Does anybody recirc with a plate chiller?

[orlando]

Just a warning if your using caustic to clean a plate chiller make sure theres no copper in it or it will eventually dissolve that to, also its dangerous but I assume you all know that.

I do, but it's a fair warning. It only gets a 1% cold soak for 1/2 hour and only then very rarely. It is just a check really that the main regime is doing what I expect.

[jubby]

Thanks to all for the info.

I've decided to go with a fairly big 210KW plate chiller for my 50l final volume brews and see how it goes. I will keep hold of my IC so If the PC doesent work for me, I'll go back to my previous choice which was whirlpool cooling with an IC. When I've given the PC a damn good testing, I'll post my experiences.

Nick.

[simon12]

Just a warning if your using caustic to clean a plate chiller make sure theres no copper in it or it will eventually dissolve that to, also its dangerous but I assume you all know that.

I do, but it's a fair warning. It only gets a 1% cold soak for 1/2 hour and only then very rarely. It is just a check really that the main regime is doing what I expect.

I only thought of it as when I ran a microbrewery for a year when we got it we noticed the gravity dropped slightly when chilling and turned out water was leaking in via the chiller as the previous owner cleaned it with 2% warm caustic pumped through it in both directions for 15 mins, but that was every week. When we replaced it we got 8% better efficiency than him so who knows how long it took to get a hole in a plate. Note he has stopped using caustic on it before we took over when he found out.

[Wonkydonkey]

Just a warning if your using caustic to clean a plate chiller make sure theres no copper in it or it will eventually dissolve that to, also its dangerous but I assume you all know that.

Yeh, I had read about this. But as my PC was second hand, I wanted tobe sure it was clean and clean when I've used it.as well as making sure I didn't start getting infections
But I will start to round off the corners, so to speak. By not being so anal about cleaning with caustic.
That said its brewday soon and I will just pump very hot water, 80c-ish because I know it's clean.

And yes I did find a few hop seeds in the first cleanings of the s/h PC, and nothing but cold break in it since.

Cheers
WD