CF ChatterFix
Preventive Maintenance

Glycol System Service

Fermentation temperature is a recipe parameter, not a comfort setting — a few degrees changes the ester profile and therefore the flavour. Glycol is what holds it, and glycol degrades in two ways at once: concentration drifts, which moves the freeze point, and the corrosion inhibitor depletes, which quietly attacks the tank jackets the system is supposed to protect. Neither shows on a temperature gauge.

Interval Semi-annual
Est. Duration 2.5 hrs
Steps 5
Applies To Breweries & Distilleries

The Procedure

The steps ChatterFix schedules for this PM. Every step is a checkable item on the work order — a technician can speak their way through it without touching a keyboard.

  1. Test glycol concentration and freeze point; adjust to specification
  2. Check pH and inhibitor level — depleted inhibitor corrodes jackets quietly
  3. Inspect pumps, expansion tank and pressure across the loop
  4. Clean condenser coils and verify chiller approach temperatures
  5. Log tank temperatures against setpoint across the loop

Why This PM Exists

Fermentation temperature is a recipe parameter, not a comfort setting — a few degrees changes the ester profile and therefore the flavour. Glycol is what holds it, and glycol degrades in two ways at once: concentration drifts, which moves the freeze point, and the corrosion inhibitor depletes, which quietly attacks the tank jackets the system is supposed to protect. Neither shows on a temperature gauge.

What Skipping It Looks Like

The first sign is usually a tank that will not hold setpoint on a warm day, treated as a chiller problem. The expensive version is inhibitor depletion: the glycol keeps cooling perfectly while corroding jacket welds from the inside, and the failure arrives as a glycol leak into product.

Setting the interval

Twice a year for full chemistry, with run-hours pulling it forward on a plant that carries load year-round. Concentration and pH are cheap to check monthly and worth trending — inhibitor depletion is gradual and entirely predictable once you have a few readings.

Equipment This Covers

Common Questions

How often should this PM run?
Semi-annual. Twice a year for full chemistry, with run-hours pulling it forward on a plant that carries load year-round. Concentration and pH are cheap to check monthly and worth trending — inhibitor depletion is gradual and entirely predictable once you have a few readings.
How long does it take?
Budget about 2.5 hours for a technician working to the standard procedure. ChatterFix uses that estimate for capacity planning, then learns your plant's actual time from completed work orders.
What happens if we skip it?
The first sign is usually a tank that will not hold setpoint on a warm day, treated as a chiller problem. The expensive version is inhibitor depletion: the glycol keeps cooling perfectly while corroding jacket welds from the inside, and the failure arrives as a glycol leak into product.
Can I use this checklist in ChatterFix?
Yes — this exact procedure ships in the Breweries & Distilleries industry pack. Pick your industry at signup and it is scheduled on the right assets automatically, with no configuration.

Related Procedures

Stop Retyping Your PM Library

This procedure — and every other PM for your industry — is already built into ChatterFix. Pick your industry and it lands on the right equipment, on the right interval, in about three minutes.