Gravity fed plate chiller?

[dirtyb15]

I have been using a homemade counterflow chiller which works great, but it has 1/4" copper and takes forever to fill the carboys. In addition, it is bulky and i have not figured out the best way to mount it. I was looking at something like this
http://www.dudadiesel.com/choose_item.php?id=HX1220

Anyone use one of these with a gravity fed system? Does this one have enough plates u think?

 

[TopherM]

I used a dudadiesel 30 plate chiller and gravity fed it. With FL groundwater at about 74F in the colder months and 85F in the summer, I could chill down to 80ish in about 18 minutes in the colder months and 24 minutes in the summer with a very slow flow and about three passes (fill up the carboy, dump it back into the kettle, repeat).

So, depending on the groundwater temps where you live, the 20 plate is going to increase the time by about 33%. I would not go any less than a 30 plate.

Also, just FYI, in the end. I sold my plate chiller and switched to a convoluted counterflow chiller. The plate chiller was a bit more efficient, but got gunked up with hops pretty easily and was difficult to clean.

With my convoluted counterflow chiller, I also now have a pump and a recirculation loop, and go from flame out to 70F in about 16 minutes.

 

[kombat]

With my convoluted counterflow chiller, I also now have a pump and a recirculation loop, and go from flame out to 70F in about 16 minutes.

If you have a pump anyway, you can drastically reduce that time with your plate chiller. I have the Duda Diesel B3-23A 30 plate chiller, and I can chill 5 gallons of boiling hot wort down to 65° F in about 3 or 4 minutes. I use a hop screen in my kettle (cylindrical stainless mesh with an open top) to contain the hop gunk. Granted, I'm in Canada and our groundwater is probably colder than in Florida.