Plate Chiller Question

[p40whk]

For those of you that are using a plate chiller, does the temps at the exit of the chiller come close to pitching temps ore do you recirculate the wort through your brew kettle until the temps stabilize to pitching temps then pump to your fermenter?

Edit: I purchased a B3-36A 20 plate chiller from Duda Diesel

 

[DemonsRun]

I have the Therminator plate chiller and during the winter I have to slow down the flow of cold water so that the Temp does not drop to low. From 190F I get to 62F in one pass during winter, Summer I get to 68F.

Toward the end of boil I circulate thru the hoses and chiller without the cold water flowing to sanitize.
Then at the end of boil I'll circulate a bit with the cold water flowing to quickly drop to 180-190f for a hopstand.

 

[HOPtuary]

You will most likely have to regulate the flow of your water. All depends on season and your location. I brewed this past weekend and just had to crack open my water to get it to chill right to mid 60s. You can invest in a Thrumometer and you can avoid recirculating in your kettle and go right to the fermenter. Cheap but very useful tool at $25. Hope this helps.

 

[kombat]

I recirculate back to the boil kettle, as I find that allows me much finer control of the temperature of the beer. I just chill/recirculate and watch the thermometer on my boil kettle. When it's at the desired temperature, I simply stop, and siphon from the kettle into the fermenter.

 

[bandt9299]

I have always put the cold water on full blast and used the ball valve on the out side of the pump to regulate the flow which regulates the temperature. Doesn't get easier. 200 in 68 out. Recirculating defeats the purpose for having a pump for me as I want a quick brew day.

 

[Gavin C]

I recirculate with the same chiller you have. I too have a pump but don't have any way of monitoring the wort temp as it exits the chiller. Cooling to the mid 60's takes 10 mins or so. I just start my clean up as during this 10 mins and stop the flow from the pump and move the silicon tubing to the fermenter. I am looking to add temperature probe to the wort out like Brettomyces showed in another thread. http://cdn.homebrewtalk.com/attachm...el-plate-chiller-needs-horizontal-chiller.jpg

That way I can go straight to the FV (glass) without worry.

 

[day_trippr]

For those of you that are using a plate chiller, does the temps at the exit of the chiller come close to pitching temps ore do you recirculate the wort through your brew kettle until the temps stabilize to pitching temps then pump to your fermenter?

Edit: I purchased a B3-36A 20 plate chiller from Duda Diesel

The deciding factor can be the water supply temperature, but for those of us lucky enough to be on reliably cold supplies, the option to go straight to the fermentation vessel is available.

That's what I do, and with the efficiency of my chiller (Duda "30 long" B3-23A) and my well running in the low fifties F all year I have to throttle the cooling water flow to avoid over-shooting the pitching temperature...

Cheers!

 

[p40whk]

Great advice guys, I do appreciate it. Gavin, do you have a link to the thread showing the parts he used for the outlet temp probe? Your link only takes me to the picture. I suppose I could just use a Tee fitting with the probe entering that way.

 

[bandt9299]

Bobby has all the parts you need at brewhardware.

I just put a stainless t on the wort out side and put a 1/2 inch thermometer on the top.

 

[Gavin C]

Great advice guys, I do appreciate it. Gavin, do you have a link to the thread showing the parts he used for the outlet temp probe? Your link only takes me to the picture. I suppose I could just use a Tee fitting with the probe entering that way.

Here is the thread

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/dudadiesel-plate-chiller-needs-horizontal-259874/