What else to get with a plate chiller?

[Truman42]

I used to just flush my plate chiller out with the hose but after getting some low level infections in bottles (which were only noticeable with beers I aged for 3 months or more) I started to flush hot PBW through the chiller both ways with a hop sock over the hose. I always ended up with bits of crud in the sock. I havent had any infection problems since and Ive had an RIS ageing for over 6 months now.

I agree with parks, you need to give it a hot PBW flush both ways every 4-6 brews.

 

[Adr_0]

A few metres if 1/2" silicone hose, some hose clamps (yellow or red adjustable from Bunnings) and a 1300-1800LPH fish tank pump is a good solution if you gravity feed it use a LBP in the wort side.

He fish tank pump in a 20L bucket of ice water works a treat.

Aren't plate chillers meant to be used horizontally, with nozzles up? Air lock would be a problem if on its side and nozzles to the side, but may be ok if the chiller is vertical. Just what the manufacturer recommends. So it should be full if it is horizontal /nozzles up, and you shouldn't need to throttle the outlet. If it's not full, you don't get the full surface area of the plates, such is the whole point of a plate exchanger.


On air lock, be careful with your hoses too... But pretty easy to see with clear hoses.

 

[SimoB]

Hey guys, I use Sodium precarbonate before and after use... It takes no time at all and I use the left over water in my HLT which is about 75 - 80 degrees.

Is sodium precarbonate the same thing as PBW??

I did get some small hop gunk out of my chiller, I am confident in my cleaning regime though. i use a pump and think it is the best thing in my brewery, makes life heaps easy. I'd be buying a pump.

 

[MastersBrewery]

A few metres if 1/2" silicone hose, some hose clamps (yellow or red adjustable from Bunnings) and a 1300-1800LPH fish tank pump is a good solution if you gravity feed it use a LBP in the wort side.

He fish tank pump in a 20L bucket of ice water works a treat.

Aren't plate chillers meant to be used horizontally, with nozzles up? Air lock would be a problem if on its side and nozzles to the side, but may be ok if the chiller is vertical. Just what the manufacturer recommends. So it should be full if it is horizontal /nozzles up, and you shouldn't need to throttle the outlet. If it's not full, you don't get the full surface area of the plates, such is the whole point of a plate exchanger.


On air lock, be careful with your hoses too... But pretty easy to see with clear hoses.

Those Bunnings hose clamps have rusted up on me a few times, so eventually gave up, there are SS options out there.

MB

 

[Adr_0]

Those Bunnings hose clamps have rusted up on me a few times, so eventually gave up, there are SS options out there.

MB

Yeah, good point actually. I bought a bunch more for that exact reason (old one's have seized) but the paddle twisty things are heaps better than using a screwdriver. If there are stainless ones with thumb paddle twisty things, I'm sold.

 

[HeavyNova]

In the case of a Blichmann Therminator plate chiller where the inputs and outputs are on opposite sides of the unit, I suppose if you orientate it to that all ins and outs are on the high side (i.e. stand it on it's short end) it'll always be full of wort and not need a wort flow control tap on the outlet?

 

[Spiesy]

I'm still yet to use my chiller... I got a HopRocket and Therminator, with a pump. Aim is to use the hop flowers as a final hop aroma hit, and also filter out trub, before the wort hits the chiller. My brew day is enjoyable at the moment, and hassle free, but I'd like the opportunity to improve my aroma - and a clearer beer sounds attractive for the APA's/IPA's where these products would be used.

Time to dive in, I guess.

 

[HeavyNova]

I'm still yet to use my chiller... I got a HopRocket and Therminator, with a pump. Aim is to use the hop flowers as a final hop aroma hit, and also filter out trub, before the wort hits the chiller. My brew day is enjoyable at the moment, and hassle free, but I'd like the opportunity to improve my aroma - and a clearer beer sounds attractive for the APA's/IPA's where these products would be used.

Time to dive in, I guess.

What pump do you have?

I'm thinking a pump would be a good purchase, however if it should be able to circulate hot cleaning solution would a March pump be the best choice? Would be great if it could also circulate icy water during the chilling too. Is there a type of pump that can do it all?

 

[Curly79]

Just installed a couple of these bad boys at work. Big enough?


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[Nath151]

ImageUploadedByAussie Home Brewer1409204189.170364.jpg

Generator heat exchanger?

Looks similar to the ones I have at work

 

[Eggs]

The next thing ill get for my chiller is some sort of quick disconnects for the beer in out hoses, I think try-clover look like the best option. when i bought mine I went for barbs and having the silicone hose attached all the time is a pain in the bum. I also gravity feed mine and have had no issues. I don't dispute the usefulness of a pump, but if funds are limited id go the chiller before a pump any day.

 

[Curly79]

Condenser cooling water nath. Cooling towers / air con condenser water. Very heavy!


Sent from my iPhone using Aussie Home Brewer

 

[Spiesy]

What pump do you have?

I'm thinking a pump would be a good purchase, however if it should be able to circulate hot cleaning solution would a March pump be the best choice? Would be great if it could also circulate icy water during the chilling too. Is there a type of pump that can do it all?

Chugger.

 

[Nath151]

The ones I have at work are used for the 1Mega watt gen sets, the radiator cooling towers are on the roof so get pumped down to the basement and through the chiller and through the big V18 MTU twin turbo Diesel

 

[Adr_0]

The ones I have at work are used for the 1Mega watt gen sets, the radiator cooling towers are on the roof so get pumped down to the basement and through the chiller and through the big V18 MTU twin turbo Diesel

Sounds like a good drive for a wort recirc pump...

 

[Adr_0]

Even though I backflushed like most people with the water, I only got this out after pickling and backflushing with ~70°C PBW. This is after one brew...


The screen is 100 mesh 316 that I got online. I was planning to use it for a screen in the bottom of the kettle but it is too fine/flimsy... so now I just use it as a catch screen thingy. I have since got some 30 mesh with thicker wire which is a lot more rigid but still a few grades finer than most bazooka screens.

 

[JaseH]

I ordered my plate chiller from Duda Diesel with threaded male ports on it, I have attached camlock disconnects on the wort side and normal garden hose style connectors on the water side - works a treat and saves mucking around with barbed fittings and hose clamps.