Brutus Build Help

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

rtrevino

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 29, 2008
Messages
343
Reaction score
4
Location
San Antonio
I'm working on my Brutus style system and I'm trying to Figure out my gas system needs. I have banjo burners and since they have 3/8" flare fittings I was thinking that I could just run 3/8" lines from my gas manifold to each burner. Any thoughts or experience doing this!

Also, I have a 0-30 psi regulator with a 1/4" line from the regulator to the output. I'm thinking that the 1/4" may not be able to supply the volume of LPG if all 3 burners are in operation. Any thoughts or experience doing this?

Ive been debating going with Honeywell solenoids with auto pilots or Asco solenoids and I may just go with Asco valves and a pilot system like Lonnies or a honeywell pilot and incorporate this with an Asco. I know the thoughts of having an auto pilot incase the pilots blows out, but I brew in my garage and the highest wind speed isnprobably .5 mph. Any thoughts or experience doing this?

I'll get some pics up of my build along with some thermal imaging pictures I took so that I could see the heat transfer throughout the stand.
 
Gas supply is easy. Figure out what size your burner supply connection is and use that for all of your piping. Just make sure you have a 3/8" SAE Gas Swivel Flare Connector as this is what your propane hose will connect to. You might need to have a reducer coupling to match the propane input to your device. Also it is best to use a set-able high pressure regulator even if you have LP burners as you can regulate the pressure yourself. Also you will need this ability to be able to obtain high btu's and a low pressure regulator will fail to impress you.
 
It's pretty simple after you look back at it all. A picture is worth a thousand words. 1/2 black pipe, 4 tee's, 1 90 elbow, yellow teflon gas tape for threads, flare tool to flare copper pipe for pilot (if thats what you want). Yellow gas flex hose to connect to burners, 5 gas ball valves, 2 -120 volt gas solenoid valves, 0-30 psi regulator (for high pressure banjos). 2- love controllers on your control box. I used copper as the wiring conduit for the solenoid valves and 1/2 electrical conduit hangers to mount it to the frame. I like it low and well below the heat area. I hope this helps.
Snake10

gas2.jpg
 
Why would you need to run all three burners at the same time?

That said, you can run a 1/2" rail the reduces down to 1/4" for each burner and that's going to supply plenty of gas and I think you'll find it will make plumbing a lot easier as most of the gas valves, solenoids, etc. are 1/4".
 
You don't run all 3 burners at the same time. Mostly 2 are running at any one time. The solenoid valves are opened/closed via the commands from the love temp controller. While the mash is going on, you may be heating sparge water. Once the mash is done, sparge produces about 3 gallons in the boil kettle,the boil kettle is fired up. Once the sparge is complete, the HLT an Mash tun are shut down completely. 1/2 fits everything and is readily available. I haven't looked into 1/4 inch. I would like to see a brutus using 1/4 soleniods or even 3/8 solenoids. That would probably bring down the cost. Has anybody done this? The valves are easy to find.
Snake10
 
For less than the cost of new "ASCO" solenoids you can purchase the low pressure Honeywell standing pilot furnace valves and pilots. This lets you do safe automation later without having to add ignition components. The conversion of the burners to low pressure is accomplished with a 3/32" drill bit and a low pressure propane regulator.
 
For less than the cost of new "ASCO" solenoids you can purchase the low pressure Honeywell standing pilot furnace valves and pilots. This lets you do safe automation later without having to add ignition components. The conversion of the burners to low pressure is accomplished with a 3/32" drill bit and a low pressure propane regulator.

With low pressure, aren't you working with fewer btus?
 
