Therminator vs Duda Diesel

[lpdjshaw]

Anyone have experience using both of these plate chillers? I have a 40 plate Duda Diesel (same size as the Therminator) which I like but I have a bit of a hard time chilling at a decent flow rate during the summer. I was thinking of getting the longer Duda Diesel but not sure.

 

[orion7144]

I have the long duda that replaced the shorty and it made a big difference. It will not mater what you use if your water coming in is too high. I had to add a pre-chiller (ice bath) to mine.

 

[sillbeer]

I use the long 20 plate chiller and love it. Haven't had any problems cooling with it.

http://www.dudadiesel.com/choose_item.php?id=HX2320BWGH


I wished I would have ordered it with the pipe threaded fittings instead of the barb fittings. I ended up having a shop braze a pipe thread fitting onto it. I put a T on the outlet side with a thermometer in it. It works great.

- Destin

 

[sillbeer]

Sorry it took so long to post pictures. I haven't been on in awhile but here is my setup. I use a pump and circulate boiling water through it just before we use it and then pump StarSan through it and let it sit for awhile. We used it just last week and in mid 30 degree weather we let the pump push through about 3/4 flow and it held a steady 70 degrees. During the summer we have to reduce the flow a bit but it's still a lot faster than a chiller coil.

 

[sillbeer]

I'm also picking up a hop basket this week to eliminate the possibilities of pushing hops through the plate chiller. I had it backed up last summer and it wasn't fun cleaning it out. I've since put in a stainless steel hose/filter in my pot to reduce this. I think the 300 micron hop basket will completely eliminate this problem. Fortunate for me I found Utah Bio Diesel about 2 miles from my house and they produce a lot of stuff. I'm also planning on picking up the corny keg dry hopper from them. I'm not affiliated in anyway nor have I contacted them yet but here is there website. for anyone that's interested.

https://utahbiodieselsupply.com/brewingfilters.php#brewfilter8x16

 

[gardenvalleybrewing]

Hey Still beer, how did you rig up the T fitting on the beer out barb of the chiller? I have been gimmy rigging mine with a small chunk of hose but your's looks way better!

 

[Taquina]

Anyone have experience using both of these plate chillers? I have a 40 plate Duda Diesel (same size as the Therminator) which I like but I have a bit of a hard time chilling at a decent flow rate during the summer. I was thinking of getting the longer Duda Diesel but not sure.

Any other thoughts on this original post? I'm in between the Blichmann Therminator and the equivalent Duda Diesel.

 

[wyowolf]

I have the 30 plate DD.. no issues at all, it will chill to just above whatever the water temp is...easist part of my brew day, just hook up to hose and back flush with full blast water both ways a few times...

 

[augiedoggy]

Any other thoughts on this original post? I'm in between the Blichmann Therminator and the equivalent Duda Diesel.

The longer 20 plate duda chiller which is like $85 works more effectively and is less likely to plug up than the shorter therminator with more plates. longer plate chillers are always more effective than shorter chillers with more plates. if you look at the shorter chiller duda carries which is the equivilent to the therminator youll see its one of the cheapest models out of all the chillers he sells... There is a reason for this. The therminator is a $75 chiller with a $125 nameplate sticker IMHO

 

[normonster]

I don't' like my Therminator. It doesn't seem to chill THAT fast to me and you can never get all the liquid out. Every brewday starts with a long recirculating of PBW through that thing and then I still worry. I'm going counter-flow soon my self.

 

[Duda_Energy]

Any other thoughts on this original post? I'm in between the Blichmann Therminator and the equivalent Duda Diesel.

Does your water pressure give you 25 gpm? If not, you aren't getting the benefits of a 40 plate if you go with Duda. The Blichman has a winding path through their unit, as such having more plates is beneficial to their design. On Duda's, its parallel plates, and so length is what matters, not more plates.

The therminator would be close to the 23a-20 plate in performance. It's better than the 12a-20plate, not quite as good as the 36a-20.

The 23a-40 plate is just wasting money unless you have some very specific conditions.

 

[augiedoggy]

Does your water pressure give you 25 gpm? If not, you aren't getting the benefits of a 40 plate if you go with Duda. The Blichman has a winding path through their unit, as such having more plates is beneficial to their design. On Duda's, its parallel plates, and so length is what matters, not more plates.

The therminator would be close to the 23a-20 plate in performance. It's better than the 12a-20plate, not quite as good as the 36a-20.

The 23a-40 plate is just wasting money unless you have some very specific conditions.

This is good to know... The blichmann isnt the same as most regular plate chillers then, Could this winding path also be possibly contributing to the clogging issue though?

 

[Taquina]

Does your water pressure give you 25 gpm? If not, you aren't getting the benefits of a 40 plate if you go with Duda. The Blichman has a winding path through their unit, as such having more plates is beneficial to their design. On Duda's, its parallel plates, and so length is what matters, not more plates.

The therminator would be close to the 23a-20 plate in performance. It's better than the 12a-20plate, not quite as good as the 36a-20.

The 23a-40 plate is just wasting money unless you have some very specific conditions.

This IS very good to know. I almost hit the buy button. I haven't fully determined how I'll run the water through the plate chiller. I was assuming I'd just run it from the sink, but could also push it through with a March pump (I have two). But that would mean filling up a pretty big tank of water.

It sounds like the 36a-20 is the best bang for the buck then.

 

[wyowolf]

I believe I have the 36a... it will chill to just above whatever the water temp is... in winter thats in the high 50s which is great... in summer in the 70s but you cant ask for a better chiller...