Boil kettle condenser - no overhead ventilation needed

[stamandster]

That looks good, wait to hear how well it works, suggest you put a bigger other hole in the lid for hopping, stirring, peeking as brewbuzzard did on pg 43 or as my picture on my lid. That's the top of a preserving jar, the rubber bit makes a nice seal.
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Thanks for the tip! https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/spike-steam-lid-used-on-65l-brewzilla.689178/post-9070523

 

[dmitch21]

Just did my 1st brew with the SS setup. My setup is 15g Spike BK ,10g round cooler MT. I have the SS mounted on my lid, to a 2" tee. SO Nice! I went from 1.35g/hr boiloff to 0.5g/hr. I'm using a 6gph tip, water temp 70*f, condensate temp 120*f. I have my water pressure reduced to 45psi. May switch to a 4gph tip. The best thing was it didn't rain on me in my basement. The humidity did go from 40% to 50%, with open mash and whirlpool, IC cooling. As of right now I missed my mark by 3 points, which for a first time isn't bad, Gonna dial it in over the next couple of brews

 

[tracer bullet]

Nice that you got close. I did some test runs with just water to get my boil off rates figured out. It also made me feel better about the system having previously read scattered horror stories.

 

[dmitch21]

Nice that you got close. I did some test runs with just water to get my boil off rates figured out. It also made me feel better about the system having previously read scattered horror stories.

I did a water run first, but yeah to get that close on a first run. I herad the horror stories but I really had no other viable choice.

 

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horror stories

My Anvil lid has a small hole in it, 1/2" diameter, for the recirculation pipe. I leave this open, and somewhat guarantee I can't have it implode or do anything else too crazy. Worst case scenario I can think of is the sprayer manages to stop spraying and then a lot of steam or worst case wort comes out. But I've usually got a lot of head room in the Anvil so probably not the latter. Might be something to consider if you haven't already.

 

[NoCornOrRice]

I'm curious RE instrument tee vs regular tee for the steam condenser. If I use the former, I have to mount the condenser lower on the side of the pot due to clearance with the lid. Not really a big deal as its 40g and I do 25g batches, but wondering on this before put a hole in the kettle. Thx.

 

[DuncB]

My condenser on lid so can't help with that dilemma.

 

[Brewbuzzard]

I'm curious RE instrument tee vs regular tee for the steam condenser. If I use the former, I have to mount the condenser lower on the side of the pot due to clearance with the lid. Not really a big deal as its 40g and I do 25g batches, but wondering on this before put a hole in the kettle. Thx.

Why don't you mount it on the lid? I have a steam slayer and everything works great.

 

[Tartan1]

I'm curious RE instrument tee vs regular tee for the steam condenser. If I use the former, I have to mount the condenser lower on the side of the pot due to clearance with the lid. Not really a big deal as its 40g and I do 25g batches, but wondering on this before put a hole in the kettle

I use an instrument Tee for my condenser. I have a "Stout" 15G boil kettle and worked out fine because it came with a Triclamp port at the top meant for a sight glass. The top of the Tee when fitted is about 1/2" below the rim of the kettle and there is no interference with the lid.

 

[ClaudiusB]

I never felt the need for a brew kettle condenser for my setup. The steam gets exhausted to the outside, and a condensate trap prevents a backflow. The system has worked well for me for over 30 years.

 

[NoCornOrRice]

@ClaudiusB, that is a work of art. Wow.
@Brewbuzzard, the lid mount is an option too.

I used to do a lid mounted TC pipe on another kettle with a direct vent outside, but I moved to a different house and don't have a window near the brewing area now.

 

[doug293cz]

I never felt the need for a brew kettle condenser for my setup. The steam gets exhausted to the outside, and a condensate trap prevents a backflow. The system has worked well for me for over 30 years.

Yup, definitely simpler than a steam condenser.

Brew on

 

[Brewbuzzard]

I started to go the vent hood way but it was expensive and required modifications to my brew shed. With the Steam Slayer I don't worry about a boil over and I get more beer. Just adjust the grain bill. It does waste more water though.

 

[Zenmeister]

Here is mine... Side mounted Steam Slayer on my Spike kettle. I've had this for about five years, and never any issues. Also, I have posted a link to it in operation on my you tube channel.

 

[RocketBrewer]

Why don't you mount it on the lid? I have a steam slayer and everything works great.

I've had kettles that used both ways, and I'll take a wall mounted condenser over a lid mounted one every time. The lid mount makes the lid heavy and awkward and required clamps to keep the lid in contact all the way around since the weight of the condenser hanging over the edge made the lid want to rise a little to the opposite side. It also makes hop and other additions to the kettle much more challenging. Sidewall mounted doesn't interfere at all, and actually gets slightly better evaporation rate (though that could also be attributed to a different kettle shape). These are just my experience and 2 cents worth in case it helps someone make a decision. Both methods worked great, it's just my strong preference to have it in the side of the kettle.

 

[WI_Wino]

I am also a Kettle mounted steam condenser fan.

Regarding complexity, it's pretty simple and easier than wiring up an electric brewing rig. Also I can brew in my basement with 0 extra holes in the side of my house.

 

[rgteich]

I’ve got a steam slayer but still getting a noticeable amount of humidity rise in the house. (I brew in my basement). My input water is about 55-60f Minnesota well water. My out put temp I don’t have off hand but less than 100f if I remember the last time I checked. I’ve got a slight curve in my output line and then it lays flat in the bottom of the sink where it points at the drain. This might be my problem now that I think about it more as I’m typing this.

Thoughts? Anyone having/had similar issues?

 

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I’ve got a steam slayer but still getting a noticeable amount of humidity rise in the house. (I brew in my basement). My input water is about 55-60f Minnesota well water. My out put temp I don’t have off hand but less than 100f if I remember the last time I checked. I’ve got a slight curve in my output line and then it lays flat in the bottom of the sink where it points at the drain. This might be my problem now that I think about it more as I’m typing this.

Thoughts? Anyone having/had similar issues?

I cover mine with a small pitcher. It steams up inside so it might be doing something helpful in that regard.

Generically speaking the less hot water exposed to the ambient the better. Lengthen that tube a bit, make it point down into the drain, lay a towel over it, something along those lines?

 

[rgteich]

Here is a picture. I’m not sure if the steam is coming out the output tube or the lid. I’ll play around with your suggestions next brew day to try and figure it out more.

 

[rkhanso]

I’ve got a steam slayer but still getting a noticeable amount of humidity rise in the house. (I brew in my basement). My input water is about 55-60f Minnesota well water. My out put temp I don’t have off hand but less than 100f if I remember the last time I checked. I’ve got a slight curve in my output line and then it lays flat in the bottom of the sink where it points at the drain. This might be my problem now that I think about it more as I’m typing this.

Thoughts? Anyone having/had similar issues?

I think your output temp should be much higher than 100F. Maybe 130? 150? Not sure. I haven't brewed in a long time but remember that I couldn't touch my "exhaust" water from my homemade steam condenser for very long because it was so hot. I think the heat exchange should be working better.

 

[DuncB]

My condenser water is tepid certainly touchable

 

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Here is a picture.

Nice space for it.

Is the fitting in the lid open to the atmosphere? If so, I think that's a good idea actually, to prevent a vacuum inside the kettle. I also bet it's slowly pulling ambient air in, not letting steam out.

Your setup is fairly similar overall I think. You could scoot the kettle an inch over to the right to ensure the water is all going down the drain, and maybe cover it with that pitcher turned upside down (I think I have the identical pitcher). Maybe bumping the flow rate a bit if possible for the cooling water could help, make the outgoing water cooler could make it less steamy.

I guess you could still be getting a lot of humidity but the setup looks good and you're certainly going to be getting the majority of it down the drain. Think how much would be getting away without that setup!

As for temps I don't know if there's any particular best water output. Mine's warm but not hot. I'd think the cooler it is, the more effective it is. But it means you're using (wasting some would call it) water as well, so there's a balance.

 

[GregKelley]

Here is a picture. I’m not sure if the steam is coming out the output tube or the lid. I’ll play around with your suggestions next brew day to try and figure it out more.

I would close that hole on top of your lid. I close mine. That is definitely a place where steam is coming out. You will not get any vacuum as the lid is not air tight so some air will come in. On top of that, you have water expanding into vapor. If any negative pressure did exist, air would be sucked into the dump tube and through the steam slayer as neither the dump tube nor steam slayer is 100% filled with air.

 

[BeerNsteadofH2O]

I think ideally to be 100% steam free you need to vent outside, for some of us outside venting is not an option, We use the steam trap, I did a lot of R&D/ trial and error. I use this set up now, I recirculate my steam trap water, into a 5 gallon cooler, originally i added blocks of ice to keep the water cold, now I use an emersion coil chilled from a homemade cooling tower that also cools my wort,( this is set to chill the 5 gallon condenser water hours before the brew so the water is already cold) the steam trap water is pumped in via a 12 volt pump,( via a power supply) pressure is. Controlled by an accumulator so i have a steady spray, 45 degree water does a good job at condensing steam, I leave the sight glass off of my lid so I can watch and add hops etc.,some steam escapes, but the smell and most of the steam is returned to the recirculation vessel,

 

[tracer bullet]

That is definitely a place where steam is coming out

Well, of course I just transferred wort into my fermenter, if I'd seen this earlier I could have checked. I disagree but can't say for certain, just feeling that the condensation is going to draw air in. I'd love to know for sure either way and you may of course be right. I've never seen or felt hot air or humidity come out the hole, but the pipes at the top of the lid are sure hot as heck.

It'd be easy enough to do so, take something like a match that was just blown out use that little bit of smoke and see what direction the air moves and how quickly it does so.