and finally you want it to be conveniently stored.
Title: Re: Copper pipe
Post by: Covey on May 14, 2013, 06:23:56 PM
Quote from: ColMack on May 14, 2013, 12:05:47 PM
Quote from: Ronanc89 on May 14, 2013, 10:47:52 AM
Thanks for the help guys! Im guessing 10m of the stuff would make a pretty nice chiller, but how large a diameter should i aim for? Im guessing the bigger the better as it will result in a larger surface area.

Generally people use a paint tin or even a corny keg as the guide for diameter.  You want it to fit in your boiler and presumably you wouldn't want it too close to the sides and finally you want it to be conveniently stored.


I can say from experince this only works if the pipe comes pre-coiled!
Title: Re: Copper pipe
Post by: Ronanc89 on May 14, 2013, 07:20:42 PM
Quote from: Covey link=topichttp://nationalhomebrewclub.com/forum/Smileys/akyhne/shocked.gif=2468.msg29621#msg29621 date=1368552236
Quote from: ColMack on May 14, 2013, 12:05:47 PM
Quote from: Ronanc89 on May 14, 2013, 10:47:52 AM
Thanks for the help guys! Im guessing 10m of the stuff would make a pretty nice chiller, but how large a diameter should i aim for? Im guessing the bigger the better as it will result in a larger surface area.

Generally people use a paint tin or even a corny keg as the guide for diameter.  You want it to fit in your boiler and presumably you wouldn't want it too close to the sides and finally you want it to be conveniently stored.


I can say from experince this only works if the pipe comes pre-coiled!

Yeh too much hassle if its straight. Was actually wondering what size diameter in relation to the pipe itself.
Title: Re: Copper pipe
Post by: Ciderhead on May 14, 2013, 08:36:38 PM
Not too many places selling 30 Metre lengths of 10mm straight pipe chaps ;)
standard sizes are 8 and 10 mm coils in 30 metre lengths.
I used a corny the first time and a demi the second to add an extra 10M to my chiller to brew pilsners, the coiling bit is easy the returns are difficult and I have a pipe spring for the purpose.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vipL11vq_g8
Title: Re: Copper pipe
Post by: Shanna on May 15, 2013, 07:31:36 AM
For the returns you can use some basic soldering (use tin lead free solder). This involves a couple of straight lengths of copper connected via right angle bends at the top and the bottom of the coil. See the following video for how to do it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8EolKTDZUQ

Shanna




Title: Re: Copper pipe
Post by: fizzypish on May 15, 2013, 03:15:05 PM
I used a gas pot to bend the copper around. 2 sets of hands helps alot but not impossible on your own. I made the bends to the straight inlet and outlet around a handy size pot. By the elbow joints as a just in case the bend goes wrong. They don't cost much.
Title: Re: Copper pipe
Post by: JimmyM on May 15, 2013, 06:00:21 PM
Quote from: Ciderhead on May 14, 2013, 08:36:38 PM
Not too many places selling 30 Metre lengths of 10mm straight pipe chaps ;)


Haha jaysus i was thinking that - not too many selling 10m straight either! Imagine me trying to get that in the peugot 206 :P
Title: Re: Copper pipe
Post by: Ciderhead on May 15, 2013, 07:54:50 PM
We all know how you made your 206 ;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaUfIsPjaI8