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Beginner wort chiller questions

Discussion in 'Beginners Beer Brewing Forum' started by PAjwPhilly, Jan 9, 2013.

 

  1. #1
    PAjwPhilly

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Jan 9, 2013
    I wrote wort chiller... I specifically mean plate chiller.... sorry for the confusion


    #1. Working outside with gravity feeding. Wort in/out →silicone tubing (exit probably wont need it). Doing knockout cooling directly into the fermenter

    What water exit (garden hose in → water out) should I buy? Tubing or another hose? Its all going to be waste water. I dont need any water this time of the year and my landlord pays for water so.....

    #2. With all the force created by the liquids in the plate chiller what/where is the best place for it? My pot will be elevated, is the chiller going to lay flat? Move around? Do I need to do anything special (i.e. words what should I expect while running fluids)?

    #3. Plate chiller cleaning. I dont have a pump so... thinking of boiling the chiller in another pot while i clean up, and then putting tap water back into my brew kettle and letting that flow in both directions of the wort in/out until it runs clean.... Any advice

    Thanks to everyone who offers advice
     
  2. #2
    ludomonster

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Jan 9, 2013
    It doesn't matter where the chiller is or what position it is in if you create a siphon. You would only need to worry about the kettle being higher than the fermenter.

    To clean it, just run water through it when you are finished using it.
     
  3. #3
    ETCS

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Jan 9, 2013
    I have been using a plate chiller (both a Shirron and now a thermenator with pump) for about 3 years now and find that rinsing them will NOT clean them as weel as you think. I typically flush mine out after a brew sesssion, after that I soak it in some PBW for 24 hours and then flush it again, in both directions. I hook it up to my gargen hose after the 24 soak. You will be suprised how much gunk will come out of it. I have read and tried other methods (boiling/baking on the clean cycle in the over) and found that none of those methods work as well as the one above.

    Cheers
    :mug:
     
  4. #4
    PAjwPhilly

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Jan 9, 2013
    Thanks for the feedback.

    I need to go to Lowe's before I purchase grains for my next brew day and try to find some quick disconnects for this.

    3/4" Male NPT (water) x 1/2" Male NPT (wort)

    2 barbs for wort, 2 hose adapters is what I am thinking (1 extra hose adapter for the wort in/out)
     
  5. #5
    ETCS

    Well-Known Member

    Posted Jan 9, 2013
    For cleaning/flusing, I use a 1/2' NPT to 1/2 barb fitting and a hose to barb fitting and some 1/2" ID hose for the flushing/cleaning. Just cleaned my tonight as a matter of fact.
     
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