Sanitizing a Shirron

[Shwagger]

Bought a used (but never used, supposively) shirron plate chiller off ebay.

Looks used to me, no biggy though. Can I boil this thing? I mean it accepts hot wort right?

 

[pompeiisneaks]

It should be stainless steel, most are. If it is, boiling should not hurt it in any way. Also, though, pumping some iodophor or any other normal brewing sanitizer through it for a good while will accomplish the same thing. If you were going to do gravity fed, then fill your bk w/ the sanitizer and drain it all out to another vessel and you should be good, that or do a few drains...

IF its not stainless, the sanitizer will work, and all I've ever seen are metal, so I doubt boiling would hurt them either...

 

[Shwagger]

looks like the plates are copper. i can see the copper a little here and a little there, though its plated with something. Not really sure (im no metalurgist)

 

[pompeiisneaks]

then the copper would just be brighter after a boil. Either way it should be fine. Are the tubes that go in/out also copper w/ plating or SS? Ultimately I don't think it will matter much, as its fine either way imho.

 

[Shwagger]

OK thanks for the help

 

[raceskier]

If it's a Shirron, it's copper brazed stainless steel.

If it's used, make sure you thoroughly flush it out. Make yourself a hose assembly with one of these: http://www.williamsbrewing.com/1_2_HIGH_TEMPERATURE_HOSE_BAR_P1352C107.cfm to pressure flush the unit. You'll use it every time you brew.

I've had good luck (knock on wood) soaking the unit in sanitizer before use. I soak in a hot Oxyclean solution to clean it and have been doing a 350F oven bake (I toss it in when I sanitize my bottles.) as well. It's pretty tough to hurt it. Be careful of the sharp edges on the surface opposite of the fittings.