Cold Plate Confusion

[NickTheGreat]

Hello friends,

I saw an ad on my CL for a guy selling a jockey box with a cold plate. He called it "4 inlets and 4 outlet" regarding the plate
http://desmoines.craigslist.org/spo/5150772668.html

I emailed him, but he told me "the main line from the keg to the aluminum block is one line. Then the block divides the beer inside the block to four different tubes to chill it then back into one line to the tap spout"

But the picture clearly shows a 4x4 cold plate. Right? Am I overthinking or underthinking this?

 

[BrewerBrad82]

That indeed looks like you can run four beers through there at once, it seems as if the seller was only using one of the circuits through the cold plate.

 

[BrewerBrad82]

For $75 bucks I would do it, I found that cold plate at CHI Company dot net, and it retails for $318.51. It appears to be the Cornelius model "Cold Plate - 13A02222"

 

[NickTheGreat]

That is what I thought. I mean, you could run 1 line through it 4 times. Or two lines twice.

Thanks for the help. I thought $75 seemed like a darn good price just for the plate alone.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Ayup. 4 ins and 4 outs. Seller has jumpered circuits.

 

[NickTheGreat]

Well I bought it. Hoses are nasty, which isn't a big deal. Hopefully the plate is not as nasty inside!

 

[pigroaster]

soak in hot PBW and some Oxyclean. It will come out like a brown tea after it sits. It takes a few hours but you want everything out. I rinse , star san and then drain. It should be great. Always flush after you have finished using it and you will be good to go. Stainless lines are cast inside so get the crap out and go play! Great deal.

 

[IslandLizard]

Great deal!

After rinsing most of the crud out, if you have a pump, recirculate HOT PBW through the lines, back and forth. Just connect them all in series, so you end up with one in, one out. You'll need to submerge the cold plate in very hot water too to keep the PBW hot.

Don't soak the plate itself in PBW, it will attack/corrode the aluminum. If it's really nasty looking, you can scrub it with steel wool, and a detergent. Rinse well when done.

 

[NickTheGreat]

Thanks guys. The outside of the plate looks pretty damn good, actually.

I'm dreading what's inside, but I'm sure it'll come out. I don't have PBW but I'm sure Oxyclean would work too, right?

Probably be awhile, as I have a tendency to buy stuff, and never get around to implementing them. Ask my wife . . . :fro:

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Wives tend to implement themselves.

Wait, what?

 

[IslandLizard]

Get a container or bag of Sodium Metasilicate from the hardware store. TSP brand usually, but there are others; Ace sells them. It is the 30% ingredient of PBW, so you can make your own by adding the balance of Oxiclean (70%).

Your homemade PBW cleans better than Oxiclean (or washing soda) by itself at less than a third the cost of PBW.

 

[NickTheGreat]

Get a container or bag of Sodium Metasilicate from the hardware store. TSP brand usually, but there are others; Ace sells them. It is the 30% ingredient of PBW, so you can make your own by adding the balance of Oxiclean (70%).

Your homemade PBW cleans better than Oxiclean (or washing soda) by itself at less than a third the cost of PBW.

I will do that. Thank you