Huge Plate Chiller, but used - would you?

[Lil' Sparky]

I saw an ad for a 40 plate chiller, over twice the size of the mighty Therminator. Here's the down side - it was used to chill oil at somebody's work place. He was asking $150, but I asked if he would take $80 and he said yes. Is there a way to clean this thing good enough so that you could use it to chill beer? It's SS, so I would think so, but I don't know about a plate chiller that you can't disassemble. What would you do?

Here's the ad.

I scored a plate chiller from work. I will let you know they used it to chill oil, and ran coolant through threw the chiller. I have washed it out, and plan to soak it in some denatured alcohol to really clean it.

I don't really have a use for it. I don't have any imminent plans of needing it, so I offer it to you guys. It is made by ITT standard. It is fully 316 stainless steel construction with copper braze. It measures 19.125 by 7.75 inches, and is composed of 40, yup 40, 0.125 thick plates. Compare that to the 11 plate chiller that More Beer sells.

Like I said, I have cleaned it out, and water is running clear through the hot and cold sides, but I do plan to thoroughly clean it out. I have a pdf datasheet on the chiller if anyone is interested. PM or email me and I'll send it to you.

I'm asking $150 for it. Anyone interested?

 

[Brewing Clamper]

Um.... wow, are we talking canola oil or 20W-50?? I think that's going to be the biggest concern. I'm pretty darn sure there will be some residual -even if very little- oil left in the plates. If it's not a consumable oil, I would NOT get it. If it's food grade, I wonder if it would be enough to change your head retention of your beer. First things first though, make sure it was food grade oil that was in there... otherwise you might poison yourself...

 

[DAAB]

Plate chillers have their draw backs (even after flushing)

 

[Lil' Sparky]

Ugh, what was that one used for?

Good point about finding out exactly how it was used.

I'm really thinking about passing unless I could be reasonable sure that flushing with boiling water + oxyclean or PBW or something would render that thing good to go.

 

[DAAB]

That was used a spare chiller in a small Micro (so it doesn't get used that often). The comment from the owner was

I think it's fair to say it's VERY important to ensure not a single hop leaf makes it into a plate chiller

I've had problems with my plate chiller http://www.jimsbeerkit.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7614

If you are planning on using one it should be flushed back and forth many times over and boiled in a pressure cooker to ensure if anything is trapped in there it is a least steralized.

 

[blefferd]

i dont think it would be to hard to clean, little dawn dish soap, some really hot water, several times should get it clean that is if you can take it apart lol, if not i wouldnt mess with it

 

[ScubaSteve]

Can you dissassemble it?

 

[Lil' Sparky]

He said it's brazed, so you can't take it apart.

 

[ScubaSteve]

Did they "rebraze" it? It's clearly dissassembled in the picture. If you could dissassmble it yourself, you could clean the hell out of it..(in that case, I'd definitely buy it)

 

[Brew Runner]

The photo is of the chiller that DAAB has, not the one Lil' Sparky is considering.

In short, if it wasn't food grade oil or edible oil, I would pass in a heartbeat without feeling the least bit bad.

Even the lab techs I used to work with recently wouldn't recommend reusing even glass if it stored some toxic substance.

 

[ScubaSteve]

Check, and check Mate, my friend.....I assumed (naively) that the pics were of the very same chiller. Caveat Emptor.

 

[GrundleCruncher]

Its a good price but I don't think its worth the trouble you would have to go through to make sure its clean enough to use for beer...unless your making beer for robots.

 

[Lil' Sparky]

OK, I'm definately going to pass on this. He said he works for a company that builds vehicles for the military and it was probably used to chill oil on a tank or something. No way my beer's passing through that, no matter how clean I think I got it.

 

[oooFishy]

http://item.express.ebay.com/Brazed...170157152841QQihZ007QQtrZexpQQcmdZExpressItem

Here's a new one for 140$ with shipping. You guys think this is a good deal?

 

[Lil' Sparky]

I think so. That's the same cooling capacity of a Therminator that sells for $195 + shipping. The ports are all 1/2" femal threads, but that's workable.

 

[ScubaSteve]

Wow.....I wish I had that deal when I was looking!