Improved boiling on the stovetop!

[Bdogg]

I give you..... "The aluminum monster" :

This is how I got my recent 7.25gal boil to go. I am using a crappy electric apartment stove, so I remove all the other burners (because the pot just runs into them otherwise), tinfoil all the way underneath the pot and up the sides. Looks like crap but works... Now that I have read this thread, I am going to run over to an auto supply store tomorrow and see what I can find. I figure if I can get it to give me a weak-ass rolling boil with tinfoil, then I can probably get a decent boil going if I do it properly... though, having read this thread, the advantage of the tinfoil is that it doesn't melt or burn and is extremely cheap. And hideous.

 

[Stuntman]

Is 40 below that cold? Put on all your winter clothes, open the garage door just a crack. Fire that turkey fryer up! Jump in jump out of the garage, carbon monoxide monitor a must. I guess I am just spoiled, freezes here in Houston area maybe three times a year, for four days at a time.

Maybe the cure is you guys up North send us guys down South beer during your warm months, we'll ship you some during the cold ones.

I am a problem solver!

 

[jigidyjim]

So... there's a lot of back and forth here, and I'm trying to filter out solutions that are usable on a gas stove.
from what I see, the "Heat Wave Pro" might be the only store-ready solution.

Question about that - when you cut it to fit the kettle, does the stuffing come out? What sort of tape do you use to put it back together?

Do you tape it to your kettle, do you just wrap it really tight and put a bungee cord around it?

I want to give something a try for my next boil... the heat wave pro is kind of expesnsive but seems like the best solution from what I'm reading.

 

[jigidyjim]

Anyone thought about using these?

http://www.fireproofblankets.com/

 

[jigidyjim]

Anyone thought about using these?

http://www.fireproofblankets.com/

Answering my own post - I e-mailed them and their response:

Fire proof blankets are made from either fiberglass or silica and I can’t imagine either would be good for you if injested…

 

[weirdboy]

They spelled ingested wrong? Don't email programs have spell checkers nowadays?

 

[DeafSmith]

I'm thinking about making a blanket for my brewpot for use indoors on my electric stove - I'm not sure what I'll use for blanket material, but here's an idea (untried, so far) for holding the blanket onto the pot. I was thinking about how a bungee cord seemed to be ideal if only they were heatproof, then I thought about using a long spring, such as are used on screen doors - the ones that are a solid coil about 16 inches long and maybe 3/8 inch diameter. That won't go all the way around, so tie the two ends together with heavy gauge wire to make a circle and adjust the length of the wire so you have to stretch the spring a little to make ends meet. Seems to me this would work as long as the spring didn't get hot enough to lose its springiness, it's easy to get on and off, waterproof, and it's cheap (< $3 per spring). Maybe use one at the top and one at the bottom.

 

[ReverendTap]

Very interesting thread. I'm waiting on a new kettle to start doing full boil on my electric stove, so I'm doing a lot of thinking about how I'm gonna get that nice full boil going.

Mcmaster-Carr actually has a pretty nice side-by-side for the various types of thermal insulation they offer (http://www.mcmaster.com/#about-thermal-insulation/=5wsurf), which covers most of the main types I'm aware of except proprietary stuff.

Personally, I'm considering melamine foam; R-value of 3.8 at an inch (as compared to 3.1 for doubled-up foil bubble wrap), good to 350F, from what I've read elsewhere it's highly flame resistant, and it's not terribly expensive. Open cell, but given it's usually used as a cleaning product I can't imagine it would be that difficult to clean out if need be. I'm currently waiting on them to send me the MSDS on it, so I should know for certain soon, but I haven't read anything yet indicating it releases anything into the air either.

One thing I would like to mention, though. A lot of people on this thread are talking about reflective-coated materials for reflecting radiant heat. Those sorts of facings are only useful if there is a gap of airspace between the heat source and the insulation; if the insulation is wrapped tight on the kettle, reflecting radiant heat just isn't going to happen because reflective barriers are highly heat conductive with direct contact. It still works with the bubble wrap because it's faced on both sides, but anything without open airspace on the inside won't be helped by that sort of facing.

