I'd like to pick up a keggle. I'd use it as a boil kettle to start, but eventually work it in as the HLT in a single tier system.
I'm looking for all the info i can get on what's available for them, and how to get one purchased (I cannot weld, nor work metal very well myself).
I'd like to get dimensions (diameter, height, and height from bottom of outside to ball valve for seeing if it'll fit on my current turkey frier stand).
I think I'd like:
-false bottom with pickup tube
-ball valve
-sight glass
-thermometer
-thermowell for digital probe later
-lid
I'm debating the idea of having two additional holes in it for the in and out flow of using it as an HLT with a copper coil inside as a HERMS setup. I guess that could always go out through holes in the lid, though.
I'm also wondering if anyone has mounted an electric water heater element through the side of one of these? How close can you get that to the copper coils without scorching, or is an inch of water between them enough? I'd like to do a hybrid that uses a coil and a digital probe and Love controller to maintain temp and a burner to help get it there fast to start with. I'm thinking I might be able to use the thing as auxiliary heat when starting the boil, since it will be down to about a 3rd of it's volume, if the coils and element are low down, I could circulate wort through boiling water while having fire under the kettle, but that would be just for kicks or maxing it out once or twice to test it, most likely too much hassle to do regularly.
Anyway, where can someone buy a keggle set up and ready? Any good welders you've used?
I'm looking for all the info i can get on what's available for them, and how to get one purchased (I cannot weld, nor work metal very well myself).
I'd like to get dimensions (diameter, height, and height from bottom of outside to ball valve for seeing if it'll fit on my current turkey frier stand).
I think I'd like:
-false bottom with pickup tube
-ball valve
-sight glass
-thermometer
-thermowell for digital probe later
-lid
I'm debating the idea of having two additional holes in it for the in and out flow of using it as an HLT with a copper coil inside as a HERMS setup. I guess that could always go out through holes in the lid, though.
I'm also wondering if anyone has mounted an electric water heater element through the side of one of these? How close can you get that to the copper coils without scorching, or is an inch of water between them enough? I'd like to do a hybrid that uses a coil and a digital probe and Love controller to maintain temp and a burner to help get it there fast to start with. I'm thinking I might be able to use the thing as auxiliary heat when starting the boil, since it will be down to about a 3rd of it's volume, if the coils and element are low down, I could circulate wort through boiling water while having fire under the kettle, but that would be just for kicks or maxing it out once or twice to test it, most likely too much hassle to do regularly.
Anyway, where can someone buy a keggle set up and ready? Any good welders you've used?
