Best 50 gallon kettle setup?

[rushpapers]

I’m looking to bring 50 gallons of water to 190 Fahrenheit. I’d like some recommendations on a good setup.

Parameters:
1. Looking for Low cost.
2. 240v is available.
3. Only need to bring to temp. I don’t need to keep it there.
4. I plan on pumping it to a fermenter, so a high temp pump recommendation is also needed.
5. I’d like to bring it to temp in a reasonable amount of time.

Thanks.

 

[doug293cz]

It's going to depend on how much time you are willing to spend heating the water. It takes 1 BTU to raise 1 lb of water 1°F. Water weighs 8.33 lb/gal, so 50 gal weighs 50 * 8.33 = 417 lb. 60°F to 190°F is a change of 130°F, so to heat 417 lb of water 130°F requires 417 * 130 = 54,210 BTU. You will need additional heat to make up for heat lost thru the vessel walls and surface of the water. These losses will depend on how well insulated the vessel is, whether the vessel is covered or not, and whether you are inside or outside (wind, cold temps.)

Let's assume for the following calculations that you need 65,000 BTU (including losses.)

• To heat the water in 1 hour, you need 65,000 BTU/hr power input
• To heat the water in 45 min, you need 65,000 / 0.75 = 86,667 BTU/hr power input
• To heat the water in 30 min, you need 65,000 / 0.5 = 130,000 BTU/hr power input

1 BTU/hr = 0.293 W, so the above converted to watts are:

• Heat in 1 hour, 65,000 * 0.293 = 19,050 W
• Heat in 45 min, 86,667 * 0.293 = 25,394 W
• Heat in 30 min, 130,000 * 0.293 = 38,100 W

At 220 V, you would need the following current available from your electrical service:

• Heat in 1 hour, 19,050 / 220 = 87 A
• Heat in 45 min, 25,394 / 220 = 116 A
• Heat in 30 min, 38,100 / 220 = 174 A

What do you consider a "reasonable amount of time"?

Brew on

 

[rushpapers]

1 hour is reasonable.
Operations will be conducted indoors at room temperature.

 

[doug293cz]

Since you appear to be in the USA, your power is more likely to be 240V rather than 220V. You can determine your actual voltage using a voltmeter at a wall plug. If you measure a standard outlet (120V) just double the value to get what the higher voltage is. If your voltage is actually 240V you will need less current to get the powers given in my previous post.

One option would be to use 3X 5500W @ 240V rated heating elements. These elements draw 23A each at rated voltage. This would give you about 16,500W of total power, and draw 69A of total current. The NEC says you shouldn't run continuous loads at more than 80% of the branch circuit rating, so that says your branch circuit needs a minimum rating of 69 / 0.8 = 86.25A. So, you would need a 90A (closest standard circuit breaker) branch circuit, wired with 2AWG or 3AWG (depending on temp rating of wire insulation) copper - which is expensive. There are no plugs available for higher than 60A, so you would need to have everything hard wired from the service panel to the control panel. Since the control panel will be hard wired to the structure wiring, it will have to pass electrical inspection (if you skip this part, and burn something down, your insurance company will probably refuse to pay.)

16,500W is 16,500 / 0.293 = 56,300 BTU/hr, so that would be enough to heat your water in 1 hr, if you had no heat loss from your vessel. Insulating the bottom and sides of the vessel, and covering with an insulated lid, will minimize heat loss during heating, and should get you close to your 1 hr heating target.

Brew on

 

[rushpapers]

Thanks for all the info, but I was looking more for reviews on models, or experience building a dyi kettle. For instance an electric keggle—I could use two 1/2 bbl keggles.

I can wire anything, I’m not worried that.

Or, from your experience should I stay away from electric? Should I build a natural gas burner to heat and handle the weight 50 gals?

Thanks

 

[doug293cz]

I have no idea of what's available pre-built. 50 gal is above the range of the vast majority of homebrew systems.

I was assuming you were going the DIY route, so went thru some basic calculations to give you an idea of what would be required to meet your design goals if you wanted to go electric. You could certainly also go with a gas fired system.

Brew on

 

[MicroMickey]

My HB club has two kettles which hold about 60 gallons each. We do club brews of about 52 gallons 8 - 10 times a year. We use bottled gas.

 

[rushpapers]

MicroMickey, Do you believe that operation could be performed inside? In a warehouse setting?

How fast do you reach temperature? How much gas do you use?

 

[MicroMickey]

We usually brew under a carport or on a patio at someone's house. We've brewed in a parking lot. We have brewed more than once inside a warehouse. I don't have any records on how long it took to bring the lautered wort to a boil but I'd guess over an hour.
The first thing we do, of course, is get the mash water ready. While that's heating, we have lots of other chores which distract us from staring at a big pot of water.

 

[Bobby_M]

Electric is more efficient by far. You asked about 50 gallon so a pair of 1/2 BBL kegs seems a bit off topic no? Thats 31 gallons. Prebuilt would be brewbuilt, spike, Blichmann. A pair of 5500 watt elements will run on 50amps or in the case of Blichmann it would be two 30 amp circuits. Email me at [email protected] and I can quote you all three options

 

[rushpapers]

I was considering 2 Brewbuilt or Blichmann G2 Boilermaker 30 gallon kettles. (Pic below)

I could start with one and do two 25 gallon boils, and then buy a second later on.

Unlike beer brewing, I just need to get it to 190 Fahrenheit. I don’t need to hold it there.

The only addition would be a basket or false bottom and a triclamp to pump out the concentrate… don’t need a sparge arm or anything fancy.

 

[Bobby_M]

50 Gallon BrewBuilt with 3 TC ports: Two for elements and one for a drain.

The kettle is $569, the element kits are $84 each. $49 for a butterfly valve.

You'd need either two 30 amp circuits or a single 50 but I think you'd want at least a junction box to split the 50 into two separate 30 amp lines to the elements with a manual circuit breaker/switch on each since it's not a great idea to unplug these when you hit your temps.

That will take 45 gallons from 70F to 190F in 75 minutes.