Do I need to put a filter on my dip tube if Im going to use a plate chiller of CFC?

So Ive made my HLT (20 gal), MT (60 QT cooler), and Keggle (15.5 gal) with a stainless dip tube (center draw) and all connections on everything are 1/2". I'm looking at cooling devices now!

I need to get a plate chiller (Duda, 30 plate, 1/2", $75+shipping) or a CFC (DIY, 25', $70+whatever else comes up) The prices look about to be comparable to each other.

So the question comes down to what to buy. I know they are both effective and it all comes down to water temp and keeping them clean.

I have a few concerns.

I'm worried about cold break and hop material after boil and during the cooling process. I will be using a hop bag during boil but when it comes to cooling do I need a filter on my dip tube before the wort goes into the chiller?
What about cold break in CFC or the Plate chiller?
Also everything I have is 1/2" connections so if I go with a CFC (3/8" wort in and out) I will also have to solder on reducers (backwards) so that 3/8" is back to 1/2" for all my silicon tubing, is that going to hurt the efficiency?
Am I worrying about nothing or should I have a concern?

Thanks for your input, and ideas.

The area of the 3/8 cfc is about 353 in^2. The area of the duda is about 462 in^2. The wall thickness of the 3/8 tubing is 4 times thicker than the stainless plates.But, copper is a better heat conductor than stainless. All-in-all, The plate chiller would work best for your job. Neither one of the coolers are as easy to use and clean as an imersion cooler because an IC is self sanitizing and the wort is on the outside, not the inside. The plate chiller will rqeuire a very good filtration method before the wort passes through to prevent clogging the plates.
The above is what I know from using all three methods. I have a Therminator mounted on my single tier brew stand, but rarely use it because, for me, it's a PITA. I have a 3/8" x 50ft CFC. It is moderately easy to keep clean and sanitary. I also have a 1/2" x 50' IC which is my favorite.

The plate chiller works really well... but only if you are careful in your syphon. Whirlpool and let the hops settle then carefully syphon off the wort.

I don't think that coldbreak has ever caused me issues in the plate chiller when I was careful.

JVD_X said:

The plate chiller works really well... but only if you are careful in your syphon. Whirlpool and let the hops settle then carefully syphon off the wort.

I don't think that coldbreak has ever caused me issues in the plate chiller when I was careful.

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I can see how that would be true. In my case, The wort is recirculated while cooling (single tier).

Guys, thank you for answering! I wouldn't be recirculating wort, it would be a single pass through the chiller into the fermentor.

Thanks for the answers, I was waiting for someone to answer so i could finally make my purchase!

More responses are welcome!

sudbuster said:

I also have a 1/2" x 50' IC which is my favorite.

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I like my IC but my current one is too small for 10 gal batches, the cost would be about the same (DIY, $40-60 for copper, $20 for connections and hosing =$70 to $80 final cost) as building/buying the plate or CFC. If I did go with IC then it leads to whirl-pooling, filtering. Why not then just go to CFC and plate chillers to save time (10 min.)

My thought process tends to lean towards the plate or CFC as there my not be a need for filtering before going into a plate or CFC, hence the need for my question.

Do I need a filter on my dip tube?

You absolutely need to keep hop pellet gunk out of the plate chiller. That's either done with nylon bags to contain them or some kind of filter on the pickup tube.

I use a DudaDiesel plate chiller, and I really like it. I use a paint strainer bag (lil' sparky's hop stopper) in my BK that filters out pellet hops well. I have had no problems at all using this method.

Click the link in my signature if you want to see some videos about it.

+1 to the above, I use a plate chiller and the lil' sparky hop spider. That's it!

I have a CFC and use a hop bag. I don't have a filter on my dip tube (could never figure out how to get it to stay in place).

I stir the wort before draining so that I whirlpool whatever precipitates are remaining and let whatever go into the fermenter go into the fermenter. Usually a little bit of break is pulled into the dip tube at the start of draining and that's it.

As other have mentioned, if you are going to use a plate chiller you should probably have a filter.

sudbuster said:

The area of the 3/8 cfc is about 353 in^2. The area of the duda is about 462 in^2. The wall thickness of the 3/8 tubing is 4 times thicker than the stainless plates.But, copper is a better heat conductor than stainless. All-in-all, The plate chiller would work best for your job.

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Sure, you definitely get better heat exchange with the plate chiller, but a CFC is going to be perfectly adequate for the job. Just sayin'

HickoryMike said:

I use a DudaDiesel plate chiller, and I really like it. I use a paint strainer bag (lil' sparky's hop stopper) in my BK that filters out pellet hops well. I have had no problems at all using this method.

Click the link in my signature if you want to see some videos about it.

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This is my plan as well.

broadbill said:

I have a CFC and use a hop bag.

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Same here. I have a gravity-fed CFC and a hop bag and have no issue. It has worked well for me with or without the pick-up tube. I am working on my pump-fed CFC-recirculated cooling setup and given that I have no issues with gravity-fed, I don't expect any issues with this setup either

HickoryMike said:

I use a DudaDiesel plate chiller, and I really like it. I use a paint strainer bag (lil' sparky's hop stopper) in my BK that filters out pellet hops well. I have had no problems at all using this method.

Click the link in my signature if you want to see some videos about it.

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I watched your video and loved it, maybe I wont get a pump now. You bought the 3/4" connections or your Duda huh. That is why I'm thinking that Ill go with the the 1/2" male NPT and then add http://store.proflowdynamics.com/modules/store/Type-A-Adapter-Stainless-Steel_P356C68.cfm for my quick disconnects.

DakotaRules said:

I watched your video and loved it, maybe I wont get a pump now. You bought the 3/4" connections or your Duda huh. That is why I'm thinking that Ill go with the the 1/2" male NPT and then add http://store.proflowdynamics.com/modules/store/Type-A-Adapter-Stainless-Steel_P356C68.cfm for my quick disconnects.

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Yeah, that wasn't my best shopping moment. I just saw the price and jumped at it only to find that I would have been better served by a bit more research. Oh well. I just got my stainless steel camlocks in. They look great.

Thanks for the feedback on the videos. I enjoy making them.