How much heat?

[Beerdoc]

I've modified a keg into a kettle and I'm concerned that the burner I'm using will not provide enough heat for a good boil for 10 gallons. I'm using an old water heater burner, and I have no idea how many BTU's it puts out.

Anyone have experience with water heater burners?

My plan is to see if I can boil 10gallons of water, but thought I'd get opinions first.

My first AG batch is this weekend!! Say a little prayer...

 

[rcbrew]

Rule of thumb for most residential water heaters....is about 40,000 BTU's
Should be enough to boil 10 gals

 

[Lounge Lizard]

I've modified a keg into a kettle and I'm concerned that the burner I'm using will not provide enough heat for a good boil for 10 gallons. I'm using an old water heater burner, and I have no idea how many BTU's it puts out.

Anyone have experience with water heater burners?

My plan is to see if I can boil 10gallons of water, but thought I'd get opinions first.

My first AG batch is this weekend!! Say a little prayer...

Congrats on getting the keggle made and jumping up to all grain!

This weekend?? Wow... I wish I was that far along. It's gonna be a while before I'm ready.

Best of luck!

 

[Janx]

Hmm...if it's 40K BTUs it may take a while. I'm recalling my burners are in the neighborhood of 250K BTUs but maybe I'm misremembering. They're beasts, though, and it still takes a good long time.

Putting the lid on it helps, but only if you have a thermometer so you know when to get the lid off (before it boils )

 

[Porter fan]

Hmm...if it's 40K BTUs it may take a while. I'm recalling my burners are in the neighborhood of 250K BTUs but maybe I'm misremembering. They're beasts, though, and it still takes a good long time.

Putting the lid on it helps, but only if you have a thermometer so you know when to get the lid off (before it boils )

Good advice!

 

[Janx]

My bad...it's only 170K BTUs. Still, that's a lot more, and it can take the better part of an hour to get 12 gallons to a boil if I don't heat through the sparge.

If you decide to upgrade, I can't recommend these burners enough. The stands are rock solid and just made to cradle a keg (literally):
http://www.kegs.com/burner.html

Cheers

 

[Lounge Lizard]

I've modified a keg into a kettle and I'm concerned that the burner I'm using will not provide enough heat for a good boil for 10 gallons. I'm using an old water heater burner, and I have no idea how many BTU's it puts out.

Anyone have experience with water heater burners?

My plan is to see if I can boil 10gallons of water, but thought I'd get opinions first.

My first AG batch is this weekend!! Say a little prayer...

So how did your burner work out with that big ten gallon batch I read about??

 

[boo boo]

I've modified a keg into a kettle and I'm concerned that the burner I'm using will not provide enough heat for a good boil for 10 gallons. I'm using an old water heater burner, and I have no idea how many BTU's it puts out.

Anyone have experience with water heater burners?

My plan is to see if I can boil 10gallons of water, but thought I'd get opinions first.

My first AG batch is this weekend!! Say a little prayer...

Is the burner gas or oil fired? I'm assuming it is gas and as such I know nothing about it. Oil however is another story. If it is oil fired than it would be hot enough for any task you set it to in the boiling of you wort. The fumes would turn me off however.
Good luck with your first AG batch.