cleaning a flash chiller

delboy · Post by **delboy** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 4:34 pm

I was given a flash chiller which while it still works has not been used for quite some time (about 9 months). I was thinking with the warm weather coming in that this is maybe the time to get this baby up and running.

Because it hasn't been used in a while im sure the lines are well funky! What should i use to clean it? I was thinking of using oxyclean in a cornelius and pumping it out through the system. But im not sure how effective this will be in this case, has anyone cleaned one of these? any suggestions?

maxashton · Post by **maxashton** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 4:47 pm

I've been having bad experiences with Oxyclean leaving a sediment on surfaces soaked in it. I don't know if perhaps i'm using too much, but i used less than a tsp in 6 litres of hot water, and when i dried the parts (dispense tap from Norm), they and the bucket i cleaned in had a fine sediment. It washed off, but this isn't something i imagine you'd find desireable in your brew.

RabMaxwell · Post by **RabMaxwell** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 4:48 pm

If it is an under bar cooler e.g. mazi i would use beer line cleaner or antiformin's if you can get hold of

delboy · Post by **delboy** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 5:04 pm

When i've used oxyclean in the past in cornies etc i've always rinsed them really well afterwards and pumped clean water through the liquid out post just in case but thanks for the heads up max.

RM isn't antiformin just sodium hypochlorite ie bleach??

maxashton · Post by **maxashton** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 6:55 pm

i'm not, and how long is too long?

steve_flack · Post by **steve_flack** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 7:37 pm

RabMaxwell wrote:If it is an under bar cooler e.g. mazi i would use beer line cleaner or antiformin's if you can get hold of

That's what I'd use too.

Antiformin S is a mixture of sodium hypochlorate (bleach) in caustic soda with a sequestering agent so that it can be used in hard water areas without minerals precipitating

delboy · Post by **delboy** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 9:21 pm

can't lay my hands on any line cleaner and the only antiformin i've seen is on hop and grape whcih is Ã‚Â£5.00 plus whatever they decide the p+p is to the wilds out here.
In your opinion should i hold off on and order this or can i fire on with some 'household products'.
At a pinch i could knock up some bleach with NaOH and a dash of EDTA (if thats what the chelator is).

Apologies just realised this should probably be in the cleaning section

delboy · Post by **delboy** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 11:00 pm

Doesn't look to bad on the exterior, its just that i seen the gunk that came out of the beer lines and pump that came with it

. The smell was like a vinegar factory, having said that part of the line and several of the fittings i reused after a good soak in boiling oxyclean followed by oxyclean pump through with a corny (the handpump i was able to strip down and clean normally).
I guess if the gunky line cleaned up there is no reason why the gunky coil shouldn't either

.

Frothy · Post by **Frothy** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 1:40 am

Geoff reconditions beer coolers & he recommended to me cleaning the lines with a weak bleach solution & just to ensure that the coils are blown dry for storage.

Frothy

spearmint-wino · Post by **spearmint-wino** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 9:19 am

Is this a flash chiller?

If so how would I set it up to work?

spearmint-wino · Post by **spearmint-wino** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 10:12 am

Hmmm, tricky. I can't see enough of the inside of the unit to see exactly what the coils do. There appears to be a stainless coil inside an area of the cooler that you fill with water externally (a slidey hatch in the top - the excess water then pours out of the overflow at the side). Guess that means its the first type of cooler you refer to but also external markings say that the unit is fitted with a magnetic drive pump / agitator?
Confused...

Also that the unit should not be switched off during normal use... so how do you switch it off then?

delboy · Post by **delboy** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 12:00 pm

spearmint-wino wrote:
Also that the unit should not be switched off during normal use... so how do you switch it off then?

Its basically just a refrigeration unit so it will take some time to get the water down to chilling temp (several hours i would have thought??).
Im guessing you would be flicking it on about the same time as you would be dragging the bbq out of the garage

, or on a typical nights drinking maybe when you come in from work.
I would probably switch it off at the close of play/drinking at night.
I would think those those instructions are for the bars who should be ready to serve as soon as they open the doors.

spearmint-wino · Post by **spearmint-wino** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 12:33 pm

Ah, I getcha.

What of this motor / magnetic drive element? Does that mean it doesn't take gas pressure from the corni to serve the beer? Or is it something to do with the refrigeration of the cooling water circulating inside the unit. I think I might have just answered my own question there

delboy · Post by **delboy** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 1:06 pm

I think you have

. I had the cover off mine and i saw the wee motor, im almost certain its there just to circulate the cold water!!

spearmint-wino · Post by **spearmint-wino** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 1:25 pm

I'll give it a go with some bleach solution over the next few days... see if it cools that down nicely while its getting a clean-out

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cleaning a flash chiller

cleaning a flash chiller