How To Properly Maintain and Clean Your Commercial Cold Plunge Chiller

Commercial cold plunge chillers used in gyms or spas demand more maintenance compared to home cold plunge chillers due to their frequent use. Let’s explore the best practices for properly maintaining and cleaning commercial chillers.

The Importance of Regular Maintenance of Cold Plunge Chiller Units

Because the water chiller is a machine, long-term use of the machine will cause losses, such as the way people operate it, weather conditions, water quality reasons, etc., which will cause losses to the water cooler. Of course, anything will have losses as long as it is used for a long time. , just like people need long-term maintenance to be healthy.

What are the Benefits of Regularly Maintaining a Commercial Cold Plunge Chiller?

• It can improve the performance and efficiency of the water chiller. For example, if the filter element of the water chiller is blocked, it will cause obstruction and damage to the water pump. It is necessary to clean the filter element in time to ensure that the water flow of the chiller is normal, effectively increasing the performance and efficiency, and making the chiller faster.
• It can extend the service life of the chiller. Regularly checking the chiller to find any small parts that may be damaged and replacing them in time can extend the service life of the chiller.
• Regular maintenance of the commercial cold plunge chiller can enhance its cooling performance, reduce operational noise, and ultimately improve the overall experience of cold water bathing.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Cleaning a Commercial Cold Plunge Chiller

To ensure effective cleaning of a cold plunge chiller, our cold plunge chiller manufacturer recommends preparing the following tools, which can be substituted if needed.

Prepare all Tools

Collect Needed Cleaning Supplies: Soft bristled brush , Vacuum Cleaner With Nozzle , Mild cleaner or chiller cleaning solution , A water hose , A clean towel , Bucket , Air Pump Blow Gun

Remove Visible Garbage

Use a vacuum cleaner to remove dust and debris from the outside of the chiller.
Use an air pump blow gun to remove dust from the fan condenser, restoring the machine to its optimal heat dissipation state.

Clean the Outside of the Chiller

In a container, mix a mild detergent with water.
Dip a clean towel in the cleaning solution and gently wipe the dirt and grime on the outside surface of the chiller.
Rinse with water and dry to remove any detergent residue.

Clean the Outside of the Chiller

Reminder: condenser and copper pipe are involved in the parts of the chiller, it is recommended that non-professionals do not clean.
Handle the internal parts of the chiller with care and follow the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions.
Use a soft brush to carefully clean the condenser and copper pipe. （It is recommended to clean the visible dust and impurities on the surface.）

Check and Change the Filter

The filter is very important, and a clogged filter will cause slow water flow, which will damage the pump. The filter element should be cleaned every few days to ensure smooth water flow.

Check Whether the Refrigerant Leaks

Reminder: Non-professionals are advised not to do the test.
Check for oily stains on the refrigerant, which may result from refrigerant oil leaks combined with dust.
In the process of using the cold water mechanism to cool, if it is found that the water cannot be cooled, please communicate with the manufacturer in time to exclude whether the refrigerant is leaked or has been exhausted. （Refrigerant filling video）

Regular Maintenance Plan

Chillers should be cleaned regularly, not once and for all. The frequency of cleaning may vary depending on usage and environment, but it is generally recommended to clean twice a year.

How to Check and Replace a Cold Plunge Chiller Filter

The filter is very important to the chiller, and we should check the car and replace the filter regularly.

• When using a cold bath, if the water flow becomes smaller than before, it may be that the filter element is blocked and needs to be replaced. At this time, please do not hesitate to replace the new filter element.
• In the usual process of use, if the water flow has not become smaller, then we must regularly check whether the filter element is blocked, so as to take precautions, which can improve the efficiency of the use of the machine and extend the life of the machine, rather than wait until it is really blocked before hurriedly replacing.
• Remove the filter element and see if there is debris attached to the filter element. If it is a paper filter, the paper filter is disposable and should be discarded and replaced with a new filter. If it is a stainless steel filter, you can remove the filter, rinse with a lot of water, and then dry the filter, and then install it back to use.
• The replacement frequency of the filter element should be determined according to the frequency of use. If the chiller is used every day, it is recommended to replace or clean the filter element every 3-5 days. If the water quality is very dirty, there is more dirt, then you can shorten the time to replace or clean.

Best Practices for Preventing Commercial Cold Plunge Chiller
Scaling and Pipe Corrosion

Corrosion can cause many problems, the most serious of which can lead to coolant leaks. Other problems may include reduced heat transfer caused by surface scaling, which affects chiller performance and cooling effectiveness.

