Can I "beef up" a Brinkmann 815-4001-S Turkey Fryer burner

[moses688]

I have the Brinkmann 815-4001-S Turkey Fryer, I use the burner with a bayou classic 44qt kettle.

When the temp is below freezing outside it's hard to keep a boil going.

I thought why not just throw a bayou classic 30psi regulator on it and get more pressure therefore more gass... more heat.

This didn't work, seems like there is some kind of flow switch in the 30psi regulator that would just click off just as the flame was starting to get to a good level.

I decided to throw a ball valve inline with the regulator thinking if I could restrict the flow a little bit I might be able to play some kind of balancing act between regulator and valve to get it to work, but it seems to be hopeless.

Anybody get something like this to work?

At this point I'm thinking winter is over for the most part, and I can just put it back the way it was and deal with it next year.

 

[broadbill]

I believe there are ways to override the flow switch. Google away...

 

[MindenMan]

Even though this may sound like a dumb question, is the regulator adjustable, and what kind of shut off do you have between the regulator and the burner?

 

[moses688]

Yes it's a 0-30PSI Bayou Classic regulator. Looks like this, but the parts vary in color.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007PS0938/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I put a propaine ball valve from ace hardware between this and the burner.

 

[MindenMan]

Okay another question, does your t-fryer have a needle valve at the burner like the one in the picture? I really need to know.

 

[moses688]

Needle valve? You mean where the reg screws into the propane tank?

Other than the ball valve there are only a couple of brass fittings on the burner side of the braided steel hose.

 

[moses688]

OK, Sorry after googling needle valve I can say no there is not, should I get one of those instead of the ball valve?

 

[MindenMan]

It doesn';t make sense to me what is happening. The only absolute test will be going from the regulator side of the hose directly to the burner itself. I have a feeling there is some kind of restrictor, mounted in there.
If you take away everything else between the regulator and the burner inlet, when you open up the regulator(raise the pressure going to the burner) the difference should be obvious. At that point it should sound like a jet due to the volume of gas going through it. The orifice is sized to regulate and properly mix the gas with the air. Can you take yours apart and send a picture if connecting directly from the regulator to the burner doesn't work?

EDIT: My turkey fryer has a 5 psi adjustable regulator with a BG10 style burner and I have never run it wide open using my 40 qt aluminum pot. There is only so much heat you can apply to a given size pot w/o wasting it rising up the sides.

 

[MindenMan]

FWIW, that burner is rated to 150,000 btu's with a 20 psi regulator.

 

[broadbill]

FWIW, that burner is rated to 150,000 btu's with a 20 psi regulator.

Yeah, but if you look here, it gives a 45,000 output. I wonder if the burner is rated to 150K but it shuts off around 45K (the website also specifically mentions a auto-shut off feature.

These things aren't that complicated....propane flows in; pulls some air in via Venturi effect and then to the burner. My burner is very similar to yours, except that is has that box on the front which I'm guessing houses the auto-shut off. Personally I still think you need to override that to make this work for brewing.

 

[moses688]

The cast burner part doesn't seem to have any thing inside as far as a shut off?

The Regulator that originally came with the burner is 0-5PSI and I was never able to trip any flow switch.

I did defeat the temperature safety stuff on the burner as the snap switch doesn't make good contact with my boil kettle.

When I first tried the new 0-30PSI regulator I went straight from the end of the cable with a couple brass fittings to the burner casting input threads. Whichever way I configure it I get somewhere between 6" and 3' yellow flames, then as I try and tinker with it there is an audible click and then no more flame. I assume the click is some kind of volume based shutoff.

I'll take some pictures and post them when I have time tomorrow so you guys can see exactly what I'm dealing with.

 

[broadbill]

The cast burner part doesn't seem to have any thing inside as far as a shut off?

The Regulator that originally came with the burner is 0-5PSI and I was never able to trip any flow switch.

I did defeat the temperature safety stuff on the burner as the snap switch doesn't make good contact with my boil kettle.

When I first tried the new 0-30PSI regulator I went straight from the end of the cable with a couple brass fittings to the burner casting input threads. Whichever way I configure it I get somewhere between 6" and 3' yellow flames, then as I try and tinker with it there is an audible click and then no more flame. I assume the click is some kind of volume based shutoff.

I'll take some pictures and post them when I have time tomorrow so you guys can see exactly what I'm dealing with.