 

[basisforaday]

Would this stuff work? It's just an aluminum backed insulation that a lot of people use for audio damping in cars much like the Heat Wave Pro and Second Skin suggestions in this thread.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_154017-81326-PS625_4294934230+4294963790_44?productId=1018733&pl=1&currentURL=/pl__4294934230%204294963790_44_

 

[basisforaday]

Well I just answered my own question by going and getting some of this stuff from Lowe's. I made 4 strips of it each 6" wide and long enough to wrap around my kettle. I then tore off the paper of the adhesive and stuck 2 of them to the other 2 making 2 4' x 6" pieces of insulation. I then duct taped the edges of each so that the stick adhesive stuff couldn't come out. It's very sticky, hard to clean up and smells kind of bad. I then wrapped the 2 pieces around my kettle and duct taped them in place.

I then performed a test in my 20qt kettle (should have my 36qt tomorrow in the mail). Below are my results:

0 Min = 71 deg F
10 Min = 105 deg F
20 Min = 142 deg F
30 Min = 177 deg F
40 Min = 207 deg F
50 Min = 212 deg F
55 Min = Nice rolling boil

I'm happy with the results. The roll of this stuff only cost me $14 and I even wasted some of because it is so damn sticky and basically stuck so bad to another piece that I couldn't get it off. I haven't even done the lid of my kettle yet, once I do that I only expect better results. Couldn't be happier right now! All grain here I come!

Pictures

 

[bovineblitz]

Very interesting thread. I'm waiting on a new kettle to start doing full boil on my electric stove, so I'm doing a lot of thinking about how I'm gonna get that nice full boil going.

Mcmaster-Carr actually has a pretty nice side-by-side for the various types of thermal insulation they offer (http://www.mcmaster.com/#about-thermal-insulation/=5wsurf), which covers most of the main types I'm aware of except proprietary stuff.

Personally, I'm considering melamine foam; R-value of 3.8 at an inch (as compared to 3.1 for doubled-up foil bubble wrap), good to 350F, from what I've read elsewhere it's highly flame resistant, and it's not terribly expensive. Open cell, but given it's usually used as a cleaning product I can't imagine it would be that difficult to clean out if need be. I'm currently waiting on them to send me the MSDS on it, so I should know for certain soon, but I haven't read anything yet indicating it releases anything into the air either.

One thing I would like to mention, though. A lot of people on this thread are talking about reflective-coated materials for reflecting radiant heat. Those sorts of facings are only useful if there is a gap of airspace between the heat source and the insulation; if the insulation is wrapped tight on the kettle, reflecting radiant heat just isn't going to happen because reflective barriers are highly heat conductive with direct contact. It still works with the bubble wrap because it's faced on both sides, but anything without open airspace on the inside won't be helped by that sort of facing.

Any word on the melamine?

 

[SoonerDoc]

11 pages and no consensus.

Has anyone solved this problem yet?

 

[maztec]

11 pages and no consensus.

Has anyone solved this problem yet?

I installed a new 240v 30A power drop and installed a water heater element in my pot. Problem solved!

:\ aka: I don't think it's worth the agony to try and do it this way. It is better to just find a different way to heat.

 

[weirdboy]

I installed a new 240v 30A power drop and installed a water heater element in my pot. Problem solved!

:\ aka: I don't think it's worth the agony to try and do it this way. It is better to just find a different way to heat.

A lot of the folks who brew on the stove top are apartment dwellers. I don't think installing a 240V drop is an option for most. Insulation goes a long way to helping, as does using a heat stick.

 

[maztec]

A lot of the folks who brew on the stove top are apartment dwellers. I don't think installing a 240V drop is an option for most. Insulation goes a long way to helping, as does using a heat stick.

I have seen rigs done with 120V, not just 240V. You can also do two 120V lines - or a 120V and a heat stick. Or use an existing 240V (dryer, stove) line while brewing .

 

[bovineblitz]

Here's my current strategy:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/brew-pots-178824/#post2071164

I'm still contemplating getting some actual heat-proof insulation but I haven't found any reliable information and don't want to drop a bunch of money on something that may not work out.

 

[weirdboy]

I have seen rigs done with 120V, not just 240V. You can also do two 120V lines - or a 120V and a heat stick. Or use an existing 240V (dryer, stove) line while brewing .

Yeah I've been looking at converting to electric for a while. I think you can do 120V, but with only one circuit you're not going to get a good boil going on a five gallon batch, and it can be difficult to drag extension cords all over an apartment to get two different circuits going. That's why I am leaning towards gas + heat stick for the apartment option.

