Briansierra
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- Sep 24, 2008
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Yes, I know about DME, but I do use the lid on the HLT and getting the wort up to a boil.
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.
So has anyone come up with a simple solution for a gas range? Frax blanket is a great insulator but I'd rather not deal with it, it's not very durable and the fibers probably aren't great for your lungs.
I'm thinking that welders' blankets look pretty good. Where might I find one of those? There's a welding shop nearby (never been inside), are they likely to carry those?
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.
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.
Has anyone tried this material? If so, did it work well? It looks pretty cost effective.
Fire proof blankets are made from either fiberglass or silica and I cant imagine either would be good for you if injested
Very interesting thread. I'm waiting on a new kettle to start doing full boil on my electric stove, so I'm doing a lot of thinking about how I'm gonna get that nice full boil going.
Mcmaster-Carr actually has a pretty nice side-by-side for the various types of thermal insulation they offer (http://www.mcmaster.com/#about-thermal-insulation/=5wsurf), which covers most of the main types I'm aware of except proprietary stuff.
Personally, I'm considering melamine foam; R-value of 3.8 at an inch (as compared to 3.1 for doubled-up foil bubble wrap), good to 350F, from what I've read elsewhere it's highly flame resistant, and it's not terribly expensive. Open cell, but given it's usually used as a cleaning product I can't imagine it would be that difficult to clean out if need be. I'm currently waiting on them to send me the MSDS on it, so I should know for certain soon, but I haven't read anything yet indicating it releases anything into the air either.
One thing I would like to mention, though. A lot of people on this thread are talking about reflective-coated materials for reflecting radiant heat. Those sorts of facings are only useful if there is a gap of airspace between the heat source and the insulation; if the insulation is wrapped tight on the kettle, reflecting radiant heat just isn't going to happen because reflective barriers are highly heat conductive with direct contact. It still works with the bubble wrap because it's faced on both sides, but anything without open airspace on the inside won't be helped by that sort of facing.
11 pages and no consensus.
Has anyone solved this problem yet?
I installed a new 240v 30A power drop and installed a water heater element in my pot. Problem solved!
:\ aka: I don't think it's worth the agony to try and do it this way. It is better to just find a different way to heat.
A lot of the folks who brew on the stove top are apartment dwellers. I don't think installing a 240V drop is an option for most. Insulation goes a long way to helping, as does using a heat stick.
I have seen rigs done with 120V, not just 240V. You can also do two 120V lines - or a 120V and a heat stick. Or use an existing 240V (dryer, stove) line while brewing .
Sorry to revive an older thread, but is there a definitive good solution for this idea? Most of the links are sadly dead now.
The insulation arrived from Home Despot: it seems to be cotton-backed foil, not any magical NASA stuff. I'll probably try it anyway on my gas stove next time I brew. I think if I start it a couple of inches from the bottom of the pot and protect the edge with foil tape, it should be OK barring a sustained boil-over and flareup.
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