I dunno...that click sounds like the safety shutoff, but I'm not familiar enough with them...are you sure it is fully disabled?

My unit does not have anything in line between the regulator and the cast/iron burner....propane is shot right into the burner element. from the black hose screwed into it.

Another thing to check for is some sort of blockage in the inside of the burner...that will impede flow and cause the flame to burn yellow/poorly. Spiders LOVE to build nests in there...

 

[kh54s10]

That is the one I use for my HLT. Is it cutting off? If so disable the pressure switch that the pot sits on by pulling the wires off the switch terminals and connect the two wire ends together.

It is not a really powerful burner but adequate. It takes about 15 minutes to heat cold water to mask temperature. It took about the same to take the mashed wort to a boil. I bout a Bayou Classic sp10 for the boil kettle. It is a fair amount hotter/faster.

 

[MindenMan]

I am looking at a schematic of your t/f , and have more questions. Before you light it with a lighter or similar device, okay, I know dumb questions, but I do have a point.
Is what looks like a button on the bottom near the gas line the valve to light the pilot?

So what is your order before using your burner? With the regulator completely closed/gas off, do you open the valve on the LPG tank, apply gas to the hose, push the pilot light button to light the pilot/sensor , and then set the regulator to the desired heat?
My point is, in order to get the regulator to have maximum heat output/gas flow there can be nothing flowing out gas, or the safety in the regulator will only flow a minimum amount of gas, regardless of where the regulator is set. Is it possible you have a down stream leak? It sounds like that is your problem based on what you have said. Please respond.

 

[moses688]

Hi Guys,

Here are some pictures

Firs is the old regulator assembly
On the left is all the temperature safety stuff, on the right is the regulator.



Second is the new regulator attached to the burner, the yellow thing near the burner is a ball valve. The click seems to be coming from the green connector that threads into the tank.



So the the snap switch and thermal probe, and red button are not connected to the burner any more. When the ball valve is closed there is no leak. Between the valve and the burner there are only a couple fittings that are teflon taped, i doubt there are any major leaks there.

Thanks,
Moses

 

[moses688]

Oh yea i forgot, i am starting with the regulator knob backed all the way out (0 psi/flow), ball valve open.

Then i open the tank valve, turn the regulator until i hear a hiss, and light the flame.

The flame is yellow, i fiddle with the ball valve and regulator and click.

I want to note that i did all this before i had the ball valve in there and it was about the same.

 

[broadbill]

Oh yea i forgot, i am starting with the regulator knob backed all the way out (0 psi/flow), ball valve open.

Then i open the tank valve, turn the regulator until i hear a hiss, and light the flame.

The flame is yellow, i fiddle with the ball valve and regulator and click.

I want to note that i did all this before i had the ball valve in there and it was about the same.

Still not sure about the "click" but why have the ball valve at the end? You should be able to regulate with the regulator alone...I'm basing this off of my burner, which does not have the ball valve at the end. On mine, the propane flows right from the regulator into the burner.

Do other peoples' burners have the ball valve at that end?

The yellow flame indicates that it isn't pulling enough oxygen into the mix. That is controlled by that piece of sheet metal that covers the end of the burner your hose connects into. It has windows in it to control the amount of air sucked in (via venturi). Have you moved that instead of fiddling with the ball valve and the regulator?

What happens if you leave ball valve wide open, light it by opening the regulator to provide propane, then fiddle with that metal piece.

 

[moses688]

Turns out these regulators are designed to work with a piece that has an aperture like this at the end.



I am able to get tons of blue flame now sounds like a rocket taking off.



I'll post some temps and times this weekend when I brew.

 

[broadbill]

glad you got it figured out!

 

[MindenMan]

The orifice on the end is a flow control device as you now see. That would explain why even with a higher pressure regulator, the result was the same.
I hope other people with the same type of issues you were having read this, and decide if they want to follow your lead.
Your information is given as an explanation of your resolve of your issues, not a suggestion for anyone to do what you did, I am sure

 

[moses688]

No I would not suggest anyone set out to do this. As always consult with a professional before listening to some yahoo on an internet forum.

That said it was 28 deg and windy Sunday, I could easily maintain a rolling boil.

Brew day went well, I was to distracted with a cigar and a beer to get time to boil from what temp etc.

But my subjective result is it was way faster than before.

Regulator part number in case anyone is interested M5HPR-30

Thanks,
Moses