Questions About Converting Propane to Natural Gas

I have a plumber coming to split and run my NG line directly to my brewing area in my garage (well ventilated). I currently have a single-tier with two 10" banjos and a 4" hurricane. I undersand I'll need to bore out each orifice, and my first question is: which bit do I need to use to do this? Would it be easier just to by new NG orfices? If so, where can I get them?

Finally, how will my current rig work on NG? I'm assuming just fine, I just want to know if anyone else has done a similar conversion.

Williams Brewing also sells the NG orifices...

http://www.williamsbrewing.com/HURRICANE-NATURAL-GAS-CONVERSION-VALVE-P2214C87.aspx

Along with a change in orifice size you will probably need to adjust your air flow at the burner and if he is installing a regulator have him set it for proper pressure.

stoneyts said:

Along with a change in orifice size you will probably need to adjust your air flow at the burner and if he is installing a regulator have him set it for proper pressure.

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Thanks. What exactly is "proper pressure" anyway?

I believe the 10" banjo burners are designed to run on natural gas at 11" WC (water column) pressure, but you should double check on that.

BeardedIdiot said:

I believe the 10" banjo burners are designed to run on natural gas at 11" WC (water column) pressure, but you should double check on that.

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Actually, I believe I read that somewhere else too. Good looking out, man. Thanks.

So Williams Brewing sells a "low pressure" 10" burner... it looks exactly the same as my "high pressure" 10" banjo (taken of a Bayou KAB4). Is the only difference the orifice? I'm thinking about just buying the NG orifice set from Williams, I just want to make sure they'll work with my burners first. Cheers!

Brulosopher said:

So Williams Brewing sells a "low pressure" 10" burner... it looks exactly the same as my "high pressure" 10" banjo (taken of a Bayou KAB4). Is the only difference the orifice? I'm thinking about just buying the NG orifice set from Williams, I just want to make sure they'll work with my burners first. Cheers!

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It is my understanding that the burners they sell as "low pressure" are the same as the BG-14 burners in the KAB4 Bayou Classic. I purchased a KAB4 last summer, as well as one of the Williams NG orifices. I have not used it yet, but if I remember correctly the orifice did screw into the port on the KAB4 just fine. I can double check that fit tonight if you would like.

I believe the main issues are orifice size, air supply, and gas pressure when switching between LP and NG. However, I have only used propane on my KAB4, so I am not exactly an expert on the issue.

Those orifices at Williams will work just fine on the "high pressure" banjo burners. Just screw them in and attach everything to the gas line. I had a shutoff valve as a safety measure, and used the needle valves on the Williams orifices to adjust the flame. I used 200 psi air hose from Grainger as a jumper hose so that I could keep a 3/4" line diameter from my 3/4" gas pipe to the brew stand (about 12'). It has worked great for years now, is strong as can be (you can stand on it and it won't compress), and is much less expensive than the smaller diameter gas hose. Light the burners with the vent closed, then open it all the way up (at least in my experience).

So, it's all said and done! My guy came over this mining and banged it all out in about 2 hours; I had previously purchased the Williams orifices referred to earlier in this thread (thanks!). At first I was a bit surprised by how quiet it was, as I'm used to the gentle roar of high pressure LPG regulators. I threw 5.5 gallons of 60F water on the flame and it was boiling nicely within 36 minutes, which is just fine with me! The way I'm using it is as follows:

1. Turn NG valve on, keep orifice valve closed.
2. Keep air intake thingy all the way open.
3. Hold flame over burner while opening orifice valve.
4. Open orifice valve fully.

The flame is 99% blue with no soot or anything burning off. Here are some pics (I plan to take some in the dark tonight as well):

More photos of the brewery conversion:









How does my flame look, anyway?

Brulosopher said:

[...]How does my flame look, anyway?

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Looks acceptable from here. Should be plenty for the size of your pot, anyway.
If I was bound and determined to find something to tweak, I might raise the burners an inch or so, but that'd likely be gilding the lily...

Cheers!

day_trippr said:

Looks acceptable from here. Should be plenty for the size of your pot, anyway.
If I was bound and determined to find something to tweak, I might raise the burners an inch or so, but that'd likely be gilding the lily...

Cheers!

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That is exactly my plan... for next weekend

Just out of curiosity, how much did it cost you to have that pipe run from the meter? You can PM it to me if you don't want to post it here. And was it a buddy doing it on the side, or did you just hire someone to come do it?

BeardedIdiot said:

Just out of curiosity, how much did it cost you to have that pipe run from the meter? You can PM it to me if you don't want to post it here. And was it a buddy doing it on the side, or did you just hire someone to come do it?

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Found a local guy. To run about 10 feet, it cost $185 for everything. I thought it was a great deal.

Brulosopher said:

Found a local guy. To run about 10 feet, it cost $185 for everything. I thought it was a great deal.

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That's about the rate I paid. But I had 3/4" pipe run off the meter about 20' terminating in a ball valve. Cost about $400. Add a few more years to the break even formula, but I don't miss propane tanks one bit.

dcbc said:

That's about the rate I paid. But I had 3/4" pipe run off the meter about 20' terminating in a ball valve. Cost about $400. Add a few more years to the break even formula, but I don't miss propane tanks one bit.

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Yeah, mine were 3/4" that he reduced to 1/2", attached a Tee at my request, giving me control of two burners. Brewing with it for the first time this Sunday!

I'm thinking about having a gas line either run to a new wall in my laundry/furnace room, or across the house to the garage. Furnace room would be cheap, as that's the room where the gas line enters the house, but the garage is about 30' away...

I ran an additional 12--15' of hose from where my black pipe terminated to the 3/4" down to 1/2" iron pipe on the brew stand. The hose I used is 3/4" 200 psi air hose from grainger. You can stand on this stuff and it will not compress, and it's rated for much higher pressure than I'll ever see from natural gas. $50 for 25' of hose. I put a gas disconnect on one end so I could hook it up to the gas pipe easily. On the brew stand end, I clamped it onto a barbed to NPT brass fitting. It has worked like a charm for two years and counting now.

Do you need to have a vent for the NG? I see you have a window next to your brew setup. Any fume problems?

Enginebeer said:

Do you need to have a vent for the NG? I see you have a window next to your brew setup. Any fume problems?

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I would think so. Besides the window, I leave all 3 garages and the side door open for ventilation.