Propane burner makes too much soot?

So I went a little overboard and got a KAB5 fryer. Well my brew kettle is only 9 gallons, roughly 14.5" in diameter.

I can only barely turn on my fryer, or I end up with flames halfway up the sides of my brewpot.

Even when only barely opened, the flames lick up a bit, and also coats my kettle with a ton of soot.

Do I need to open the air mixture more? Is this soot just because my propane/air mixture is a bit too rich?

its just a hassle because that crap sticks to everything and SWMBO looks at me like this

Thanks!

check for obsructions in the line also. but it is probably the air /gas mix

If you're getting soot, you probably do need to adjust your air/fuel mixture. Try adjusting the air mixture, looking for more of a clean, blue flame, rather than a smoky yellow one.

I don't have much specific advice for your burner, as I use a cheaper one, but I have had soot problems on occasion and adjusting the air mixture made all the difference.

Not enough O2 (air) for the amount of gas.

lean that thing out!

Cool, I'll try to lean it out. Otherwise, I'll get a keggle

well getting a keggle doesn't solve the problem that your using way to much propane. The leaner it is the hotter it is... well to a point then it goes down, but you want to get that perfect stocheometric ratio. If your getting soot the flame is running rich and cold.

The "soot" is actually unburnt propane, if you add more air you can get the same amount of heat and use less propane. this is where a good propane regulator comes in handy. It is a very important piece of equipment.

I have often wondered what the best flame is. I say blue in color, and just enough gas to have the flame under your pot and not shooting up the sides. Sometime if I have the valve open too much the pressure of the gas sounds like it is going to blow the flame out. So in short, adjust your gas regulator and the carb to get the perfect flame. - Dirk

actually a keggle would help, because its a wider diameter, so the flames wouldn't be able to shoot up the sides as easily as my narrower brew pot.

but you are right that I shouldn't jump to that as a 'solution'. i just need to dink around with my burner more on a non-brew day.

On my KAB5 I have the air inlet port wide open and I think it could still use a bit more for better efficiency. I get a little bit of black on the bottom of my pots but it's not too bad. Just make sure your air intake is wide open.

hate to be dense, but I have the soot issue also. Have the standard regulator. By adjusting air inflow do yo mean the twisty valve at the top of the regulator?

Twisty shutter type thingy where the hose attaches to the burner.

evanmars said:

Twisty shutter type thingy where the hose attaches to the burner.

Click to expand...

bingo. its a disc shaped piece with two cut-outs to adjust air. the regulator adjusts propane flow.

gotta find a happy balance between the two to get hot flame, and no soot.

malkore said:

bingo. its a disc shaped piece with two cut-outs to adjust air. the regulator adjusts propane flow.

gotta find a happy balance between the two to get hot flame, and no soot.

Click to expand...

Do you a have a pic of this, I do not seem to have this on mine.