Boil time

[forgetaboudit]

So I've got my new BIAB setup almost finished. I am boiling water in my keggle with a Darkstar 2.0 just to see how long itll take.

So i started with 8 gallons of 62° water. Im an hour and 45 minutes in and its just about 200°. I feel it should be a bit quicker than this...
Any tips or ideas?

 

[FunkedOut]

Keep the lid on until you’re boiling.

 

[forgetaboudit]

2 hours 20 min to get to a boil.

 

[forgetaboudit]

I think I need a bigger burner....
Took the lid off and it slows down.
Dont know if itll do a nice boil with the lid off

 

[forgetaboudit]

I lost a little over a 1/4 gallon just getting it to a boil.

 

[MrBJones]

Make sure your burner is operating correctly, and that the propane tank is not nearing empty. You may need to adjust the damper, or whatever else it has to adjust the propane/air mix.

 

[forgetaboudit]

Its a new tank. What am i looking for with the damper adjustments?

 

[BobBailey]

Its a new tank. What am i looking for with the damper adjustments?

You're looking for a blue flame.

 

[forgetaboudit]

Theres always blue flames coming out of the burner. If i open the damper fully, it sounds like a jet engine and the flames are about 1/2" above the burner. Closed as much as possible and the flames are blue but orange at the kettle.

 

[Nokt]

I had the same issue with my Darkstar 2. I had to open the tank valve slowly to get it work correctly.

 

[FunkedOut]

What are the dimensions of the pot?
Wall thickness?
Ambient temp?
Is it windy?

Just trying to rule out a few things before you go buy a bigger hammer.

Edit: just read the part where you said keggle.

 

[forgetaboudit]

What are the dimensions of the pot?
Wall thickness?
Ambient temp?
Is it windy?

Just trying to rule out a few things before you go buy a bigger hammer.

Was about upper 70s slight wind, but barely moving the leaves on the trees.
Its a regular keg 15 gallons.

 

[FunkedOut]

Can’t imagine why it wouldn’t work.
I went to look up my burner’s spec’s...
I have an old turkey fryer, like this:
https://www.bayouclassicdepot.com/products/bayou-classic-replacement-burner-part-bg10

This is interesting:

Many people have asked us for a BTU for this cast iron propane burner. The actual cast iron element (burner) does not determine the BTUs. The regulator determines the BTUs. You can use the 10 PSI, 20 PSI, 30 PSI and 40 PSI regulator kit with it.

I think the Dark Star comes with a 5 PSI regulator.
I’ll look and see what mine is.
I can boil 8 gallons in ~20 minutes.

 

[FunkedOut]

JYT-GYA7/8
Says 1/2 psi on the knob.

I think it’s a minimum 1/2psi to a maximum of 10psi.

 

[forgetaboudit]

JYT-GYA7/8
Says 1/2 psi on the knob.

I think it’s a minimum 1/2psi to a maximum of 10psi.

Mine says 5psi...
Whatever the issue, it isnt right.

 

[Nokt]

Like I said earlier, I had this EXACT problem. Open you tank valve slowly. If you crank it open, the Emergency Shutoff Valve will restrict the flow of gas.

 

[forgetaboudit]

Ive tried that and no changes were seen

 

[Nokt]

You can try a new regulator and hose.That was going to be my next step and if that didn't work, I was going to buy a hellfire.

 

[forgetaboudit]

Think i could get a 10psi regulator and boost the darkstar up a little?

 

[Nokt]

That was my plan. Amazon had them relatively cheap if I remember correctly.

 

[GPP33]

Do you use the regulator to shut off the flow? Was the regulator closed when you opened the tank valve? If you open the tank without a complete restriction down line it will not flow, this is a safety in the tank. Close the regulator, close the valve on the tank. Remove the regulator from the tank to relieve pressure, put the regulator back on the tank and open the tank before letting gas flow through the regulator. If that doesn't work then you probably have either a faulty tank or faulty regulator.

You mentioned 1/2 PSIG, that's probably the max pressure, in which case you may just have the wrong regulator. Did you buy it as an assembled kit or all the pieces and put it together yourself?

 

[forgetaboudit]

Do you use the regulator to shut off the flow? Was the regulator closed when you opened the tank valve? If you open the tank without a complete restriction down line it will not flow, this is a safety in the tank. Close the regulator, close the valve on the tank. Remove the regulator from the tank to relieve pressure, put the regulator back on the tank and open the tank before letting gas flow through the regulator. If that doesn't work then you probably have either a faulty tank or faulty regulator.

You mentioned 1/2 PSIG, that's probably the max pressure, in which case you may just have the wrong regulator. Did you buy it as an assembled kit or all the pieces and put it together yourself?

Ill give that a try. I dont think I've done it that way.
I got it all as one unit. Its a 5psig regulator.