Feedback on Plate Chillers?

[tealio]

Hey guys/gals

Wondering if anyone currently had some feedback about currently available plate chillers and pros/cons on brand.

Living in Dallas I am shopping for the largest one I can get (10 gal batches+)

These seem to be the best two for the dinero.

1. DudaDiesel 12" 30 plate chiller- $139.95 with Garden Hose and 1/2" NPT fittings

B3-23A 30 Plate Beer Wort Garden Hose Chiller [HX2330BWGH] | DudaDiesel Biodiesel Supplies

2. Keg Cowboy 7.5" 50 plate chiller- $149 with Garden Hose and 1/2" NPT

Beer Brewing Equipment :: 50 Plate Wort Chiller - Keg Cowboy'


Any thoughts on choice? I am well versed with the fact I'll be cleaning this thing constantly...

Any reason to think one versus the other will have different lifespans, given I'll be flushing and back flushing, oven baking, flushing with caustic, etc.?

I like Blichmann products, but for the price and square inches of plate, I think these will surpass the Therminator.

Once I receive my plate chiller I'm going to load it up with Bargain Fittings Camlocks and Brewmometer like this-

RebelSmart Thermocouple for Plate Chillers - Rebel Brewer

 

[siucubfan]

I got my 60 plate chiller from Keg Cowboy for $148 with no fittings. I think they have 1-2 left. A lot of good reviews in this thread.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f41/40-plate-chiller-89-kegcowboy-com-200974/

 

[tealio]

By no fittings, what do you mean? The photos are kind of blurry.

 

[kellanv]

I recently got that same Duda chiller and while it hasn't gotten its inaugural "flight" yet, it is built like a tank. Seems more robust/heavy than the Blichmann as a whole. Very clean brazing and welds. The guys at Duda were a pleasure to order from.

Good luck!

 

[OneHoppyGuy]

buy 2 DudaDiesal chillers with fittings. The chillers have thread nipples on the back for mounting. Excellent value. Why 2?

You live in a warm climate. By running the water through both chillers independently (in parallel) and the wort from one chiller to the other (in series) you will knock the temperature down in one pass.
Avoid the mistake of recirculating chilled wort which in essence is just reheating it.

 

[Backporchbrewery]

Dudadiesel is awesome, the stainless water hose fittings welded on are a nice touch. I'm using their 40 plate 7.5" chiller for my 5gal batches.

 

[bzomerlei]

I recently purchased the Blichmann plate chiller from my LHBS, it was an impulse buy, but I am extremely pleased with it. The flow rate and chilling capacity is much better than my my 25' counterflow chiller.

One thing to consider is to add a 'hop spider' (use search at the top of the page). I started using one in conjunction with the plate chiller, this will greatly reduce the material flowing through the chiller. I also use cam lock fittings, this makes it trivial to reverse the flow for back flushing.

Brent

 

[brock_gonad]

I use the 30 plate Dudadiesel with fittings as you link... it's completely awesome, but I find that it has added problems in other places.

With the slow immersion chiller, hops were happy to float in the kettle - easy life. Now, you need a way to keep them out of the chiller.

I'm not 100% happy with my hop spider / hop sack - so I've been spending a bunch of time looking at the Hop Stopper, homemade hop stopper / hop taco, possibly a false bottom... sigh.

Basically, I solved one problem (slow cooling) and created another (hops and hot break filtering).

Since it cost over $300 to get this far (heavy duty SS quick disconnects are $$$), I'm on the fence if it's been worth it so far, especially considering the Hop Blocker is another $90.

Once I get a hop solution I'm happy with - ask me again!

 

[EBloom97]

I looked into this recently and went with a dudadiesel. The problem with kegcowboy for me was that their water side attachments seem to be 1/2 inch, and I want to use mine with a garden hose, so 3/4 inch water side fittings is easier and better for flow.

 

[jma99]

Go Duda! Great chiller.
Build a hop screen, use hop bags, just add a bit more hops if you think you have to.
Welcome to the 10 gal batch club!

 

[tealio]

I'm thinking about this in addition to the new chiller:

http://www.brewershardware.com/FILTER1.html


See the test- http://www.brewershardware.com/FILTER1-Testing.html

Anyone own one?

I think it will at least prevent some matter from entering the chiller.

 

[mattd2]

I looked into this recently and went with a dudadiesel. The problem with kegcowboy for me was that their water side attachments seem to be 1/2 inch, and I want to use mine with a garden hose, so 3/4 inch water side fittings is easier and better for flow.

I would think the restrcition in the plate chiller would negate any benifits from haveing larger water inlets, of coarse there is the benifit of not need to use any reducers to go from 3/4" down to 1/2"

 

[Chesterbelloc]

I just took a peek at the Duda Diesel website. Those plate-chillers look pretty good, don't they? I have been using a stainless-steel immersion coil.

I have been brewing caveman-style for ages now doing 10-gallon batches in two 20-gallon pots and one 10-gallon pot. And, I have begun to explore building a rig. Right now it appears I'll be heading the way of the HERMS, tossing the steel-coil into the HLT for mash-recirculation.


And... I digress....

I intend to 'downgrade' to 5-gallon batches because I don't find myself brewing often enough. It takes me some time to run through 10-gallons of beer, and I honestly enjoy the brewing process.

 

[dutchoven]

The length on the duda will provide a faster chill, even though it has fewer plates. This is the chiller I'm considering.