Plate or Counter-flow

akr71 · Post by **akr71** » Sun Jul 14, 2013 11:24 am

I was going to build my own counter-flow chiller, but have decided to buy one. Mostly for the ease of sanitizing in the oven.

Would you go with a counter flow or a plate chiller? Why? I have a hop spider, so I am not overly concerned with hop material clogging it.

Post by **mr x** » Sun Jul 14, 2013 11:38 am

With a hop spider, I'd go plate. But caustic is the cleaner to use.

Sent from Tapatalk 2, a prick of a company.

akr71 · Post by **akr71** » Sun Jul 14, 2013 12:41 pm

TSP or some other chemical. And where would I buy it?

Post by **mr x** » Sun Jul 14, 2013 1:03 pm

Something with caustic (sodium hydroxide, aka lye). I can probably help with some if need be. Baking them really isn't the best idea afaiac. But if you do, they should really be caustic cleaned first.

jeffsmith · Post by **jeffsmith** » Sun Jul 14, 2013 1:12 pm

mr x wrote:Something with caustic (sodium hydroxide, aka lye). I can probably help with some if need be. Baking them really isn't the best idea afaiac. But if you do, they should really be caustic cleaned first.

DudaDiesel actually recommends baking theirs. I've done that with mine a couple times and then back flushed afterward. Seems to get rid of a decent amount of junk. Likely not as effective as running caustic through as well.

Post by **mr x** » Sun Jul 14, 2013 1:31 pm

I'd bet baking them before a good chemical cleaning will bake junk onto the plates. It's great for sterilizing, but so is recircing hot wort, that is if you have a pump. Actually, you could just manually dump hot wort back in the kettle like a vorlauf.

akr71 · Post by **akr71** » Sun Jul 14, 2013 1:59 pm

I have pump. I'll check around here to see if I can find caustic, otherwise I might ask you for some. I can see me doing a combo - flush with caustic before putting it away, then baking before brew day.

spears104 · Post by **spears104** » Mon Jul 15, 2013 9:48 am

I have a 30 plate unit from Duda Diesel. Back flushing right after use is key as well before anything gets sticky. I have been cleaning mine with oxyclean, also with good results. I haven't baked it but I do boil it in a pot of water before use to sanitize.

Jason

Post by **mr x** » Mon Jul 15, 2013 9:56 am

I used to use some different methods. But after using caustic, it highlighted significant deficiencies.

jeffsmith · Post by **jeffsmith** » Mon Jul 15, 2013 10:15 am

Caustic would be optimal, but with two very small kids I can't think of anywhere that I'd be comfortable storing it.

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