Boil kettle condenser - no overhead ventilation needed

[tracer bullet]

Most of these hang over the edge, but I wonder if you had say a 45 instead of 90 degree adapter coming off the top of the lid, maybe the condensing tube could connect to that. It'd need to be tall enough that the bottom of the tube would hang over the edge, but overall the center of gravity might stay closer to the center of the lid?

I think that was a bad explanation but maybe it made sense? Trying again, say you come up off the center of the lid. Then go up... maybe 8". Then you have a small 45 degree adapter. Then you put your main condensation tube there. The water going in is roughly centered over the lid, and the water coming out is around the edge of the lid. Some water would collect at the bottom but once it hit a certain point it'd drain out. And the sprayer probably doesn't care about being at a 45 degree angle.

Or put a hole on one side of the lid, and stretch the thing across the whole lid. Center of gravity would move closer to the middle of the lid or at least be at a point over the kettle itself.

Or, the side of the BK itself?

 

[Jhedrick83]

Most of these hang over the edge, but I wonder if you had say a 45 instead of 90 degree adapter coming off the top of the lid, maybe the condensing tube could connect to that. It'd need to be tall enough that the bottom of the tube would hang over the edge, but overall the center of gravity might stay closer to the center of the lid?

I think that was a bad explanation but maybe it made sense? Trying again, say you come up off the center of the lid. Then go up... maybe 8". Then you have a small 45 degree adapter. Then you put your main condensation tube there. The water going in is roughly centered over the lid, and the water coming out is around the edge of the lid. Some water would collect at the bottom but once it hit a certain point it'd drain out. And the sprayer probably doesn't care about being at a 45 degree angle.

Or put a hole on one side of the lid, and stretch the thing across the whole lid. Center of gravity would move closer to the middle of the lid or at least be at a point over the kettle itself.

Or, the side of the BK itself?

Part of the hang up is I couldn’t center the steam slayer as the lid has a fixed handle in the middle:

I do 3 gallon batches in my 5.5 gal BK so during mash, I’m full almost to the very top. Porting the steam slayer in the side is doable as long as I plug the hole during mash, and then lift the bag and connect the steam slayer but I was trying to simplify things and avoid that.

 

[tracer bullet]

So, maybe rotate that thing 180 degrees, and add a small extension pipe say 6" so that the vertical piece is able to be far enough away to hang off the other side?

 

[bionicbelly]

Good point. Any other suggestions for a counterweight for the lid?

I just set a ~3lb chunk of steel on the opposite side of the condenser. It's actually a centering cone from my tire balancing machine. I just lift it off when I add hops, etc.

 

[Jhedrick83]

Any thoughts on a good source for said “3lb chunk of steel”

I wonder if Harbor Freight has something that could suffice.

 

[RocketBrewer]

I use a few paper clamps like this to keep the lid tight all the way around

 

[tracer bullet]

Any thoughts on a good source for said “3lb chunk of steel”

I guess you figured out that my suggestion might shift center of gravity over the middle of the BK so nothing else was needed.

As for this - a real small dumbbell?

 

[Bobby_M]

Part of the hang up is I couldn’t center the steam slayer as the lid has a fixed handle in the middle:

View attachment 746449
I do 3 gallon batches in my 5.5 gal BK so during mash, I’m full almost to the very top. Porting the steam slayer in the side is doable as long as I plug the hole during mash, and then lift the bag and connect the steam slayer but I was trying to simplify things and avoid that.

The slayer doesn't have to be a perfect extension of the lid's radius. Rotate the elbow at the bulkhead joint so that the slayer body is practically touching the edge of the lid. That brings the center of gravity closer to the center of the lid. I doubt you would need much counterweight in that position but if you do, a 1 pound coated SCUBA weight would be nice.

 

[McMullan]

How much water do these things use? Sorry, I couldn't be arsed to search the thread. Surprise me

 

[tracer bullet]

I have a 9gph sprayer I run for an hour but not at full water pressure. So.... 6 gallons? Total guess.

 

[McMullan]

I have a 9gph sprayer I run for an hour but not at full water pressure. So.... 6 gallons? Total guess.

I was expecting it to be much more, for reasons I have no idea about. Interesting, thanks

 

[Spartan1979]

How much water do these things use? Sorry, I couldn't be arsed to search the thread. Surprise me

I measured once and my 9 gph sprayer at full house pressure was using 23 gallons for a 90 minute boil. My water cost is about $0.01 per gallon.

 

[bionicbelly]

How much water do these things use? Sorry, I couldn't be arsed to search the thread. Surprise me

I do 90 minute boils now, and I have the large body steam slayer using the 6gph sprayer on full pressure for 5 gallon batches. I run ~11 gallons.

 

[Bobby_M]

The 6 and 9 GPH ratings are based on 40psi. If you have 80psi, it will be approximately double the rating give or take. Keep in mind that it's not really practical to try to lower the water usage with the upstream valve. It may give you some very coarse, rarely repeatable lowering of flow rate but it's much better to tune the system by using the appropriate sprayer tip at your full pressure.

 

[NewfieJeeper]

Hello,
I have a question before I order the steam slayer. I have a 20 gallon Spike kettle and I plan to port through the lid. I also use a Jaded Hydra immersion chiller. It works excellent and fast, and I like to have it in the last 10-15 mins of the boil.

