My rebuild...

[Oh Crap]

I'm about to begin my brewery rebuild... Pics to follow
Current equipment set up is a standard 3 vessel system, hlt, mash tun and boil kettle, immersion chiller, stc's for firm control
NEW EQUIPMENT lots of cam locks, 36 plate chiller, 3kw element, 2 pid's, and fittings to put it together...
I was going to repurpose my immersion chiller as a herms coil
I'm planning on drilling holes this weekend when I stopped my self and wondered would I be better of using the plate chiller for c-herms?
The next question is always dangerous 😄 Any opinions on using the plate chiller or the immersion chiller?

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

I would worry about the wort blocking the plate chiller, you could put a "Y" filter in line with it, to protect it, but I reckon that you would be clearing it out regularly during the mash to maintain flow through it.
If you are intending to use the immersion chiller, be aware that since the two pipes are designed to come over the top rim of the pot, it will not drain properly and is a source for infection, best to sparge through it when the mash is done. To help flush it out well while it's still hot.

[Oh Crap]

I would worry about the wort blocking the plate chiller, you could put a "Y" filter in line with it, to protect it, but I reckon that you would be clearing it out regularly during the mash to maintain flow through it.
If you are intending to use the immersion chiller, be aware that since the two pipes are designed to come over the top rim of the pot, it will not drain properly and is a source for infection, best to sparge through it when the mash is done. To help flush it out well while it's still hot.

If I use the immersion chiller I plan on cutting the pipes to fit in top and bottom of pot. And run sparge water like you suggested. With regard to plate chiller, I use a big bag in the mashtun to make cleaning easier so this, hopefully, filters the wort before entering chiller...

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

Sound like a plan,
Here's a link to the y filter/strainer in case you want to add belt and braces on the plate chiller
DN15 SS304 Filter, 1/2''  Y strainer stainless steel, check valve type , filter for the medium, Strainer basket for water
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/DN15-SS304-Filter-1-2-Y-strainer-stainless-steel-check-valve-type-filter-for-the-medium/32356690013.html
(from AliExpress Android)

[Oh Crap]

You should be banned. ...posting links to aliexpress, tempting people to buy more NECESSARY stuff 😋
How does that work anyway?

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

There's a mesh cylinder behind the nut which acts as a filter. You remove the nut to access the filter for cleaning it. It's an inline filter basically

[DEMPSEY]

+1 on the filtering before anything goes into the plate chiller. If it's HERMS you thinking of then you need to think of how much energy is to be used to ramp up a large volume of water in a HLT to effect a change in Mash wort temperature. 

[DEMPSEY]

When thinking of a build, I would suggest that strainer type filtering, not be a top consideration. The simple and best way for getting clean wort from a boil kettle is to have it whirlpooled . SA has offered you a piece of kit which I know homebrewers love kit but he also offered the words

I would worry about the wort blocking the plate chiller, you could put a "Y" filter in line with it, to protect it, but I reckon that you would be clearing it out regularly during the mash to maintain flow through it.
If you are intending to use the immersion chiller, be aware that since the two pipes are designed to come over the top rim of the pot, it will not drain properly and is a source for infection, best to sparge through it when the mash is done. To help flush it out well while it's still hot.

[SkiBeagle]

I use a plate exchanger for HERMS. It does the job very effectively, but it looks like a frikkin oil refinery when it's all plumbed up.

My false bottom is a pizza tray with a disc of stainless steel wire mesh over it. You can barely see it in the picture. https://www.inoxia.co.uk/products/mesh/sheets/30-mesh
A very nice man called Steve arranged to cut the disc to size for around £25 including VAT and shipping. Since that photo, I've added some 3/8" silicone tubing around the rim to make a better seal and to stop me nicking me fingers from the frayed edges. It works very well and prevents any grist getting into the PX. I've done 4 barley mashes on it so far without any problem. I'll be trying a barley+wheat+oats mash over Christmas, so that will be a good test. I run my little Topsflo pump throttled on the outlet slowly at first to get the mash gelatinised. Then, I open up the valve to get more flow once the bed has settled. Someday, I'll get a proper steel false bottom, but I'll still use the mesh. It really does stop anything getting through, and it hasn't clogged at all. For now, it's mesh & pizza.

[Oh Crap]

+1 on the filtering before anything goes into the plate chiller. If it's HERMS you thinking of then you need to think of how much energy is to be used to ramp up a large volume of water in a HLT to effect a change in Mash wort temperature. 

Ok so if I used a low volume of water, in hlt, use plate chiller as herms I could heat water quicker for temp changes?

[armedcor]

I honestly wouldn't use the plate chiller. I was going to do the same thing but I've just read too much on hbt etc to turn me off it. TBH I'm close enough to retiring my plate chiller in general. Even though I do serious cleaning and baking every brew day you really have no idea whats inside it. I'll probably do a caustic flush in a few weeks to see what comes out.

[molc]

I use my plate chiller and have to say, I really love it. Until I start spotting infections, I'm going with the whole feck it, it's working approach

[armedcor]

Don't get me wrong in the chilling department I love how fast it chills. Nearly as fast as I can pump my wort through it. Just hate not been able to clean it fully.

[Shanna]

I honestly wouldn't use the plate chiller. I was going to do the same thing but I've just read too much on hbt etc to turn me off it. TBH I'm close enough to retiring my plate chiller in general. Even though I do serious cleaning and baking every brew day you really have no idea whats inside it. I'll probably do a caustic flush in a few weeks to see what comes out.

Would really love if you could do a video of that caustic flush and post it here. The results would be illuminating as it would answer the question does anything collect in there after chilling and washing it out or sterlising it with heat. I would expect that with good sanitary practice especially with flushing it with hot water that there should be little or nothing in it. I have a pair of immersion chillers myself, the 2nd one was a necessary addition required to offset the fact that I built a first one with two wide a diameter that won't fit past the two electric elements I have in my boiler and also to compensate for the very low water pressure I have from a water butt.

Shanna

[armedcor]

Yep will do when I get around to it. I flush, back flush and bake every time so it'll be interesting to see!