 

[Erythro73]

Did someone used some Roxul stuff, finally? This is easily available at HomeDepot, and I wonder if it's worth throwing my money onto...

http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/...artial&Ntx=mode+matchall&N=0&Ntk=P_PartNumber

 

[Bear85]

Sorry to revive an older thread, but is there a definitive good solution for this idea? Most of the links are sadly dead now.

 

[bovineblitz]

Sorry to revive an older thread, but is there a definitive good solution for this idea? Most of the links are sadly dead now.

I'm still doing the aluminum foil method, works well for me and you can reuse the foil, especially if it's the heavy duty stuff.

 

[weirdboy]

I had no problems with using the automotive firewall insulation wrapped around my BK on the stovetop. I was able to bring 7 gallons to a nice rapid boil using that, which was the absolute most that would fit in that BK.

 

[maztec]

I moved, gave up on doing it on the stove top, and went all electric.

Honestly, buying a larger kettle, poking a hole in it, and installing an electric element is easier (and cooler!).

 

[tryn2brew]

This stuff looks like it would work great, but it is expensive. 5 ft x 5 ft sheet is about $250 + shipping. Does not absorb liquid, and good up to 1200 def F.
["Pyrogel XTF"]http://www.aerogel.com/products/pdf/Pyrogel_XTF_DS.pdf[/URL]

I'd only need 1 ft x 4 ft for my pot, and a couple of straps to hold it in place. The edges could be covered with AL tape if deemed necessary. Looks like it would work to me....

 

[HomebrewMTB]

Just wanted to report successful full boil stovetop brew on Friday. I just got a 32qt aluminum pot a few weeks ago and was able to get it to boil with the lid on but it took more than an hour from hot tap water and wouldn't boil without the lid. I was concerned about it but forgot to pick up some insulation material. I wanted to brew right away so I thought I would try out the aluminum foil idea. I was unsure about the effectiveness of alum foil wrapped on an alum pot but it worked out well. Three wraps of foil and I was able to boil 7 gallons without the lid. The foil looked ghetto as anything but was effective.

I'll probably end up building a heat stick anyway because I want to reduce my brew time but the tin foil tricked worked well in the mean time.

 

[Royski]

I just ordered some of this foil-covered insulation from Home Despot - $27 shipped for plenty of material to cover my two eight-gallon kettles. Looking at the part number and picture, it is the same as the Bonded Logic insulation mentioned above, sold at a higher price at JC Whitney and billed as "the same technology developed by NASA to protect its spacecraft."

 

[Royski]

The insulation arrived from Home Despot: it seems to be cotton-backed foil, not any magical NASA stuff. I'll probably try it anyway on my gas stove next time I brew. I think if I start it a couple of inches from the bottom of the pot and protect the edge with foil tape, it should be OK barring a sustained boil-over and flareup.

 

[Royski]

Here is a closeup of it installed with foil tape

At first the foil tape at the bottom started to cook and stink so I made the insulation end a little higher up. Working nicely like this

It sped up the time to boil a little bit. It definitely requires a lot less heat to keep the boil going.

 

[azoteman213]

The insulation arrived from Home Despot: it seems to be cotton-backed foil, not any magical NASA stuff. I'll probably try it anyway on my gas stove next time I brew. I think if I start it a couple of inches from the bottom of the pot and protect the edge with foil tape, it should be OK barring a sustained boil-over and flareup.

Of course! Cotton wrapped with aluminum foil! I have been reading this thread for almost an hour and I had totally forgot about this. I used aluminum foil and cotton to wrap my distillation columns in chemistry lab (the real insulator was the cotton, I just used the aluminum foil to hold it in place). I will try this cotton/aluminum foil on my next brew. I do not perform full volume boils yet, but any help getting my wort to boil is appreciated!

 

[rico567]

I used the automotive firewall insulation purchased from JC Whitney to insulate my 30qt. Proctor-Silex SS pot. Absolutely solved my boil problem on my propane gas cooktop. Whitney also sells the temperature-resistant adhesive and foil tape for applying this stuff. My total cost (which includes WAY more insulation than the pot needs, probably enough for 3-4 pots) was about $45 delivered.

The gas flame doesn't bother this application at all, and I've been using it for 3 years, the last 2.5 doing AG out in the garage over a Bayou Classic SP-10 propane burner, which puts out FAR more heat than the kitchen cooktop.

 

[Calichusetts]

Great solution...I'm sure this opens up a lot of avenues for many brewers on this site