NEW Product Announcement - Spike Glycol Chiller

Williams 728
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SpikeBrewing

SpikeBrewing

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Just announced... The NEW 1/2 HP Spike Glycol Chiller makes stabilizing and cooling your fermenter temperatures a breeze. We included must-have features like an integrated glycol drain port, quick connecting fittings for glycol lines, splash proof lid, locking casters and even a glycol sight glass to check glycol volumes. Oh, did we mention how good it looks? It's a class act.

Stand out specs:
-1/2 HP
-9 gallon glycol tank
-Capacity for up to 4 fermenters
-Splash proof lid
-Integrated glycol drain port
-Integrated quick connect fittings for glycol lines
-Glycol level sight glass
-Built in cord routing for pumps

 
Any chance that you guys can check (or already know) the sound level on this? I'm looking for something in the 40-45 dB range that could work in my apartment, and would love to augment my mostly-Spike brewery with one more piece of Spike gear
 
Is an external pump required? Website notes the TC-100 and pump are sold separately. Would the TC-100 not be the only item needed for circulation?
 
Asking a question not to make a point, but because I am genuinely curious...is there a reason why most glycol chillers do not incorporate pumps into the unit design? Is it a reliability issue and trying to make it easy to replace pumps if needed?
 
stealthfixr said:
Asking a question not to make a point, but because I am genuinely curious...is there a reason why most glycol chillers do not incorporate pumps into the unit design? Is it a reliability issue and trying to make it easy to replace pumps if needed?
Click to expand...
Yup. Easy/ easier to replace if a pump fails.
Also allows for fermenter-size speficic pumps. Aka- four small 5 gallon pumps, or one big-ole pump for a 1bbl fermentor, etc
 
stealthfixr said:
Asking a question not to make a point, but because I am genuinely curious...is there a reason why most glycol chillers do not incorporate pumps into the unit design? Is it a reliability issue and trying to make it easy to replace pumps if needed?
Click to expand...
That’s why we chose to go that route. Also if we built in 4 pumps but you only have 2 fermenters you’re paying for equipment you don’t need.
 
Thorrak said:
Any luck on sound levels, or is that still pending?
Click to expand...
It's louder than a breadbox but sofetr than a hot rod.

@SpikeBrewing... why the need to comoare units? Why not simply provide a decibel rating?

However- i have a gently used, very well cared for Penguin unit. Want to arrange a swap? I still have the packing materials and the box!!

I really want your new unit!
 
Nate R said:
It's louder than a breadbox but sofetr than a hot rod.

@SpikeBrewing... why the need to comoare units? Why not simply provide a decibel rating?

However- i have a gently used, very well cared for Penguin unit. Want to arrange a swap? I still have the packing materials and the box!!

I really want your new unit!
Click to expand...
If we said 50dB, for example, it doesn’t mean a lot by itself. However when we can show it’s quieter than X, Y, Z units it puts it into better perspective.
 
SpikeBrewing said:
If we said 50dB, for example, it doesn’t mean a lot by itself. However when we can show it’s quieter than X, Y, Z units it puts it into better perspective.
Click to expand...
Aha... that make sense.
Perhaps.... is it AS LOUD, Softer, or Louder than my mother in law?
That is a 'scale' all of us can relate too!!! 🤣
 
Ok, all kidding aside... here is a chart.
Maybe you can skip paying for the SS Brewtech, Brewemaster, Penguin, Staysis models for the comp tests?!?!?
(Edit) and send me a free unit for the trouble? Lol.
noiselevelchart.png
 
Nate R said:
Ok, all kidding aside... here is a chart.
Maybe you can skip paying for the SS Brewtech, Brewemaster, Penguin, Staysis models for the comp tests?!?!?
(Edit) and send me a free unit for the trouble? Lol.
View attachment 829019
Click to expand...
Appreciate the chart but the first question we’ll get is how it compares to the competition. Units are on order and most are actually in house.
 
Hmm. Any chance of getting a photo of that Blichmann unit you used for testing (or any info on the testing process)? My personal experience was that when the glycol chiller was running, I was getting 57dB from 3 feet away.

IMG_0954 Large.jpeg



At 47 dB, I'm whipping out my credit card right now, and trying to find out who I can bribe to get this shipped ASAP.

At 57 dB, I'd have to wait until our living situation changes, unfortunately.
 
Thorrak said:
Hmm. Any chance of getting a photo of that Blichmann unit you used for testing (or any info on the testing process)? My personal experience was that when the glycol chiller was running, I was getting 57dB from 3 feet away.

View attachment 830961


At 47 dB, I'm whipping out my credit card right now, and trying to find out who I can bribe to get this shipped ASAP.

At 57 dB, I'd have to wait until our living situation changes, unfortunately.
Click to expand...
All of our testing was done from 5’ away. Taking a reading from the left, right and center.
 
Any chance, if using four fermenters, that the temps for each are set differently? Can I go 55F on one and 63F on a second? Never used one so how this option works is not clear to me.
 
hilljack13 said:
Any chance, if using four fermenters, that the temps for each are set differently? Can I go 55F on one and 63F on a second? Never used one so how this option works is not clear to me.
Click to expand...
Yep. Generally you set the glycol itself to “chilly” (meaning lower than the lowest temp you would want for any of the fermenters) and then have separate temperature controllers that turn pumps for each fermenter’s loop on and off based on a temperature probe for that fermenter. Once the pump shuts off, no more heat will be pulled from the fermenter.
 
Hope your experience is going better than mine. So far I’m not impressed with what I received.

Hopefully Spike updates the OP here as they are now listing as a 7 gallon tank, not 9. As I filled mine with the recommended 7.5 gallon mixture it overflowed at 7. Sight glass reading is inaccurate as well.
 
