1.5 BBL direct fired build

Any updates on this?

HellBentBrewCo said:

Any updates on this?

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Yes! Sorry, I tend to neglect my own posts sometimes.

Here's a link to what I just posted this morning.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/need-help-burner-plumbing-318572/

more pics.

Bsquared said:

Please post what you think of these. They are up In LA, so I've been thinking of picking up 2 and saving on shipping.

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The 45gal pots are decent quality but are not nearly as robust as the 26gal from MoreBeer.

When I tried to weld a tri-clamp ferrule on the pot, the heat caused the stainless to deform quite badly. If you know a skilled welder who is used to working in lightweight ss you'll probably be fine.

I'm switching over to silver solder/dimple method for the pots. I'm still waiting on my liquid flux order (Sear takes forever). Once I have it I'll finish the soldering and take some photos.

One obvious option is to use weldless fittings. That's was my backup until I started experimenting with the silver solder/dimple method.

Also- the bottom of the pot is the same thickness as the sides. It is not a sandwich design like some pots. My guess is that the bottom is going to get crazy hot. Maybe too hot for the silver solder even if there's fluid in the pot. I'll experiment and report back. My planned use for the 45gal pot is as a HLT. Maybe my peak temps will be lower than if I was using it a a BK. ??

Brew On!

I've been working this 1.5bbl system(pictures above), and I've finally got all the plumbing done, valves hooked up, and ready to go... or so I thought.

It's a single tier, 3 burner system, with the HLT and mash tun controlled with honeywell valves. Here's the setup from tank to burner.
A 500K btu inlet fitting on my 20lb cylinder. http://www.tejassmokers.com/images/IMG_1194.JPG That is connected to a non-adjustable regulator that is set to 0.4psi and has a capacity of 140K BTU. Then a Brasscraft 24" furnace/boiler gas line. It has a BTU capacity of 130K BTU and is 1/2" ID, I believe. I've got this connected to my main gas line on the rig, which is a 3/4" iron gas pipe. This is where I have 3 branches, one going to each burner. For the valve controlled burners, there is a T that reduces to 3/8" coming off the main line. Then a reducer to 1/4" pipe. This goes into a fixed pressure regulator with 0.5psi output and a 200K btu capacity. This goes directly into the honeywell valve
http://customer.honeywell.com/honeywell/ProductInfo.aspx/VR8200A2132 . It doesn't say it on the sight, but the valve has a max capacity of 200K btu, by adjusting the pressure regulator on the valve. It says this on the box it came in. The outlet (1/2") goes to a 1/2" needle valve, then to the burner. The burner is http://www.tejassmokers.com/newproducts_page6.htm , the 20 jet 200k btu version.

I realize I'm not going to get the 200K btu I want with the gas hose and regulator I've got attached to the cylinder. I just put those on to check for leaks and test out the valves. The burner that isn't controlled by a honeywell valve works fine. It's just 1/2" pipe all the way from the main gas line with a 1/2" needle valve. I think it probably gets somewhere a bit over 100k btu. The valve controlled burners are horrible. Nowhere near enough gas flow. Very lazy yellow flame that I don't think even gets up to 50k btu. Here's a couple problems I've had with the valves. I've turned the pressure regulator screw in the valve all the way up, and it had absolutely no affect. I turned it down, and still no affect. Both burners do this same thing. Also, the pilot light (Q314A model) flames won't adjust either! I turned the pilot light adjustment screw both ways, with no affect. The problem with this is that one of the pilots is wayy to hot, and makes the thermocouple glow bright red.

When I have all 3 burners going at once, they still do exactly as what I described. They don't seem to be diminished at all, even though all 3 are going... the valve controlled flames are still very weak.

Is it the regulator or hose on my cylinder, or the gas valves?

So frustrating!!!!!!!!

Sorry there isn't any pictures. I can't get my picture uploader to work.

Thanks for any and all help. I'll post back with pics if I can get my computer to work correctly.

Rtockst- my first impression from looking at your design was that you were going to have problems with the feeds with dual regulators. I first designed my single tier system in a similar way and the burner performance was terrible. Once I removed the regulator on the valve line my problems went away. Since you control the individual burners with the needle valves the extra regulator shouldn't be needed. This may be why your direct feed line runs fine.

Also, my 30psi regulator at the tank is sensitive. I always have to remember to turn back the pressure when first pressurizing the system. Once everything is lit, I can dial up the psi and crank the BTUs.

I would also have the needle valves closed when pressurizing the system.

Brew on!

Lose the regulator before the honeywell valves, then replace the stainless spring the Red spring in the valve pressure control regulator, which should have shipped with the valve and be found in a small bag. The pilots with the yellow flame are equipped with the NG orifice, should be a LP orifice in the bag that the pilot burner came in, 2 wrenches and 5 minutes to change.

Aren't those burners along way form the bottom of the pots?

Ditto the question about the burners being far from bottom of kettles

how's the build going?