Therminator Cleaning

I just got a therminator to go on my new top tier system (which is awesome). I read in the directions that you are supposed to sanitize/clean the therminator and stand it on end after using it. If i mount it on the top tier, does that mean i'll have to remove it everytime to clean it?

Standing it on end is to allow it to drain. If you have a compressor you could always just blow out the system.

I have the dude diesel plate chiller, I flush it with hose water, then pump PBW, through it and cap the ends so the PBW, is in there till the next brew day. You would be surprised how dirty it comes out. I have tried baking in the oven and it doesn't clean nearly as good as being soaked in PBW.

I think most people backflush, create a water hose that connects to wort out and blast it with tap water. PBW recirculation too.

Sherpa FE said:

I have the dude diesel plate chiller, I flush it with hose water, then pump PBW, through it and cap the ends so the PBW, is in there till the next brew day. You would be surprised how dirty it comes out. I have tried baking in the oven and it doesn't clean nearly as good as being soaked in PBW.

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Interesting. The Blichmann manual for the therminator specifically states in bold Do not store the unit full of sanitizer, and do not soak for extended periods in cleaning solutions (1/2 to 1 hour is usually plenty).

Do you have any concerns about internal corrosion?

Barnesie said:

Interesting. The Blichmann manual for the therminator specifically states in bold Do not store the unit full of sanitizer, and do not soak for extended periods in cleaning solutions (1/2 to 1 hour is usually plenty).

Do you have any concerns about internal corrosion?

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I'm not the same guy, but I definitely wouldn't store it full of starsan because of the acidity. I wouldn't store it in PBW either due to potential for carbonate scale, but that's easier to deal with that than what prolonged acid exposure can do.

I love PBW soaks for loosening deposits, so Blichmann's suggestion of 1hr sounds good.

Or, you could acid rinse. I do this. And flush with lots of water.

is there any cpncern with doing all this without taking it off the stand? or should i remove it to mach sure that no water is lift inside.

You want to remove it and tilt it back and forth to drain the water. There is a significant amount left in there.

I flush mine with tap water from the hose from both the inlet and outlet sides (i.e. backflushing). After about 4 to 6 batches, I run PBW through everything.

On brew day, I run boiling wort through the chiller for the last 5 minutes of the boil to sterilize it.

sgraham602 said:

is there any cpncern with doing all this without taking it off the stand? or should i remove it to mach sure that no water is lift inside.

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i don't take mine off after each use to clean (i also have a top tier stand). at the end of my brew day i boil a couple gallons of water and recirculate it for 10-15 minutes and i'm done. the next time i brew i recirculate the boiling wort through it before i add any hops and that seems to work fine for me.

Barnesie said:

Interesting. The Blichmann manual for the therminator specifically states in bold Do not store the unit full of sanitizer, and do not soak for extended periods in cleaning solutions (1/2 to 1 hour is usually plenty).

Do you have any concerns about internal corrosion?

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Not worried, it's cheap enough to replace after years of use, 3 years on it now with no problems.