GoMeanGreen said:
Hope your experience is going better than mine. So far I’m not impressed with what I received.

Hopefully Spike updates the OP here as they are now listing as a 7 gallon tank, not 9. As I filled mine with the recommended 7.5 gallon mixture it overflowed at 7. Sight glass reading is inaccurate as well.
Click to expand...

Sorry about the issue! The sight glass is just a reference point. When 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4 pumps are added it will throw off the reading. However, there is non reason to know you have exactly 6.6 gallons but instead you want to know if it's below the coils. Also we have updated the instructions to be a little more clear. When you start pumping glycol into your conical chilling coils the reservoir will drop and thus that's why we recommend the full 2.5gal of glycol and 5gal of distilled water.

Other than some minor instruction issues how is the machine performing?
 
GoMeanGreen said:
Hope your experience is going better than mine. So far I’m not impressed with what I received.

Hopefully Spike updates the OP here as they are now listing as a 7 gallon tank, not 9. As I filled mine with the recommended 7.5 gallon mixture it overflowed at 7. Sight glass reading is inaccurate as well.
Click to expand...
Mine has a leak, but I am getting excellent support thus far. It is unfortunate since all the units we supposedly tested before shipping. My sight glass is off a good .5gal.
 
hilljack13 said:
Mine has a leak, but I am getting excellent support thus far. It is unfortunate since all the units we supposedly tested before shipping. My sight glass is off a good .5gal.
Click to expand...

With new products come new issues however like you noted we will always make it right for you. Each and every one of the units were QC'd in Milwaukee by our production team and engineers. But small things do slip through. Since it's just a small leak I'm sure it's an easy fix. Like mentioned above the site glass is just a reference point so you can quickly see from the outside if you're good or low. Adding pumps, hoses, etc will almost ensure the sight glass is never 100% accurate.
 
My sight glass is off too, reads 7.5G when I put in about 6.75. Don't see 3 pumps displacing that much. That said, just ditch the markings, really don't see how it matters.

I'm a little surprised at the hysteresis between on and off of almost 6 degrees. We'll see when I get stuff in my fermenters if it matters.

Overall though it seems like a really nice unit. Its definitely quieter than my Penguin 1/2HP. Couldn't tell if it was running (it was) over my water heater vent fan. Had it running a few days with no load, but plan to brew tomorrow.
 
SpikeBrewing said:
Sorry about the issue! The sight glass is just a reference point. When 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4 pumps are added it will throw off the reading. However, there is non reason to know you have exactly 6.6 gallons but instead you want to know if it's below the coils. Also we have updated the instructions to be a little more clear. When you start pumping glycol into your conical chilling coils the reservoir will drop and thus that's why we recommend the full 2.5gal of glycol and 5gal of distilled water.

Other than some minor instruction issues how is the machine performing?
Click to expand...
As you say, I should only be interested in knowing if my coils are covered. The sight glass should read the volume of the tank, regardless of what’s in tubing and coils. Sure I can figure it out based on the level in the sight glass but why did you mark it with numbers if they don’t matter?

So far it seems to be working well. I’ve no experience with glycol chillers before this but it is keeping my fermentation at the intended temperature. Should be cold crashing by end of week, looking forward to seeing how it performs then.

As matt_m mentions the 6 degree differential seems high. I did catch it once where it had to start cooling my fermenter when it was at the high end (33.8) of a 28.0 set temp. Ended up not being a problem with one vessel but not sure if that will cause problems with multiple or while crashing.
 
GoMeanGreen said:
As you say, I should only be interested in knowing if my coils are covered. The sight glass should read the volume of the tank, regardless of what’s in tubing and coils. Sure I can figure it out based on the level in the sight glass but why did you mark it with numbers if they don’t matter?

So far it seems to be working well. I’ve no experience with glycol chillers before this but it is keeping my fermentation at the intended temperature. Should be cold crashing by end of week, looking forward to seeing how it performs then.

As matt_m mentions the 6 degree differential seems high. I did catch it once where it had to start cooling my fermenter when it was at the high end (33.8) of a 28.0 set temp. Ended up not being a problem with one vessel but not sure if that will cause problems with multiple or while crashing.
Click to expand...
The differential is that high because you don't need/want the compressor kicking on every 5 minutes. If your pump kicks on and starts cycling fluid it will most likely trigger the Chiller to turn on. Otherwise your chiller will be on every 5mins trying to stay at 28F when it doesn't need to be. Once it turns on it'll have the entire reservoir from 35F to 28F in a couple minutes.
 
SpikeBrewing said:
The differential is that high because you don't need/want the compressor kicking on every 5 minutes. If your pump kicks on and starts cycling fluid it will most likely trigger the Chiller to turn on. Otherwise your chiller will be on every 5mins trying to stay at 28F when it doesn't need to be. Once it turns on it'll have the entire reservoir from 35F to 28F in a couple minutes.
Click to expand...
This is correct, it protects the compressor and the compressor will keep up with your fermenter once the pump kicks on.
 
GoMeanGreen said:
Hopefully Spike updates the OP here as they are now listing as a 7 gallon tank, not 9. As I filled mine with the recommended 7.5 gallon mixture it overflowed at 7.
Click to expand...

I had a similar experience. with 2 pumps in the tank, I stopped filling before 7 gallons because it was getting up to the return line holes and would spill if I put any more in. Then remembering to look at the sight glass, it was at 7.5 gal.
sight glass.gif

I suspect the sight glass was calibrated before installing the cooling coils which is why the numbers are different from what was poured into the tank.
The sticker on the chiller says 8 gal max but that must be the tank prior to coils and pumps (or maybe without the in/out holes) Spike said they would update their "user manual verbiage and documentation" which I interpret as new stickers for future models as well, to make this issue more clear the users.
 

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