Need Help With Brutus 10 Gas System conversion

I bought a Brutus 10 system thru Craig's list. Guy had built his brew system using Natural gas jet burners. I only have access to either "house" propane, which I believe from my research is 11" WC (low pressure), or of course, bottled propane.
The rack has 120v solenoid valves like these:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-2-Brass-E...533&pid=100033&prg=1011&rk=2&sd=121062388183&
These should operate at 0 to 125psi, and are controled by Love controllers.
The regulator that is installed is a Maxitol RV48L like this:
http://www.pexsupply.com/Maxitrol-RV48L-1-2-1-2-Poppet-Style-Gas-Regulator-w-Orifice-Breather-Hole
This seems to be usable with propane. ?
The burners that are installed are natural gas 23 tip jet burners. These would have to be converted to propane jets, (too expensive at around $3.50 per jet), or possible replaced with something like the BG-14 (banjo burners) for propane.
The stand has, what I think are called "standing" pilots, which are plumbed directly into the gas chamber.
Apparently, from the research I've done so far, it seems that it will be simpler to go with low pressure propane for the automation.
My questions to the gas experts here is what would be the simplest and or best way to convert this stand to propane and maintain automation with the love controllers? What must be and what should be replaced, and with what? How hard and expensive would it be to use high pressure propane and automation?
Thanks in advance for your help. I will try to add some pictures of the stand.

That regulator is set up to deliver the propane equivalent of household natural gas pressure at - and fairly high volume - to the solenoid valves - which are good down to 0 psi. And I wager every one of those 69 jets are sized for low pressure as well.

The only thing you should change is the hose feeding the regulator. Whatever that hose that's in the foreground is, it doesn't look like a high pressure hose. I suspect the easiest way to go would be to get a two-stage low pressure propane regulator to screw into a large tank, remove the existing regulator, and run a 1/2" hose from the two-stage reg to your gas beam...

Cheers!

The hose is a "gastight" 3/4" hose.
I was under the impression that natural gas jet's holes on these burners were even larger than the jets used for low pressure propane. ??
Could I hook up this 3/4" flexible gas hose to my "house" propane and get enough gas volume to power the burners, and if so, would I need to remove and or change the Maxitrol regulator?
Thanks for your help. No amount of digging around on line and reading about something like this compares to communicating with someone who knows about this stuff!!

Pm sent

According to other sources, the holes in these 69 jets will be too large for propane. Are there any other suggestions.

I bought a two stage Benzomatic regulator with POL connection from Lowes today and rigged it to the propane tank then hooked that to the 20' of gastite piping. Removed the old regulator from the brew stand. I didn't get near enough gas flow to brew with. I could get one burner to put out about a 1 to 1 1/2" inch pitiful flame OR the three pilot lights. When the solenoid opened on another burner, they all went out. Why is the flow/pressure so pathetic? The regulator is supposed to support up to 200,000 btu per hour. I would think the 3/4" gastite line wouldn't cause enough restriction to create a problem. What am I missing here?

With that much line, is it possible you triggered the regulator's flow limiting device?

I don't think POL style propane regulators have the excess flow safety valve found in ACME nut style regulators...

Cheers!

Is this the regulator? If so, the instructions say:

The two-stage regulator is also equipped with an excess flow device that will restrict gas flow in the event of a sudden increase in flow demand due to hose rupture or accidental disconnection while the regulator is in use.

Click to expand...

That's the regulator. I stopped in my local Ace hardware on my way home today and found a 2 ft. long 1/2" ID gas flex hose and fittings including another 3/4" ball valve. I'm go'na try hooking up this piping to an old propane tank I have that doesn't have the 3 leaf clover valve handle which indicates that it doesn't have the late model "float" type safety flow gismo inside. I'll turn the gas on real slow and see if I can get some decent flow rate. If this doesn't work, I'll have to try a different regulator.

BOYS AND GIRLS, MOMS AND DADS, WE HAVE IGNITION!!
We now have more than adequate gas flow. These flames are with the valves about 1/4 the way open. Full open sends up a 3 ft. high flame on all three burners at once!!

Even the late model Blue Rhino tank I have works if I turn on the ball valves slowly, in order starting from the tank to the rig. The main problem must have been the silly safety valve that diminishes the flow if the flow starts too suddenly.Seems to me like it would make much more sense for such a safety device to completely shut off the flow rather than allow some to go thru thereby confusing the hell out of the operator!

Just gotta figure out a way now to either retrofit the existing gas burners to propane size jets or replace the burners all together. I think maybe even the pilots need to be replaced (big yellow flames).

Holy cow -- that's some serious flame. Anyway, glad to hear you were able to sort out the low flow issue!

tophmck said:

Is this the regulator? If so, the instructions say:

Click to expand...

I stand corrected, I have a POL style propane regulator that warns it doesn't have an excess flow shutoff.

And the op best stop playing with fire lest his rig's paint job suffers the consequences

Cheers!

how is the piping attached to the frame?

1/2" threaded nipples used to connect to frame.
All burners have been replaced with banjo style low pressure propane burners fed from the valves with flexible gas line. Burner's are attached to stainless steel heat shields which are bolted to the frame. Results are a much cleaner, hotter and more efficient blue flame with much greater flame control. Pilot lights were also replaced.