black layer

Hi,

I have been searching for a while, and can't find anybody with this problem.

When I am using my kettle with a propane burner, Im getting black stains all over the sides and bottom, after a while the stains on to bottom are so thick that in turns into a black layer about 1/4 of an inch.
When this layer forms the wort won't even reach a boil.
I see that while the burner is on, a very light black smoke comes out of it, also its very difficult for me to reach a boil (I have to put the lid to get it to heat, take it off so it boils, put it on again when it stops boiling and so forth)

I have a few theories, but not sure.
1) I have a cheap chinese burner similar to this one. http://www.ecvv.com/product/1067963.html
2) I have heard also the gas quality is bad in my country is bad.



Nothing else comes in mind, please help!!

Tks

You're getting carbon build up from soot from the propane flame. Black soot indicates partially burned fuel caused in this case by too much fuel and not enough air, i.e. a bad fuel air ratio. You need to open up the air disk on the burner more until the flame just starts to turn blue at the tip when on high and no more soot forms. It should be an easy adjustment to make just by turning the air disk on the burner to open up the air gap some more. Loosen the screw that locks the air disk in place if necessary. Things that could make this a little harder are, one a rusted or corroded screw as most are just unplated sheet metal screws into the burner iron casting, two something blocking the inside channel of the burner. I've seen both mud wasps and spiders make their little homes in these burners either fully or partially blocking them up.

You can't get to a boil with the carbon buildup on the bottom of the pot becasue it's a really good insulator and effectively shields the pot from the heat of the flame. If you have a really heavy build up either chemically remove it with a caustic like oven cleaner or grind/sand it off. If it's not too thick just scrub it off with steel wool if your pot is aluminum or a green scrubber if it's stainless. Never use steel wool on stainless though as it can deposit iron in scratches it makes in the stainless that will later turn into rust that will ruin your stainless pot. Remember it's stain-less steel not stain-proof steel. Just search for rust and stainless elsewhere on this forum for all the details regarding this from quiet a few highly qualified metalurgists on this site.

Once you get the carbon cleaned off your pot and your air/fuel ratio setup right you shouldn't have the soot anymore. However, if you still get a little soot an old boy scout trick I've used for years for cooking on an open wood fire that always soots up a pot/pan is to rub a little liquid dish soap on the bottom of the pot before putting it on the fire. The soot will still deposit on the soap film, but as long as you don't over heat the soap coated pot, which should be nearly impossible to do with wort in it, the soot and soap just wash off with a light scrub.

BTW, if you do try the soap trick be very careful to not get any on the top or inside of the pot or anything that will contact the wort as the tiniest bit of soap in the wort will kill the head in you fermented beer.

Good luck!

starsailon,
thanks a million.
So I opened up the air wheel, and the flame became almost completely blue and the tip red, when it was closed it was almost all red and only the bottom blue.
The only issue is that the flame is pretty small now.

When I use the soap, do i put it without water correct?? So basically just the liquid soap without bubbles..

jprag said:

The only issue is that the flame is pretty small now.

Click to expand...

Yes, but hotter and more efficient!!

jprag said:

starsailon,
thanks a million.
So I opened up the air wheel, and the flame became almost completely blue and the tip red, when it was closed it was almost all red and only the bottom blue.
The only issue is that the flame is pretty small now.

When I use the soap, do i put it without water correct?? So basically just the liquid soap without bubbles..

Click to expand...

Good! I'm glad it was that easy and not something stubborn to move or remove.

A small flame isn't bad if it's blue. It just means that all the fuel is burning quickly instead of taking a long time (and distance) to burn up all the fuel. Small and blue means hotter too. If you've ever seen a Oxy-Acetylene torch with and without the oxygen turned on you'll see exactly what you describe, a long redish orange cool sooty flame without the oxygen and a short bright blue almost white hot flame with not soot once the oxygen is turned on.

With a hot blue flame like that you shouldn't have any soot as the fuel is getting completely burned up. However, if you still choose to try out the soap thing just a very thin coat of straight dish soap is all you need. I'd just put a drop or twon in the palm my hand and rub it on the parts of the pot that have been sooty until it's dry but soap coated. Then a splash of water is all you need to wash your hands, but leave the pot dry.

got it...blue good red bad...I always though it was the other way around...

Im brewing next week....will let you know if If i make another disaster and ruin another set of clothes... (Additionally of everything being a mess, about 10 floor tiles inflated and broke from the heat, teaches me to brew over fancy floors.)

Thanks again

Floor tiles???

I hope you're not running this kind of burner inside a building. The amount of carbon monoxide these propane burners generate is deadly. You could easily pass out or worse if running a burner in a confined poorly ventilated space. Please be safe and only run the burner in a properly ventilated outdoor space.

If you have a tiled floor outside and are damaging it with the radiant heat from the burner then fine. I guess the tiles are just an expensive lesson learned and you need to move it off the tiled surface or build some kind of heat shield.

Good luck!

no no no,, Im relatively new at not brewing at the stove, however not suicidal....

I live in an apartment, with (I dont know how you call it in english), a common area??? Where the pool and stuff is.... and the accident was done while I was doing a "bbq" luckally no neighbors ever come down...

jprag said:

no no no,, Im relatively new at not brewing at the stove, however not suicidal....

I live in an apartment, with (I dont know how you call it in english), a common area??? Where the pool and stuff is.... and the accident was done while I was doing a "bbq" luckally no neighbors ever come down...

Click to expand...

No worries. I was just concerned for your safety that's all.

The part of the apartment complex you describe is called the same thing in english. I'm jealous that you have such weather and a nice pool area, except for the few burned tiles, that you can brew in. The daily temp is about 20-30 F around here this time of year, making for a cold brew day hovering over the boil pot, but then again we can make lagers pretty easily.

thanks I appreciate it!! always better safe than sorry..

yeap.I know how it is, I lived in Indiana, after the 6th year I said to myself, I have to go back (Exibit A, image attached),

Its 80-85 all year long here...no seasons...(only rainy and dry), I have a nice crisp honey ale in the keg perfect for the beach this weekend..!

if an escape for the 20f is needed, im always a good tour guide...(with the condition of many tips and tricks on brewing hahahah), its hard been the only homebrewer, thank god for internet and this forum...

....

OK jprag... including that picture was just rubbing it in!

hahaha yeah sorry...probably a bit to much!