L-man,
Sorry for the typo. I meant 110 volt valves. I got on eBay and searched for stc valves. They were 40 bucks each. Guys are now using the valves from valves4projects.com. I used , 1/2 inch ,110 volt. Search ebay.
Snake10
 
I was also looking at these Solenoid's for controlling the burners, they are really lower in price compared to the ASCO Red Hats. I look over the internet for info about this company, the only thing I have found is that you can only purchase them through e-bay. (That could be a good thing or a bad thing). Has anyone used these?:confused:
 
I was also looking at these Solenoid's for controlling the burners, they are really lower in price compared to the ASCO Red Hats. I look over the internet for info about this company, the only thing I have found is that you can only purchase them through e-bay. (That could be a good thing or a bad thing). Has anyone used these?:confused:

The valves4projects company is reputable and they sell quality valves. I use their 3/8" gas solenoid valves and it has been working flawlessly for a very long time. The price was right too. IIRC, the valves are American made and the company is in San Diego.
 
The valves4projects company is reputable and they sell quality valves. I use their 3/8" gas solenoid valves and it has been working flawlessly for a very long time. The price was right too. IIRC, the valves are American made and the company is in San Diego.

The valves4projects are American made? If so, I'm in! I'd rather give me hard earned American dollars to someone in our country.
 
Catt22,
Are you using the 3/8 valves for high pressure burners? (banjos). Like I said above, I currently use 1/2 inch but it would be neat to clean up a build by going with a smaller size.
Snake10
 
Awsome! Thanks for the info guys I guess it pays to ask a question and not try to figure everything out yourself! Im gunna go with the local company also, the shipping makes up the differance anyhow!
 
777,
I looked at your gallery. Nice equipment! You fixin to build a stand? Looked like to me thats the only piece of equipment missing. Awesome keezer by the way!
Snake10
 
Catt22,
Are you using the 3/8 valves for high pressure burners? (banjos). Like I said above, I currently use 1/2 inch but it would be neat to clean up a build by going with a smaller size.
Snake10

No. I'm using the valve on a low pressure 6" ring burner that heats the MT on my direct fired RIMS. I don't have a "rig" per se. The setup is basically just two free standing burners and an electrically heated HLT using a single pump. I operate the gas valve (110v) with a Johnson digital controller. The HLT is heated using a bucket heater. I operate the boil kettle burner (SQ-14) manually. The MT doesn't need a huge powerful burner. I've found that easy does it on the MT direct firing.

I agree that it would be cool to reduce the pipe size for the gas supply. I would think that even very small 1/4" pipe could be used. All brass 1/4" pipe, valves and fittings would look pretty neat and it might actually be doable.
 
The valves4projects are American made? If so, I'm in! I'd rather give me hard earned American dollars to someone in our country.

I think so, but I'm not absolutely certain. The valve I bought did not have "Made in China" markings anywhere on it or the packaging it came in. You could easily give them a call to verify where the valves are made.
 
OK kinda on the same subject,... Burners. I found these, for an incredible price. What are your thoughts on these: http://www.topfoodservice.com/Merch...ECABJ005&Category_Code=KECABJ&Product_Count=4 The only concerns that I have with these are the BTU output of 175,000 and the pipe size orifice. This site does not have the NPT size listed, I am assuming its probably 1/4, 3/8 or maybe 1/2.
Has anyone purchased or seen these before, if so thoughts on them.
 
D,
I would stay away from those, everyone reports they are a PITA. The tips always need adjusting and if you hit one it might break off. The wind bothers them in a big way. They look cool but are a pain. Go with Banjo's. I have the 10.5 inch ones. Some people go with the 6 inch ones. I could get away with 2 big ones (boil and HLT) and one small one (mash). I have learned to adjust my big banjo flame down to a simmer on my mash tun during mash recirculation. I love them, they just work!
As far as NPT, it doesn't matter because you will be attaching flex hose, or whatever piping andsize npt you need. I used 1/2 inch then pieced together the bits with whatever it took. To my surprise it wasn't much. Take a closer look at the above picture.
Snake10
 
D,
sent you a PM. Don't weld angles just yet. I have an idea to show you first. As for the burners I searched the web. Amazon popped positive for 40 dollars + free shipping from some cajun company. 40 is the going rate.
Snake10
 
Well Im still working on my Brutus and now I'm having a he'll of time getting the gas beam to be 100% air tight. Did anyone else have any issues here and if so, did you leave some pin holes or were you successful in getting it completely sealed?
 
Back
Top