Regarding BG14 efficiency.

[mitchard]

So I recently picked up a KAB6 Banjo Burner when they hit those all time low prices on Amazon a few months back.

I have been less than impressed with the overall efficiency when it comes to propane use with my boil keggle, which came as no surprise based off of other reviews. Taking the advice of just about everyone online, I built an additional wind/heat shield, which extends up to the bottom of the keggle, as pictured below (with the open side since covered). Still, not really happy with the usage, still using about 3/4 of a propane tank with each 10 gallon batch (Go natural gas... I know. It'll happen eventually).

Even with the flame to a good level and the regulator down almost all the way, a LOT of gas is still being wasted from what I can tell.

I have seen that the Blichmann Floor Burners are a BG14 running off a 0-10 PSI regulator, and people seem to love them compared to the KAB4/KAB6, fuel efficiency wise especially. Is there anything to take into consideration before swapping the 30 PSI regulator out for a 0-10 regulator? If any of you have tried this, were any other orifices or adapters needed? I was looking an the Bayou 0-10 PSI regulators at Lowe's earlier tonight, and the BG14 wasn't listed on the packaging as a supported burner.

 

[day_trippr]

Have you ever run the burner without the shrouding?

With your kettle sitting on that shrouding there's very little area for exhaust.
A good rule of thumb is to provide twice the area for exhaust egress as you have for make-up air, and what you have there is woefully short. That can't be helping efficiency.

Also, my Blichmann burners have the kettle bottoms 2-3/4" above the burner tips. With height of that shroud/pot rest, your setup looks closer to 4", maybe more. I suspect that's not helping efficiency, either.

Changing out the 0-30 reg with a 0-10 isn't going to solve any of the above. Or anything else, for that matter.
Either reg will run down to 0, so what's to be gained?

Cheers!

 

[Paps]

Electric is your best bet on efficiency.
Plus you wont have to brew outside in the snow.

 

[day_trippr]

Thread drift?

fwiw, I run my propane rig indoors in inclement weather - like this past weekend, when the snow was piling up in the drive while I brewed up a massive stout.

nbd...

Cheers!

 

[mitchard]

I have run it without the shroud, and it wasn't any better. Unfortunately, there isn't much I can do when it comes to decreasing the space between the burner and the bottom of the keg, which definitely is the best solution. Well, until I get a proper stand built at least.

 

[BSD_Glass]

I have run it without the shroud, and it wasn't any better. Unfortunately, there isn't much I can do when it comes to decreasing the space between the burner and the bottom of the keg, which definitely is the best solution. Well, until I get a proper stand built at least.

Why not? It looks like you have your added heat shield attached with the burner mounting screws/bolts. Drill new holes, in line with your old holes, higher up in the original heat shield. Move the burner up. leave your new heat shield in place.

It is just mild steel. Don't be afraid to modify it. You can always put the burner back in the original mounts if you don't like it.

BSD

 

[mitchard]

Why not? It looks like you have your added heat shield attached with the burner mounting screws/bolts. Drill new holes, in line with your old holes, higher up in the original heat shield. Move the burner up. leave your new heat shield in place.

The burner's "stem" protrudes out of the the original shield. I'd have to cut a 4+ inch circle out of the housing, which I don't really have the tools for.

 

[BSD_Glass]

fair enough. My bad.

BSD

 

[mobilecabinworks]

Yeah I have the same burner. It needs to be within the 2.5" range. That is a deign flaw of the burner stand. I noticed looking around some of the other Bayou burners had them mounted further up. Probably why these ones got liquidated on Amazon at the price we got them for. The burner works great, the stand is crap. Time to build that burner into a new brew stand!

 

[mobilecabinworks]

Here's how I remounted my heat shield. Notice the exhaust port at the back of the shroud.

 

[mitchard]

Update: Crisis averted. Had a stand built. My wife was working for a steel fabrication shop, who ended up doing this at cost of materials. $150 for a stand? I'll take it. Now I just have to paint and plumb it.

 

[day_trippr]

Nice looking stand - but there's a bug: if your kettles completely cover the wind-screened spaces above the burners the exhaust path will be occluded resulting in poor performance.

What many do is to add short sections of bar steel acting as pot rests to elevate the kettle above the frame and provide a way for exhaust to exit freely...

Cheers!

 

[mitchard]

Nice looking stand - but there's a bug: if your kettles completely cover the wind-screened spaces above the burners the exhaust path will be occluded resulting in poor performance.

What many do is to add short sections of bar steel acting as pot rests to elevate the kettle above the frame and provide a way for exhaust to exit freely...

Cheers!

Yeah, I saw that issue coming from the person who created the plans I found online. I'm using keggles now, which seem to be fine since there is a gap for escape. If I switch to larger pots, i'll have to follow his steps.

https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/forum/index.php?topic=14240.msg181008#msg181008