Grainfather chiller hose connection

[Harbey]

Just done brew 2 on my new Grainfather (thanks Santa!) and the counterflow chiller is amazingly efficient and quick. I'd like a way to make connecting it up to the garden hose a little more elegant as I'm currently sticking the counterflow hose inside the garden hose and then wrapping it with duck tape. Ideally, I'd like some sort of snap together hozelock type of solution. Anybody managed to solve this already?

 

[Mungri]

Hi Harbey
I assume you mean the blue cold water in hose.
You should have gotten a hozelock male type adapter with your Grainfather. I use a length of garden hose with a female hozelock on both ends. One end onto the garden tap and the other the Grainfather water in hose.
If you mean the water out, you would need to buy another male adapter.
I'm lucky with the out, it fits snugly inside my garden hose and doesn't leak.

 

[chewie]

There should be an attachment with the GF to allow you to do it, I use a washing machine valve inside the kitchen which has a hose connection from an outside tap onto it, this has a small piece of gardenhose on it with a yellow hozelock quick connect on it. The GF adapter just plugs in direct to this, I use this for filling, cooling and rinsing it out using the CF chiller.

 

[chrisbjones202]

I’ve added a washing machine valve to the chiller so I can balance the cold water and wort flow (on the gf) to get the wort temp right as I find too high a cold flow rate is not as efficient and just wastes water. The valves are only a couple of pounds.

 

[Harbey]

Many thanks all. I managed to miss that in the bag of bits. Great tip on the washing machine valves too.

 

[peebee]

I discussed this with Grainfather support (UK) last month. They seemed slightly surprised that I was telling them they supply adapters for the UK that are useless. Perhaps more folk should complain?

I got a 12-8mm plastic reducer for £1.60 off eBay so it would connect to 1/2" hose and my "Bib" tap:

Rob (at The Malt Miller) suggested another fairly tidy solution of connecting the coolant hose directly to a “Hozelock” adapter:

 

[Harbey]

That Hozelock solution looks purfekt. Don't suppose you have a link @peebee ?

 

[peebee]

That Hozelock solution looks purfekt. Don't suppose you have a link @peebee ?

It was from a personal email with Rob. So you can ask him directly (better if you got the GF from him!). But I had no details, but from the piccie I can assume the hose can be pushed directly onto the Hozelock adapter (hose might need warming in warm - not boiling - water). My Hozelock adapters have stress relief sleeves for 1/2" hose so wouldn't look so tidy, but seems they come without the sleeve too (or it is cut off aunsure....).

 

[Justin Dean]

I’ve added a washing machine valve to the chiller so I can balance the cold water and wort flow (on the gf) to get the wort temp right as I find too high a cold flow rate is not as efficient and just wastes water. The valves are only a couple of pounds.


View attachment 17105

What valve other parts is it have used please. Do you have a link or links? I would like to build the same

 

[Justin Dean]

I have fitted the geainfather 8mm barb hose connector to female to female to female then tap male hoselock. Tap will regulate flow. At least for the moment. All cool. Ready for virgin brewday Going to Anglia Craft Ale meet at Woolpack Chelmsford this Saturday for inspiration

 

[lhooq]

Hello, @chrisbjones202 - this looks good and I'd like to do something similar but can you (or anyone) tell me what the green widget in the picture is? Looks like it's connecting 15mm compression end of the valve to the gf adapter...I think...?

Many thanks!

I’ve added a washing machine valve to the chiller so I can balance the cold water and wort flow (on the gf) to get the wort temp right as I find too high a cold flow rate is not as efficient and just wastes water. The valves are only a couple of pounds.


View attachment 17105

 

[chrisbjones202]

It's the adapter that normally come with the male hozelock part to fit to older outside taps (i think its 3/8" to 1/2" bsp). I cut one side off to clear the tap.

 

[lhooq]

Thanks!

It's the adapter that normally come with the male hozelock part to fit to older outside taps (i think its 3/8" to 1/2" bsp). I cut one side off to clear the tap.

 

[Torshon]

Thank you guys for all the solutions, was wondering what to do about this, in fact as I looked at it yesterday, it's been in my dreams overnight!

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

Hey guys - I'm saving up for a G40. Can anyone tell me if they supply the red and blue pipe for the chiller please? I can't find them as spare parts online anywhere, and they don't seem to be on the parts list in the manual. Confused!

 

[YeastFace]

I'm almost certain they are.

The attached manual references the "coloured hoses".

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

Thank you. I wonder why they aren't on the included parts diagram? I downloaded this earlier but couldn't see them.

 

[Harbey]

I think they are just part of the counterflow chiller. As mentioned above, a few Hoselock connectors will make life much easier and probably a bit drier too. Chilling straight into the FV is also a massive time saver.

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

Thanks Harbey.

I already chill straight into the fermenter with my plate chiller, just wasn't sure of the connections if I get this Grainfather one.

 

[Old Fart At Play]

Hey guys - I'm saving up for a G40. Can anyone tell me if they supply the red and blue pipe for the chiller please?

Hiya...
The 'flip' instructions refer to the coloured hoses, and i saw an unboxing video which showed the coloured hoses.
I would have been able to tell you for certain, had my g40 arrived yesterday as intended. Sadly it went to glasgow by mistake, so it will now be a week before i get my hands on it! Can confirm then for sure.
Cheers