How to prevent corrosion:

• Corrosion can be reduced by controlling pH and using corrosion inhibitors. Inhibitors attach to metal surfaces, passivating them and preventing corrosion.
• It is also important to maintain a steady flow of water to avoid stagnant zones inside the cooling system, which can lead to corrosion.
• Water quality also needs to be considered when trying to prevent corrosion. The corrosive effects of natural water vary greatly depending on their chemical composition. Chloride is corrosive. If the chloride content in the water exceeds 100ppm, the use of tap water should be minimized or avoided.

Water hardness also needs to be considered, as it can introduce calcium and magnesium, which can form scale on metal surfaces. It is highly recommended to use deionized water, demineralized water, or water that has had harmful minerals and salts removed through a reverse osmosis process to avoid the build-up of chloride and scale.

How to Keep Commercial Cold Plunge Chiller in Optimum Conditions with Regular System Inspections

We have talked about the importance of regular inspection of the chiller, so what if we can achieve the best use of the chiller through regular inspection?

• First of all, as mentioned above, the chiller should be cleaned regularly, the shell, pipe, filter element cleaning, etc., it is recommended to clean twice a year.
• Above we also talk about replacing the filter element, the filter element is a very important small component, the filter element is responsible for filtering water impurities and hair, etc. If the filter element is blocked, it will cause the water flow to slow down, thus damaging the pump and chiller. Clean the filter element regularly as described above.
• Regularly check whether there is refrigerant or pipeline leakage, so as to avoid safety accidents, of course, this professional operation is very necessary to consult the manufacturer.
• Once any abnormality is found, please turn off the machine first, and then feedback to the manufacturer for professional answers and solutions. It is important to shut down the machine first, so that the machine will not continue to be used incorrectly and cause irreversible damage.

Common Maintenance Mistakes to Avoid

Here are 4 common chiller maintenance mistakes:

Ignore Routine Maintenance

If the chiller really has a problem and then repair and remedy in a hurry, it will cause irreversible damage to the chiller. It should be maintained regularly, just like human skin, it should be maintained regularly. Daily maintenance can find some small problems, and small problems do not cause damage to the machine, and small problems are easy to repair and solve.

Ignore the Quality of Water

We should use household water and avoid corrosive, PH out of range water to help protect the chiller’s pipes. In addition, the water quality should not be too hard, too hard water will cause scaling and blockage of the pipeline.

Ignore Refrigerant Leakage

When the refrigerant leaks, the chiller will work more vigorously than the normal operating state. The compressor in the chiller will run for a longer period of time without reaching the desired level of heat compensation. Ultimately, this will reduce the life of the chiller.
In addition, refrigerant leakage can harm health and pollute the environment.

Do Not Operate According to the Manufacturer’s Instructions

Chiller is a machine, the machine has a set program and specific parts, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions to operate the chiller to avoid damage.

The role of Professional Services Provided by Chiller Manufacturers in Extending the Lifespan of Chillers.

The cold plunge chiller is a machine with many parts and systems inside. We need professional operation to extend the life of the chiller.

• First get the product operating instructions from the manufacturer, especially understand the manufacturer’s reminders, and operate the chiller strictly in accordance with the instructions.
• You must also understand the basic principles of the chiller. The chiller is a process of cooling water through refrigerant. The smooth flow of water is very important to the operation of the machine, because the water will pass through the water pump of the chiller. If the water flow is not smooth, the water pump will fail. It will suck out air and damage the water pump. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that the filter element is normal and free of debris.
• When encountering a problem, contact the manufacturer for an accurate description as soon as possible. It is best to take a video to let the manufacturer know what went wrong, so that the manufacturer can provide a more accurate and timely solution.

How to Troubleshoot Common Issues with Cold Plunge Chillers

• Do not operate according to the manufacturer’s instructions, especially do not pay attention to the manufacturer’s special reminders.
• Ventilation problem of the chiller. Just like the air conditioning, it is necessary to ensure that the chiller inlet and outlet are usually in and out to ensure the normal operation of the chiller.
• The chiller has no refrigerant or refrigerant leakage. Because the chiller cools the water through the refrigerant, if there is no refrigerant or the refrigerant leaks, the water will not be cooled. Please seek the manufacturer’s help to add refrigerant.
• To ensure that the filter system is smooth, only the filter system is smooth, in order to ensure that the water flow is smooth, so as to ensure the normal operation of the chiller. So to ensure that the filtration system is smooth, we must often replace the filter element and remove the dirt and impurities on the filter element.
• Pump out. The pump is normal to pump water. But if there is air in the water inlet, or the filter element is blocked, then the pump will be evacuated, which will damage the pump. In this case, the machine should be turned off immediately, and water should be manually injected into the water intake until no bubbles come out, and the air in the pipe can be cleared. Or more pipe through the filter element to make the water flow smooth. This allows the pump to pump normally, rather than pump out.