06.
TOPPING UP THE GLYCOL TANK
NOTE: If this is the first time adding glycol into your Glycol Chiller, please refer to the Priming Pump
Before First Time Use sub-section instead (page 5).
Once your Glycol Chiller starts pumping glycol to your fermenter (when the corresponding number
button lights up), the glycol level will drop. We recommend topping up the tank until it is FULL
to maintain optimum cooling performance. The FULL level is slightly over 6 L (1.5 US Gal) and is
indicated by when the liquid level is high enough so that the glycol just submerges the cross bar (the
flat metal piece that the float indicator slides through).
NOTE: Please follow topping up instructions exactly as instructed below.
The glycol mixture used to top up should always consist of the following proportions:
- 33% propylene glycol
- 67% water
i.e. 1 part glycol, 2 parts water
1. Turn the Glycol Chiller off.
2. Make up the necessary amount of glycol mixture in a clean jug as per the above proportions.*
Always combine the glycol and water in a jug prior to adding into the tank.
3. Open the cap on the top of the Glycol Chiller. Using the included Grainfather Glycol Funnel with
mesh filter, slowly pour the glycol mixture into the tank. Pouring too quickly may cause air
bubbles to be trapped.
4. Replace and tighten the cap.
5. Wait a minimum of 5 minutes prior to turning the unit back on. This lets any air bubbles that
may have been trapped in the mixture to escape. Trapped air bubbles can prevent the pump from
operating correctly.
* We recommend making up in a jug more than enough mixture, then storing the remaining unused
glycol mixture in a bottle to top up next time. As a guide, the approximate volumes required to top up
the tank until it is FULL are as follows:
- 1.2 L (40 US fl oz) of mixture (consisting of 400 ml (13.5 US fl oz) glycol & 800 ml (27 US fl oz)
water) if you have just primed your pump and then connected one fermenter.
- 600 ml (20 US fl oz) of mixture (consisting of 200 ml (6.7 US fl oz) glycol &400 ml (13.5 US fl oz)
water) if your tank was FULL and then connected an additional fermenter.
6. Your Grainfather Conical Fermenter Digital Controller should have just turned on (it is powered by
the chiller). Set the fermenting temperature on this digital controller to 4°C (39.2°F). This causes
the fermenter to send a cooling signal to the Glycol Chiller, and ensures that when the pump is
started, the 4th port will be opened.
7. Ready 2 L (0.53 US Gal) of propylene glycol in a jug.
8. Press the number 4 button to start the pump. This should cause the number 4 button to light up
blue; if not, check that you have followed steps 3 to 6 correctly. After 2 minutes, press the number 4
button again to stop the pump. Immediately pour the pre-prepared 2 L of propylene glycol into the
tank (using the funnel with mesh filter). 1 minute after the pump was stopped, press the number 4
button again to start it. You should start to see bubbles and liquid in the hose flowing from the outlet
connection to the opening of the glycol tank.
9. Repeat the cycle of having the pump on for 2 minutes, then off for 1 minute until only liquid (no
visible bubbles) is flowing in the hose. Then, press the number 4 button to stop the pump and close
the port.
10. Turn your chiller off, disconnect the silicon hose and close the cap. Wait a minimum of 30 minutes
prior to turning the unit back on. This ensures that any potential build-up of ice within the glycol
tank will melt.
Your pump is now primed, and your Glycol Chiller is ready for use.
NOTE: To avoid ice build-up within the glycol tank, try to keep the time between turning the chiller on
(step 5), and adding propylene glycol (step 8), to no more than 5 minutes.
