Plate Chiller Sanitation in electric set ups

[HellBentBrewCo]

I'm in the process of converting to electric and one thing I'm stuck on is how to sanitize my hoses and plate chiller. With my propane set up I boil water in my HLT and circulate it through the chiller, pump and hoses for 20 minutes then when it's time to cool the wort I hook up to the boil kettle and let it rip.

With the electric set up I'll only be able to run 1 element at a time and since I'm using a hopstopper I can't recirculate during the boil (I've tried, majorly stuck run off). How do most people with plate chillers or CFC's sanitizing everything when using electric?

 

[jsguitar]

With the electric set up I'll only be able to run 1 element at a time and since I'm using a hopstopper I can't recirculate during the boil (I've tried, majorly stuck run off). How do most people with plate chillers or CFC's sanitizing everything when using electric?

I have a hopstopper and use a CFC, so I can't comment on the plate chiller, but I recirculate during the last 15 minutes of the boil without issue. I use whole hops exclusively. It may be pellet hops clogging up the hopstopper if that's what you're using.

 

[dtfeld]

I use Chillus Convolutus CFC...best peice of equipment on my rig. I purchased it for the specific reason of not having sanitation and clogging issues that seem to plague the plate chillers. I gave up on the hopstopper and went low tech using a nylon mash bag for hop additions, its easy and cheap.

With this combination, I recirculate through the CFC for the last 15-20 minutes and turn out crystal clear wort and have never clogged up that chiller.

I think if you use the hop sack (or a hop spider) to keep you hops contained and recirculate through the plate chiller as outlined here, you'll be OK. If the cold break jams it up, maybe consider selling and upgrading to a CFC at the internal passages are large bore and harder to block up (but not impossible!).

 

[jsguitar]

I gave up on the hopstopper and went low tech using a nylon mash bag for hop additions, its easy and cheap.

I've been considering doing this too just to make cleaning easier. Glad to hear it's working for you.