Plate chiller users

If I were to sanitize my chiller by baking it--what temperature would you do it at, and for how long?

The shirron instructions don't say much.

I've done my therminator at 275 F. for 30 min. I'm sure not long enough, but that was a guess when I did it. I don't think there are any guide lines for baking a cold plate chiller. But I don't think you could overheat it unless you melted the copper that holds it together? Since I cooked it I've only used idophor on it, because I bought a Hop Stopper and I keeps out all most all of the foreign material that can plug up the chiller.

Well, I know the copper wouldn't melt--it would take almost 2000°F to melt it. My main concern is how long and at what temp actually sanitizes it.

A thread on the greenboard got me thinking about this. I'm pretty confident that my chiller is clean--I am pretty anal about cleaning it and takign care of it. I use a hopstopper too, but I still have concerns about break material clogging it and that stuff harboring nasties inside those channels.

Dude said:

Well, I know the copper wouldn't melt--it would take almost 2000°F to melt it. My main concern is how long and at what temp actually sanitizes it.

A thread on the greenboard got me thinking about this. I'm pretty confident that my chiller is clean--I am pretty anal about cleaning it and takign care of it. I use a hopstopper too, but I still have concerns about break material clogging it and that stuff harboring nasties inside those channels.

Click to expand...

Why don't they make a plate chiller that you can take apart and clean? It only makes sense. Maybe with a blueprint of how it goes together to make sure people don't screw the placement of parts up. I just don't get it.


Dan

Have you thought about boiling it? I have one and have been thinking the same thing. I usually run boiling water thru it then fill it with starsan before I brew haven't had any problems yet and I am using a false bottom with whole leaf hops..

Brewiz said:

Have you thought about boiling it? I have one and have been thinking the same thing. I usually run boiling water thru it then fill it with starsan before I brew haven't had any problems yet and I am using a false bottom with whole leaf hops..

Click to expand...

Boiling would sanitize it, yes. I think baking it would be easier--saves water and propane.

I found this info last night while I was bored at work. Good stuff here from our friend Palmer. The link will default to the Heat section, but the whole document has some great info. I printed it for my brew binder, and also saved the link.

http://realbeer.com/jjpalmer/cleaning.html#heathttp://realbeer.com/jjpalmer/cleaning.html


Another thing I'm curious about...couldn't I essentially put the shirron in the oven at about 450° and just bake it for a while to make sure all the hops/break particles are cooked to ash, then run PBW through it to make sure it is flushed clean? Then I'd bake it again after a good rinse. That thread on the greenboard really got me thinking about this thing.

Yes, why not it's not going to hurt it. By the article that you referanced to I sure did'nt heat it up for long enough, at the temp that I used it would take about 12 hours.

I'm not sure and don't really know so ignore at will.

But if the plate is made up of more than one type of metal then the different expansion rates may cause distortion of the chiller.
Just a thought.

orfy said:

I'm not sure and don't really know so ignore at will.

But if the plate is made up of more than one type of metal then the different expansion rates may cause distortion of the chiller.
Just a thought.

Click to expand...

I doubt it...copper and stainless both melt at near or above 2000°F. I'd think even prolonged exposure at near 500° wouldn't harm it.

Don't know for sure though, I'm no expert.

I'd say copper expands a lot quicker than stainless.

Just think about bimetal thermostatic devices.

Where's that metallergist (sic) when you need him, I know he hangs around here now and then!!!!

orfy said:

Just think about bimetal thermostatic devices.

Click to expand...

oh yeah yeah.....of course...

It would be interesting to take it and bake it at 450-500 for about an hour then flush it to see if you do indeed bake particles to ash..

I contacted shirron today--hopefully they can give me some info.

Someone on the GB asked about the lower melting point of the brazing materials--which brought on another potential worry.

Hopefully the shirron peeps can shed some light on this.

Dude, it's not the melting points you need to worry about, copper will expand at a greater rate than stainless when heated.

Dude, I use Shirron plate chillers myself, and can give you a few good tips that I learned while researching from users. First, the acid base cleaners are the only way to go, plain and simple. Now, when you use your plate chiller, the key is getting it backflushed ASAP. I mean, as soon as that last drop is in your fermenter, hook up the backflush tubing and circulate it with hot water. My plumber gave us a boost at our house by increasing the temp of our hot water capability, and this stuff is ultra hot. Run the hot water though immediately, stop it, drain it, fill it with Star San or your choice of acid based cleaner, and let it sit a few minutes, and continue backflushing. Then, most of the people who "bake" their chillers, bake them at 350 to 375 for an hour, and backflush again. Many people fill them with cleaner and cap the fittings and stow until your next brew session.

There are many critics of the plate chillers, saying the build up of beerstone, which they claim is not able to be removed via backflushing, acid cleaners, baking or anything, will begin ruining your brews over a period of time. They claim we are all just lighting the fuses on time bombs full of infection. They go to great lengths to bash plate chillers at every step. But to me, and many others, the means of cleaning above, will keep them clean and free of beerstone build up.

That said...to all you engineerers, designers and fabricators, if one of you decided to design a plate chiller that could be disassembled, all other chillers would be a thing of the past. No more whirlpooling, recirculating, ice baths, praying etc... It woud be a product that every brewer would buy, and use with confidence. I know how I would design it, but cant engineer it, build or manufacture it. The big commercial breweries use plate type chillers that can be taken apart and cleaned, and these could be scaled down.

My 2 cents worth anyway.

Well, I got a call back from the Shirron guy (Mike Rotert) this afternoon. Real nice dude. He assured me baking it at a high temp would not hurt it. He said he thinks baking it is overkill--as long as you clean it immediately you'll never have problems. It got more technical than that--but much of what we talked about in a 15 minute conversation was much like what you described Tony.

As I was getting ready to hang up--he said if I bake it and ever have problems with it leakingl or rupturing or anything--to give him a ring and he will replace it. I take that as he is pretty confident in his product.

I am 100% at ease--and I will continue to use my Shirron with no worries.

Excellent!