Which plate chiller?
  • C_BC_B
    Posts: 79,214
    What is the difference between this 30 plate chiller and the Therminator? Other than this one is half the price and smaller I'm sure. Is the Therminator really worth the two bills?
    "On it. I hate software." ~Cpt Snarklepants
  • frydogbrewsfrydogbrews
    Posts: 44,679
    @Lothos is the only person who has a therminator on here at the moment.

    i don't get mine til april.... ~X(
  • C_BC_B
    Posts: 79,214
    What do you have now?
    "On it. I hate software." ~Cpt Snarklepants
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 107,194
    Fewer plates = lower effeciency = slower chill rate = more water consumed
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • C_BC_B
    Posts: 79,214
    But I can't seem to find (haven't really looked) how many plates are in the therminator. Cuz it looks like about 30. Which brings me back to why is it awesomer?
    "On it. I hate software." ~Cpt Snarklepants
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 107,194 Accepted Answer
    It has "inator" in the name, of course.
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • frydogbrewsfrydogbrews
    Posts: 44,679
    i can't say why it is awesome, but i know 4 people that have them and they all rave about it. tha'ts all i got, but its enough for me to buy one.
  • jlwjlw
    Posts: 16,449
    Lakewood said:

    It has "inator" in the name, of course.



    This

    image

  • BenSBenS
    Posts: 6,248 Accepted Answer
    Lakewood said:

    Fewer plates = lower effeciency = slower chill rate = more water consumed



    That's not entirely true. The longer that each plate is, the more surface area you get per plate. I bought this model http://www.dudadiesel.com/choose_item.php?id=HX2320BWGH and really like it. I can chill down 10 gal in about 5 min with my winter ground water temps. The total plate surface area is going to be you're determining factor for chilling power.
    There's no starting point. It's just a massive sea of shit to wade through until you find the occasional corn kernel. -DrCurly
  • BenSBenS
    Posts: 6,248
    And if you have 38F ground water like austin homebrew states that you need to chill as fast as they claim, I'm jealous of you. My ground water is 55F right now during winter.
    There's no starting point. It's just a massive sea of shit to wade through until you find the occasional corn kernel. -DrCurly
  • LothosLothos
    Posts: 2,146
    frydogbrews said:

    i can't say why it is awesome, but i know 4 people that have them and they all rave about it. tha'ts all i got, but its enough for me to buy one.



    ok here it is


    thumbnail.aspx.jpeg
    300 x 220 - 14K
    therminator.jpeg
    264 x 198 - 6K
    Ain't that a Bitch
  • jlwjlw
    Posts: 16,449
    For a plate chiller do you need a pump? I would guess so.
  • BenSBenS
    Posts: 6,248
    jlw said:

    For a plate chiller do you need a pump? I would guess so.



    Some plate chiller manufacturers say they work well using gravity feed but I wouldn't trust it.
    There's no starting point. It's just a massive sea of shit to wade through until you find the occasional corn kernel. -DrCurly
  • LothosLothos
    Posts: 2,146
    jlw said:

    For a plate chiller do you need a pump? I would guess so.


    this one you can gravity feed

    but i have a pump
    Ain't that a Bitch
  • frydogbrewsfrydogbrews
    Posts: 44,679
    yeah, i plan on getting a pump later, but i will have the chiller pumpless for a few months at least. same plan two buddies did and it still worked great.
  • LothosLothos
    Posts: 2,146
    it cools like none other i went from a 1/2" copper imersion chiller to my therminator big improvement on my batches and pitching temps
    Ain't that a Bitch
  • BenSBenS
    Posts: 6,248
    Lothos said:

    it cools like none other i went from a 1/2" copper imersion chiller to my therminator big improvement on my batches and pitching temps



    Agreed. I went from 3/8" 20 ft immersion chiller to plate chiller. Cut my chilling time from 45 min to 3 min.
    There's no starting point. It's just a massive sea of shit to wade through until you find the occasional corn kernel. -DrCurly
  • LothosLothos
    Posts: 2,146
    Lothos said:

    it cools like none other i went from a 1/2" copper imersion chiller to my therminator big improvement on my batches and pitching temps


    getting ready to convert to these

    Jet Burner - 8" diameter This high heat, cast iron burner ring has 20 jet nozzles, is designed for use with low pressure propane and can develop 200,000 BTU of heat. Gas inlet is 1/2" NPT. Choose Propane (with a COM#2 regulator/hose ) or Natural Gas. Weight 11#.

    jetc02-20burners.jpg
    1600 x 1200 - 714K
    Ain't that a Bitch
  • BenSBenS
    Posts: 6,248
    That is a big SOB. You should do a build thread when you install it.
    There's no starting point. It's just a massive sea of shit to wade through until you find the occasional corn kernel. -DrCurly
  • LothosLothos
    Posts: 2,146
    I'm installing 3 of them into my system

    this is what i have now
    3 of them
    CastIronBurner.jpg
    320 x 243 - 7K
    Ain't that a Bitch
  • jlwjlw
    Posts: 16,449
    BenS said:

    Lothos said:

    it cools like none other i went from a 1/2" copper imersion chiller to my therminator big improvement on my batches and pitching temps



    Agreed. I went from 3/8" 20 ft immersion chiller to plate chiller. Cut my chilling time from 45 min to 3 min.


    I use an IC and go to 70* or lower under 15
  • LothosLothos
    Posts: 2,146
    jlw said:

    BenS said:

    Lothos said:

    it cools like none other i went from a 1/2" copper imersion chiller to my therminator big improvement on my batches and pitching temps



    Agreed. I went from 3/8" 20 ft immersion chiller to plate chiller. Cut my chilling time from 45 min to 3 min.


    I use an IC and go to 70* or lower under 15


    But that's 15 minutes of exposed to bad air time
    not good

    At full speed on my pump i can bust out10 gal in 4 min to 68 deg using just my outside hose bib that has roughly 45 psi on it if i was out next to the well that side gives me 5 gal in 30 sec straight out the ground
    Ain't that a Bitch
  • C_BC_B
    Posts: 79,214
    Do you have problems with hops debris and cold break? If i get a plate chiller I'll have to use it pumpless for a while.
    "On it. I hate software." ~Cpt Snarklepants
  • LothosLothos
    Posts: 2,146
    No i have a false bottom for whole hop and i bag pellet hops and cold break not a problem
    Ain't that a Bitch
  • ThymThym
    Posts: 107,194
    Lothos said:

    No i have a false bottom for whole hop and i bag pellet hops and cold break not a problem



    i think this is a must for plates. i use a counterflow pipe chiller, so i dont have the same concerns. but i'm thinking i want to go this route for other reasons.
    The only thing between me and a train wreck is blind luck..... - Kenny
  • LothosLothos
    Posts: 2,146
    Lakewood said:

    Lothos said:

    No i have a false bottom for whole hop and i bag pellet hops and cold break not a problem



    i think this is a must for plates. i use a counterflow pipe chiller, so i dont have the same concerns. but i'm thinking i want to go this route for other reasons.



    therminator is counter flow chiller\

    or mine is running that way
    Ain't that a Bitch
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