How much does your plate chiller weigh?

[ScubaSteve]

I recently purchased an Ebay Plate Heat Exchanger from Ebay seller Flatplatehx:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220682773195&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

I think I got a great deal, 40 plates with 3/4" MPT (what I needed) for $79 shipped! It's right around the size/surface area of the therminator, with a different inlet/outlet configuration.

I just received it, and it's lighter than I thought it'd be! I counted the plates and there are 40....you can see slight traces of brazed copper in between the plates...overall it seems pretty well made, it just doesn't feel like the brick of steel I thought it would. It's maybe 5 lbs. Anyone have a different impression of their "name brand" chillers? Just wondering if I got a decent piece of equipment or not

 

[Duckfoot]

Intriguing... Damn it all to hell!!! I am trying to save money!!!

 

[ScubaSteve]

Just did some research....Therminator supposedly weighs about 6 lbs......mine is around 5...I guess they're lighter than they look? I imagine the plates need to be super thin for heat exchange....so these chillers are probably not as substantial as one would think......

 

[OntarioBeerKegs]

Umm, mine weighs exactly what yours does when it arrives.... One left. Already hid the email purchase info from the wife.
/looks around.

 

[ScubaSteve]

Ha, nice ! Maybe it's the marketing of the therminator, but I guess I had the idea it'd be pretty heavy. I have all kinds of triclover stuff in my rig and it's pretty much bulletproof....I have to get used to the fact that not everything that's stainless is gonna be that heavy.

 

[lamarguy]

It's not about the weight, it's about the length. 8 out of 9 ladies would agree.

 

[fartingdog]

Damn it- that's less than I recently paid for a Duda Diesel 30-plate! Looks like the same construction as well.

Good score. FWIW, the listed 'shipping weight' on mine was 3#. Never actually put it on a scale, but seems about right.

 

[Henrythe9th]

Just finished this monster, testing it later today what do you all think of a duel plate chiller, beer in series water in parallel

 

[smakudwn]

Wow that looks pretty cool, have you tested it out yet?

 

[uwjester]

Henrythe9th, that's a pretty hefty setup. Were you finding that one 30 plate chiller wasn't bringing the wort temp down fast enough? How cold is your cold water?

 

[Henrythe9th]

I just couldn't help my self, say bling!! I got both chillers for $20.00 used from a hydrogen fuel cell bench set up, they were alfa-Novel proto-types used with distilled water only. I count 23 plates ea.
Using 1 of them in series with a 30ft 1/2" Immersion cooler for whirl pool return, I could get 15 gals to 60f in less then 10 min.
but my whirl pool was not good enough, thinking that the IC coils where getting in the way, I chose to stop using it and go with plate chillers only and a whirl pool return in the kettle.

Im going to do 15 water boil and clean out run later today Ill post how that goes.
I did build everything interchangeable so I can still use the IC if needed in case of plugging or what ever
when I have time I'll do a comparison between the 2 chiller set ups and post results.

here in central Oregon are water is around 50f in the summer and 38f in the winter

 

[ScubaSteve]

Wow, that thing is beautiful...but you must have worked your @ss off getting everything to line up! I'm kinda confused as to the connections...especially the chiller on the right with the offset port....never seen that before. So does your cooling water go through both chillers, one then the other? Or is it split between the two, both receiving fresh coolant?

EDIT: Okay, I see where one hose adapter splits water inlet, and the other splits the exhaust. I bet you could soup it up by increasing the size of the exhaust...just like on a car.

 

[Henrythe9th]

after fixing a couple of leaks, clean and brewed with it..
11 gals from 200f to 80 in 8 min. additional 15min to bring it to 60 with 58f deg water

 

[SankePankey]

Hey Scubie-
Thought you bought a Duda? Not, I guess.

I'm going to need one with the mounting studs (and 1/2" MPT too) so Duda it is.

 

[ScubaSteve]

Nope, just an ebay one...seller is flatplatehx. I wanted mounting studs too, but I couldn't justify the difference in price....I think I got a pretty good deal. I'm still mulling over how I want to mount things...but it's definitely doable without studs.