Hi :)
I've just become the proud owner of a 160 litre vat (which I'm hoping to fill with sheep's milk next year ;D), complete with it's own 2 speed stirrer, it has a water jacket and tilts for whey removal and cleaning. I love the thing.......but I have no idea how to set up the plumbing/thermostat control on it! At the moment it's still in it's traveling package as it weighs 300kgs and I can't move it without using the pallet it's on, I have to figure out how to seal the floor without having to move the vat from the room (won't fit through the door! We built it in) normally I'd hang it from the sheds rafters but we need to line the shed before we seal, so not sure how we're going to do that! Once all that's sorted I then need to get it ready to use (it needs a data logger, also 'desirable' according to regs to have an air space heater ??? don't know where you get them)-it needs to do three things:
1. cool and hold milk at 4c
2. heat and pasteurize milk to 65c
3. cool/heat and hold milk to cheese making temps
I know you can get them to do all those things but I wouldn't have a clue how. Anyone have any experience with setting up something similar? I'm going to use a recycling hot water system (that goes up to 90c) for hot water and a freezer with glycol for cold water. So Far I haven't been able to find a plumber willing to take it on :(
Vanessa
Whoa! That's really kewl! Congrats! You could try calling a supplier of dairy equipment, or the manufacturer.
I've already tried the dairy equipment guys with no luck, it's second hand and I think it originally hails from Sweden so not much chance of getting any help there *sigh*
Vanessa