Brewstand propane manifold help

[nyer]

I finally just started brewing again after taking having to take a year off. I retired last year and moved from New York to Florida. We finally bought a house and I'm settled in and got my equipment all set up. I have a single Tier three burner propane set up. I have a manifold that runs from the propane tank then to the burners using the original adjustable propane regulators to adjust the flame. When I was set up in New York I was running off my house propane and it worked perfect. Down in Florida I had hooked up to a regular barbecue propane and I could only run one burner at a time. Even then that burner didn't have the power it used to have. I'm not really sure why it doesn't work anymore but I'm assuming I have to rebuild my system to use the barbecue tank. Before I try to rebuild it I was hoping someone could explain to me why it didn't work so I know how to fix it right.

 

[JohnnyO]

This might be a dumb question. Are you turning on your main valve on the propane tank first, then the regulators? If not, that might be your problem.

Congrats on the retirement, from a fellow former New Yorker.

 

[nyer]

Yes, I checked that several times just to be sure. I forgot to say that a single burner only worked well when I hooked it directly to the tank by itself. I'm thinking I'm not getting enough volume or pressure out of the small propane tank. Also I should add that I am semi-retired my wife wouldn't let me be fully retired yet!

 

[old-pasture-brew]

I have a three burner manifold that gives me trouble at the start as well. The tank has an internal safety valve that triggers when I open the valve on the tank, even tho burner valves are shut, as the gas needs to fill the length of pipe and this is enough to trigger the safety switch. You can actually hear it trip if you listen as you open the main valve. Once this goes you need to unscrew the connection to tank and put back on. My fix is to open the main tank just enough to let a trickle fill the manifold. Then you can open her up.

 

[Stealthcruiser]

WHAT!.......Someone from New York retired down South?


Welcome to the South, Brother!

 

[Danno355]

I had a similar problem and picked up an adjustable 30 PSI regulator to connect to the tank. Runs about $25. Everything works like a charm now!

 

[nyer]

I had a similar problem and picked up an adjustable 30 PSI regulator to connect to the tank. Runs about $25. Everything works like a charm now!

I think that's what I'm going to try. What are you using to adjust the flame at each burner?

 

[CastleHollow]

Needle valves. I'm in the market for those as well--despite all the threads I have read here, I'm having a hard time figuring out which sizes to get. My burners are an SP10, SQ14, and a BG14 Banjo Burner.

 

[bucfanmike]

i run 3 burners off a manifold connected to a bar b q tank so I know it works. How are you hooking your manifold to the tank? If you have one of the big colored "acme" nuts then this could be causing the issue. Contrary to what people think, the protection is built into that nut and not the tank itself. If you turn the tank on too quickly and gas rushes out to fill the manifold then the nut sees that as a leak and the internal safety triggers to stop the flow. It resets after the gas is turned off. If that is the case, its simply a matter of just cracking the valve on the propane tank and waiting for the pressure to equalize in the manifold slowly. Once that happens you can open the valve fully. Also those acme nuts are btu rated as well, I would have to look them up to remember but I belive black is about 60k, green 200k and red 500k. Those numbers are from memory and may not be totally accurate.

 

[nyer]

I tried to open the valve slowly and even took the nut off several times. I will have to mess with that some more because that is the only real difference between my old gas hookup and this one.

 

[jcaudill]

Sounds like either the regulator at the tank not providing enough pressure, or the wrong ACME fitting at the tank - it should be red and not green. But there's definitely no reason a tank shouldn't be able to power 3 burners - I do this now.

 

[jcav]

You could use the com-5 type of regulator and hose and this company will drill out the safety pol connector to stop the device from activating, and you will get a full flow of propane.

Here is a link, they have a lot of good items here and they aim to please and will do custom jobs to fill your needs.


http://www.tejassmokers.com/lowpressureregulators.htm



Hope this helps,


John

 

[tdbc2011]

I have a three burner built with three sq14 burners and a bayou classic regulator. I needed the orifice values so I purchased three sets of regulators/hoses/valves to get them and used the flexible hoses and one regulator too. I use a 20lb tank in freezing weather without any problems. The link below may help.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/brutus-build-first-time-weld-345836/

 

[jcaudill]

You could use the com-5 type of regulator and hose and this company will drill out the safety pol connector to stop the device from activating, and you will get a full flow of propane.

Here is a link, they have a lot of good items here and they aim to please and will do custom jobs to fill your needs.


http://www.tejassmokers.com/lowpressureregulators.htm



Hope this helps,


John

Tejas is a great company, but COM5 is only suitable for a low pressure setup. I'd recommend COMRI-30 from http://www.tejassmokers.com/gasregulators.htm but you need to have them change out the green ACME inlet for the red or you'll be limited to 65,000BTU. Cheyenne from Tejas is the one who helped me order the correct regulators and burners for my setup which sounds very similar to yours. Since I ordered burners from them, they came with needle valves right at the burner - that's all you need past the main tank regulator.

 

[Danno355]

I think that's what I'm going to try. What are you using to adjust the flame at each burner?

My propane line goes from the 30 PSI adjustable into a mainline controlled by a main valve then that runs into a tree with the 3 valves and needle valves. From there the hoses run to the individual burners. Pic below was during construction but will give an idea of what I am talking about. Could have gone with less fittings in the reduction end but lesson learned.

 

[isurf]

sounds like you need a high pressure regulator 1-30 adjustable psi RED. You also may need to check the size of your jets going into your burners. High pressure reg. will require, and someone correct me if I,m wrong, smaller jet orifice. The Banjo's come stock with large orifice jets. Thats how mine is set up I can burn all three at high flame no problem. Hope this helps.