BG-14 Burner Problems with Half Tank--and propane questions

Im looking into building a single tier stand with two burners and one pump. The MT will just be a cooler and Im not advanced enought to go to HERMS/RIMS (maybe in the future).

I decided on the BG-14 based on reviews, but was reading some more on it and some state that it doesnt work when the propane tank is half full or less. Even one guy said his didnt work at 3/4 full, but went and got his neighbors full one and it worked fine.

Anyone else have this problem?

Also, what all do I need to run two burners off one tank? I was looking at this 30psi regulator:http://www.midwestsupplies.com/regulator-kit-for-banjo-burner.html

Can someone please do a flow diagram from Propane tank to burner? Im trying to learn and have searched a TON, but it seems that all the posts require some basic knowledge I dont have. So far this is all I got:

Tank-->30 PSI Reg-->?-->?-->?-->orifice-->Burner

Im sure there are some T-connections, various fittings, valves in there somewhere.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

I use the same burner, but a different regulator. I have had no issues using the burner with half or a near empty tank. My flow is setup like this: Tank > High Pressure Regulator > 1/2 black pipe from HD > 1/2 gas ball valve > Orifice > Burner..

I have no issues using the ball valve to control the burner, but some recommend using a needle valve to get more precise burner control. Once you have it all setup you have to adjust everything to make sure you get a good blue burner. That's were some people have issues, they don't have it burning properly.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/yet-another-brew-stand-build-327473/index2.html

My guess would be the person with the tank issues was actually replacing a near-frozen tank with a warm tank and thought it was a fuel level problem.

What can happen if you're drawing propane at a high rate is the temperature inside the tank drops so much that the evaporative pressure falls too low to keep the burners powered up.

Replace the chilly tank with a warm one, et voila! Problem solved. But it has nothing to do with how much fuel is still in the tank, as no matter how much liquid propane remains in a tank, at any given fuel temperature the vapor pressure in the head space will be the same...

Cheers!

Rinse the outside of the tank with water should warm it up some and might help with flow issues.

I have a Blichmann burner and my propane tank would freeze up on the outside and the gas flow would slow to a trickle. It definitely wouldn't maintain a boil.

I solved the problem by putting the tank in a Rubbermaid tote and putting about 5-6" of water in it. No more freezing up and you can use the tank until it's totally empty with no slow down at all.

Don't leave the tank in the water when your not using it or else it will peel the paint and start to rust !!

foos-n-brew said:

I have a Blichmann burner and my propane tank would freeze up on the outside and the gas flow would slow to a trickle. It definitely wouldn't maintain a boil.

I solved the problem by putting the tank in a Rubbermaid tote and putting about 5-6" of water in it. No more freezing up and you can use the tank until it's totally empty with no slow down at all.

Don't leave the tank in the water when your not using it or else it will peel the paint and start to rust !!

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I too have this problem. I run twin BG-14 and will get freeze up under 1/2 tank. The rubbermaid tote works great and so does a larger propane tank. I'm in winter project mode and going electric. The BG-14s would suck down 3/4 of a bottle for a AG brew with 90 minute boil. That's like $15 worth of propane. I calculated electric use at $1.40 per session.

garbageman said:

I too have this problem. I run twin BG-14 and will get freeze up under 1/2 tank. The rubbermaid tote works great and so does a larger propane tank. I'm in winter project mode and going electric. The BG-14s would suck down 3/4 of a bottle for a AG brew with 90 minute boil. That's like $15 worth of propane. I calculated electric use at $1.40 per session.

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ANy reason why you would be getting that kind of propane use? Ive been reading about people getting 3-4 (sometimes more) brews out of their tank.

Ive attached a diagram (dont laugh). Am I on the right track? Anything missing?

The black line in the diagram represent 1/2" pipe.

Im seeting up the cap on the MT in case I want to go RIMS/HERMS later.

View attachment Propane Diagram.PDF

Wrt your drawing, that would work fine, though if you insist on having that third valve I'd change it to a ball valve. No need or advantage to having a multi-turn valve at that location...

Cheers!

I have a bayou classic KAB6 (basically the same burner). In summer it will work just fine all the way to the end of the tank. In winter the tank may freeze up a bit but you can put it in warm water like others have said. Or just simply give it a shake and the flame will pop back up again.

maida7 said:

I have a bayou classic KAB6 (basically the same burner). In summer it will work just fine all the way to the end of the tank. In winter the tank may freeze up a bit but you can put it in warm water like others have said. Or just simply give it a shake and the flame will pop back up again.

Click to expand...

How efficient is your burner? The guy a few posts up says his isn't at all.

I used to have freezing issues with propane before I built a heat shield for my kettle. But I still will float the propane tank in a few inches of warm water if I boil in cold temps to keep the flow consistent. It seems to help.

ParanoidAndroid said:

How efficient is your burner? The guy a few posts up says his isn't at all.

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I also have a SQ14 and I've owned an SP1 in the past. They all burn propane and propane used = heat. The more propane you burn the more heat you make. None of the propane doesn't get burnt. So from that stand point all burners are basically the same efficiency.

but...

if you crank up the burner (any burner) most of the extra heat goes up the sides of the pot and escapes into the universe. So burners that can make huge flames like the SP1 and the KAB6 become less efficient as you crank them up. At full power probably more then 50% of the heat is not making it into the pot. In this respect the SQ14 is more efficient at full power because it simple makes less heat and has a smaller flame. Understand?

But...

Just run the KAB6 on a lower flame and it's just as efficient as any burner. The valve it comes with allows very precise control of the flame. And if you're in a hurry and don't mind wasting some gas, you can crank up the power and heat the pot fast as well as everything in the general vicinity of the burner.

If you really want to be efficient look at aluminum pots that transfer heat better then stainless. Or a different technology like Induction or electric heat. With induction or electric ALL the heat is transferred to the pot.

Your diagram is a bit overcomplicated from my point of view. What's the purpose of the unions? Just get black pipe cut and threaded to fit, can be done at HD and Lowes. Likewise, you could probably drop the BIP between the T's/elbows and just thread the valve right into the T/elbow. (Unless you're trying to gain height, which would be a valid reason.) From the valve, you probably can go flex-hose to the burner, it'll be easier than trying to hard pipe it. Remember, the more threads and junctions, the more potential for leaks and efforts to prevent leaks.

Having an output on your manifold for a MLT is smart, but could be done relatively easily later as well if and when the time comes. You probably also don't need a master valve, unless you really want one - either your tank valve or regulator valve (if present) can function as a master valve.

It's probably likely that the orifice you use won't be IP threaded, more likely flare thread. So, you'll either need a hose with an MIP/FIP on one end with flare on the other, or an adapter with a flare/flare hose. Tejas smokers should have everything you need (either route), but you might also be able to find what you need locally.

Hope that helps! I look forward to seeing your build when you get it off the ground!

What is your distance from the burner to pot?

This my flame . It is 5 1/2 inch away from pot is that too far away