First time using a bayou burner - help!!

[fenners]

So I've been "kicked out" the kitchen, and I'm using a bayou burner SQ14 for the first time to make a brew today... I'm a total noob to burners bar my Weber BBQ. What's the 'correct' way of controlling the heat to get the water boiling? Do I want the burner knob 'full on', what about the air intake valve thing? What's the process for controlling this thing!?

Doesn't help I live in a /real/ windy part of Texas!

 

[mrk305]

I have my flames going up around two inches, which is about an inch below the pot. This will get you wort from mash temp to a boil in about 15 minutes. You can do it faster, but it will use more gas. As far as the air intake thingy, wide open on mine makes a nice blue flame. Yellow flames will make soot on your pot.

 

[ajf]

I leave the air intake wide open when coming up to the boil. Then I turn the gas down and have to close off the intake substantially to maintain the boil for the next 60 - 90 minutes. Keep the flame blue, and keep it quiet while maintaining the boil.

-a.

 

[jackwagon]

I crank it full gas until I get a boil and then I turn it down the flame as low as it will go to maintain the boil. For me that usually means the gas is almost all the way off.

As far as intake, just turn it to the spot where you have the bluest flame. When you turn the gas down, you may need to readjust the intake.

 

[Krrazy]

I adjust mine until I see the flames start to lick up around the sides, and then turn it down a bit from there. I do the same as mentioned above with the intake.

Regarding your wind comment, it was windy in Tucson today as well! I've seen several threads about making a windshield for the burner -- that may be worth looking into as well.

 

[fishnfever]

You want to adjust the air intake to where you get a nice blue flame. A blue flame means it is running clean and efficient.

I run the same burner and just crank it open to the point where the flame is touching the bottom of the pot. Usually it sounds almost like a mini jet engine lol.

I set my air intake two years ago and have never had to touch it whether it's crank up high or on low to maintain a rolling boil.

Hope this is some help

 

[Rogue14]

+1 on what jackwagon said.

 

[Malintent]

I use the same burner and noticed a few things:

1) for me, the air venturi thing does NOTHING... open, closed, no difference
2) wind is HUGE. It will take your wort from boil to still in a second, while blowing out the flame
3) you need a wind guard.. I use cinder blocks, circling the burner.
4) I need full power to get 7 gallons of wort from 150 to boiling in 30 to 40 minutes. Never if the wind keeps blowing your flame out.
5) once you get a boil, it only needs to be turned down a hair. Any less and you loose the boil

Obviously all these burners are not created equal... and your altitude makes a difference too... and that wind... that fvcking wind...

 

[fenners]

Thanks for the advice, guys!

The wind is the big problem with doing it on the patio. We're on the edge of our town with little to act as a wind breaker, so we get really bad wind whipping around. As a test, I fired up the burner in the evening the other night & put some spare bricks around it as a kind of barrier. Still got the flames whipping around & blowing out. Sigh.

Is it safe to use one of these in an empty two car garage with the door? Doing it at the front of the house in the garage might be my only option.

 

[shawnbou]

I live in South Austin and our neighborhood is like a wind tunnel too. If you know someone who can work with metals, a piece of sheet metal bent to wrap around the burner pedestal makes a great shield.

If you decide to bring your boil into the garage, there's a good thread about propane safety here:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/propane-safety-tips-basic-brewing-podcast-97069/

 

[fenners]

Yeah, I might investigate some sort of shield. Stoopid wind.

Listening to that propane safety podcast right now; confirming what I expected unfortunately.

 

[Malintent]

Thanks for the advice, guys!

The wind is the big problem with doing it on the patio. We're on the edge of our town with little to act as a wind breaker, so we get really bad wind whipping around. As a test, I fired up the burner in the evening the other night & put some spare bricks around it as a kind of barrier. Still got the flames whipping around & blowing out. Sigh.

Is it safe to use one of these in an empty two car garage with the door? Doing it at the front of the house in the garage might be my only option.

I feel you. Even standing cinder blocks upright all around it still allows the flame to weaken in effective power... and potentially blow out anyway. While it is specifically advised NOT to use the burner in a garage, even with the door wide open, I would totally do that if it was an option for me.

 

[janivar123]

If its windy i guess there will be a draft in the garage too
I use shet metal for heatshield around my boiler, and sinse it goes all the way down(some openings for air) it woks as wind shield too

 

[themashedone]

adjust both till you get a good flame i have the same burner. start gas out real low to ignite the flame then adjust air intake and gas till you get a good flame to your liking. fairly simple for me and in wisconsin we get every weather imaginable. if its real windy partially close the garage door till you get the flame where you want it if your flame is right you should have enough pressure pushing the propane that the wind when you open the garage shouldnt blow it out.

 

[marcycaulkins]

I use tin foil wrapped around the top/outer frame of the burner to shield from the wind. Ghetto, but it works.