Improved boiling on the stovetop! - Page 8

edwar281 · 04-03-2009, 12:38 AM

anyone used a welders blanket to insulate a brew kettle on a stovetop? How well does it work?

Drbobcat · 04-06-2009, 05:22 PM

I found a fairly cheap and effective way to insulate my 8 gallon brew pot and not have it get burned from my gas stove. I used a product called Heat Wave Pro. It is a thermal accoustic barrier product made of natural fibers (no fiberglass) and is faced on both sides with aluminum wrapping. It has a Class A fire rating and is very easy to work with. I used foil tape to seal the sides and put 2 grommets on each end to hold it around the pot. Since my pot straddles 2 burners I made a heat shroud/skirt out of gutter flashing/bib material that wraps around the pot and is held in place by some hose clamps. I went from barely boiling 5 gallons to a rolling boil of 6.5 gallons. It was very easy to make.

FlyGuy · 04-06-2009, 09:42 PM

That sounds like an ideal product. Is it something that is carried at automotive stores locally, or did you have to order it from the interweb?

Drbobcat · 04-06-2009, 10:17 PM

I ordered off the internet from a company called "Second Skin Audio." I have never seen it in a store. Just type in Heat Wave Pro on any search engine and it should come up. Be sure to get the "Pro" version as the regular "Heat Wave" product has facing on only one side. Nine square feet of the product was about $25 and shipping was about $12. It was more than enough for my kettle and lid. Now I have a good supply of melted Reflectix if you are interested ;-)

**maztec** · 06-07-2009, 06:43 AM

Interesting product Drbobcat. Have other people tried Heat Wave Pro now?

I can get mine to a rolling boil, but do not have a particularly efficient kettle. With my lid off, I consistently fall to 6F short of a full boil :\. Very frustrating. I have used a friends kettle with thicker walls that held the heat in better . . difference? aluminum bottom & stainless sides vs all aluminum. Mine is the all aluminum - great for heat transfer, but goes right out the sides :\.

What has been the best solution found so far? The thread seems pretty mixed.

**rico567** · 06-07-2009, 11:53 AM

I got my firewall insulation from J.C. Whitney, along with the spray adhesive to make it stick to the brewpot, and the foil tape to secure it. Total about $40 (with a ****load of insulation left over!). It does solve the problem, however. My 30 qt. SS brewpot would barely keep a full 5 gal. at a bubbling boil previously (on our Jenn-Air gas cooktop, burner rated at 8.5K btu), and now it can maintain a bubbling boil quite comfortably. Note that this is not the "volcanic" rolling boil that some seem to prefer. There is no burning or scorching of the insulation or tape, despite the gas cooktop.
I will soon be moving outside to do my first AG batches, and I question whether the insulation will survive a boil on the Bayou Classic SP-10. I'm contemplating a test boil using water to check this.

Philsc · 06-13-2009, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlyGuy

Foam Control: I gotta put another plug in for this stuff. Magic. I had that turkey fryer pot within an inch and a half of the rim, and there was no danger of boiling over at ANY point in the process. Highly recommended stuff! Turns your 30 qt pot into a 40!!!

What is this "Foam Control" of which you speak.

By the way, thanks for sharing all your innovations. I'm going to get out and buy me some insulation and a plastic T. At some point I want to make a frozen yeast bank.

Perhaps you should write a book and make some money off your creative engineering.

jescholler · 06-14-2009, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobby_M

I know the thread died, but this looks really promising for you electric brewery guys:

Mcmaster.com
9349K2
Foam Rubber Insulation Plain Back, 1/2" Thick, 36" X 48" Sheet, Black
In stock at $18.88 Each

This is enough to do two sanke sized kettles 18" high by 48" around. A little high temp duct tape at the seam and you're golden... remove it when you want to or not..

Ultra-Flexible Foam Rubber Insulation

Fiberglass Faced
Temperature Range: Uncoated Plain Back, -20° to +220° F; Uncoated Adhesive Backed, +20° to +180° F; Fiberglass Faced, -297° to +220° F
Heat Flow Rate (K-factor): 0.27 Btu/hr. x in./sq. ft. @75° F
Density: 3-6 lbs./cu. ft.
Color: Uncoated, black; Fiberglass Faced, black with silver jacket
Wrap this foam insulation around ducts and large diameter pipes—it's moisture resistant and extremely flexible and soft. Insulation is made of closed-cell elastomeric Buna-N/PVC foam. Cut with a knife. Meets ASTM E84 25/50 for flame and smoke. Size is 36" x 48", unless noted.
Install plain back insulation with contact adhesive (sold separately below).
Uncoated insulation is for indoor use; can be used outdoors if coated with latex paint (sold separately below). Fiberglass-faced insulation is impregnated with aluminum for impact resistance. Use indoors and out.

Has anyone tried this material? If so, did it work well? It looks pretty cost effective.

Briansierra · 06-29-2009, 11:16 PM

As someone else above noted, backpack stoves need to be efficient. Look at the flux ring heat exchanger that JetBoil uses. Looks like a radiator on the bottom of the pot. Maybe I have one in my Delorean that will work (:

Combined with an insulated lid, and maybe that Caldera cone setup, there are some good ideas in this thread. Need to get busy and test various options.

**maztec** · 06-30-2009, 03:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Briansierra

Combined with an insulated lid, and maybe that Caldera cone setup, there are some good ideas in this thread. Need to get busy and test various options.

Read back, a lid usually isn't a good idea.