My thought is, to simplify my process. to cut of the top stems on the Jadded chiller, and put 2 male cam lock fittings, so that the chiller can go in the boil with the lid on and just clear.... and I would add the chiller when I start filling the boil kettle and it would remain there, under the lid, for the duration of the boil. Then at flameout, remove lid, attach hoses to chiller and proceed.

Is there any reason why I shouldn't keep the copper chiller in for the duration of the boil? I recirculate, and it doesn't interfere with my pump in-out, element, or temp probe.

Thanks for your thoughts

Newf

 

[RufusBrewer]

I have an Anvil 10.5 gallon. Could I use one of the Turbo 500 distilling condensor products in place of a conventional steam slayer?

 

[doug293cz]

I have an Anvil 10.5 gallon. Could I use one of the Turbo 500 distilling condensor products in place of a conventional steam slayer?

What's the power in your Anvil? The Turbo 500 condensers can keep up with a full power boil using 1600W - 1650W. Can't say how they would work with higher power inputs.

Edit: On second thought the water flow to keep up with 1650W is quite low - basically a trickle (sorry - no flow meter), so they could handle more power with higher water flow.

Brew on

 

[Bobby_M]

Hello,
I have a question before I order the steam slayer. I have a 20 gallon Spike kettle and I plan to port through the lid. I also use a Jaded Hydra immersion chiller. It works excellent and fast, and I like to have it in the last 10-15 mins of the boil.

My thought is, to simplify my process. to cut of the top stems on the Jadded chiller, and put 2 male cam lock fittings, so that the chiller can go in the boil with the lid on and just clear.... and I would add the chiller when I start filling the boil kettle and it would remain there, under the lid, for the duration of the boil. Then at flameout, remove lid, attach hoses to chiller and proceed.

Is there any reason why I shouldn't keep the copper chiller in for the duration of the boil? I recirculate, and it doesn't interfere with my pump in-out, element, or temp probe.

Thanks for your thoughts

Newf

The chiller doesn't need to be in the boil for any length of time. Drop it in when you shut off the element, wait 1 minute, then start cooling.

 

[ifrit2050]

Hi everyone, after reading the entire post (yes I really did inside a week) I try to build mine. Buying the entire part separately will increase a lot the bill, I'm from Canada so buy an ready to use from the US cost too much.

I have found one on AliExpress.
I read the comments and peoples said that the water come inside the kettle. On the picture we saw that the sprayer is too high in the tube.

I buy a new sprayer on Ali, oil sprayer 0.8 1/4 treat, and a 1/2 to 1/4 reducer.

Not try yet but I will give it a run this weekend. It is the last thing to setup before I can use my new kettle.

 

[BrunDog]

Nice. That PVC hose probably cannot handle the water line pressure. You can use something much smaller also… very little flow is needed as you know.

 

[ifrit2050]

The vinyl tube rated to 30 psi, at the store on the display it showed 60 psi...damn. I have already use this kind of tube on my water filter with no issues, yet...

I will give it a try, if it burst I will go for reinforced vinyl (200 psi).

Thanks for the comments.

 

[ifrit2050]

If I don't all open the water supply that will help or not?

I also have this under the hand, maybe better?

 

[cbier60]

If I don't all open the water supply that will help or not?

I also have this under the hand, maybe better?

It is difficult to reduce your pressure by closing down the valve on the water supply. That reinforced hose should definitely work, but it looks like you would need several fittings to make it work. It would probably be easier and cheaper to buy some reinforced hose (or if the piece on your outtake is long enough, just to swap them).

 

[ifrit2050]

Thanks, you confirm what I thought. It give me two options depending what I found at the hardware store. At the start, I never considered the high pressure tube before I seen a setup in the topic after the post of Brundog.

 

[ifrit2050]

So, reports of my test today, not very good. The sprayer and the height in the tube was good, but the water at the output was cold. The problem didn't come from the steam condenser (I think) but from the lid. The Unibrau (standard edition) came with a lid for the grain basket, this lid is oversized for the kettle. I try to leave the lid on the kettle but the steam leak out. I wrap the lid in a towel, no change the steam leak from the top. I want to buy the right lid for the kettle (sold separately), sold out and out of stock from several weeks, months.



I don't know if I can find compatible lid, any tips or advices?

 

[cbier60]

I don't know anything about your poor lid fit, but a short term workaround may be adding a layer of plastic wrap under the lid to improve the seal.

 

[marc1]

I don't know anything about your poor lid fit, but a short term workaround may be adding a layer of plastic wrap under the lid to improve the seal.

Or cut some silicone tubing lengthwise and put it over the lip.

 

[ifrit2050]

Or cut some silicone tubing lengthwise and put it over the lip.

Good idea, I will put tubing directly on the kettle for a better seal.

 

[BrunDog]

The condenser should creat some vacuum through both its Venturi effect and the conversion of vapor to liquid. Sounds like that’s not happening.

Regarding the water feed, I’d recommend a 1/4” poly tube with push-in quick disconnect fittings. Remember we are using about 10 gals per hour - this tubing can flow at least a gallon per minute. Bobby’s kit uses same. Easier to find fittings for these at hardware stores, too if you source your own.

 

[ifrit2050]

I thought that the 1/4 ice maker tubing supply will do the same thing that the poly tubing, size are near. It doesn't have the push fitting in stock at near store. I will try to make a better seal with silicone tubing, I have 3/8 at home. If it doesn't work, I will order the push connector.

In the other way, peoples modulate the power or the elements to not have a too vigorous boil. I don't have a PID but an ETC controller, so I can't modulate. When I test the condenser my 1650w element was at full power. Can be my problem came from here?