Kick A Banjo Burner?

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woog11

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Ok, 48 qt brewpot is on the way. Now in need of a burner. Ive seen the banjo mentioned and it seems to be a good burner.? Remember now im the guy brewing 5 gal batches, so will this scorch my wort or will it turn down to just what i need?
Maybe you guys know of a better burner for me. As usual thanks for all of your help. skip...
 
Can't go wrong with the Banjo. You can easily turn it down far enough for a 5 gallon batch but you could still do 10 if you want.
 
Bayou Classic Single Burner Outdoor Patio Stove - SQ14 at The Home Depot

This one is great... supposedly 150k BTU.

If you are brewing with extract, make sure you take the pot off the heat when you add the extract to dissolve it into the hot wort. Once it is well mixed, put it back onto the heat for the boil. For all grain, scorching shouldn't be a big deal unless you are going into a high gravity beer.
 
The Kick A burner is wonderful. I have three and do 5, 10, and 15 gallon batches. The large burner area allows me to turn the burner way down and get a nice, even, rolling boil.
 
To each his own. I've had both, and they each have their pluses and minuses. I think the SQ14 is better suited to putting in a rig, though. It's way easier to mount and much smaller.
 
I love my Banjo!

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjoFXonPWfQ]YouTube - The Power of a Banjo Cooker[/ame]
 
I've got two of the Kick A's. They're great. The only issue with them was that when I got them in the post, they were both broken. The welds for the legs were very weak and they had come apart. Easy fix. I pulled out the welder and reattached the legs back on with better welds. I've found that I can get an extra batch out of my propane since I can turn them way down and still keep a good solid boil going.
And they are superdy quiet.
Heavy lil bitches, though.
 
I've found that I can get an extra batch out of my propane since I can turn them way down and still keep a good solid boil going.
And they are superdy quiet.
Heavy lil bitches, though.

I noticed that too. Very quiet, yet they crank out some heat for a roiling boil. Much better than my cheap $18 turkey fryer that I use to heat the HLT.
 
I've got a "Hurricane," which I believe is the same exact casting as a Banjo. Absolutely love it, and it was an easy conversion to natural gas. Plenty of heat, and a wide range of adjustment. And yeah, it weighs a ton...but it's not like I'm going to take it backpacking!

Hurricane2.jpg
 
I've got a "Hurricane," which I believe is the same exact casting as a Banjo. Absolutely love it, and it was an easy conversion to natural gas. Plenty of heat, and a wide range of adjustment. And yeah, it weighs a ton...but it's not like I'm going to take it backpacking!

Hurricane2.jpg


Where can a guy find the Banjo or Hurricane heaters?

Thanks...
 
Thanks for all of the input guys. I needed some positive encouragement on my way to first all grain brewings. Gotta get to work on my mash tun, and lookin around at wort chillers.
Just tried some samuel adams cream stout, my gosh thats good stuff!!!
 
I've got a "Hurricane," which I believe is the same exact casting as a Banjo. Absolutely love it, and it was an easy conversion to natural gas. Plenty of heat, and a wide range of adjustment. And yeah, it weighs a ton...but it's not like I'm going to take it backpacking!

Hurricane2.jpg

how did you convert it to NG? The Northern Brewer website says its for propane only.
 
how did you convert it to NG? The Northern Brewer website says its for propane only.

I'd love to say that I used my extensive mathematical, engineering and machining skills to bend nature's laws to meet my brewing needs. Truthfully though, I merely dropped about eight bucks on this valve/orifice combo. Works great, I don't know why it's not available elsewhere.

HURRICANE CONVERSION VALVE @ Williams Brewing
 
For all the folks that have a banjo burner, how far do you turn up the gas? I do 5 gallons right now and have plans to do a few 10s in the future, and right now from the off position I only ever go to just a bit past a 1/4 turn.

I haven't tried more because this has worked for me so far and I want to conserve propane as much as possible. But curious whether I am being way too conservative with it or not.

If it matters, I have a KAB4.
 
You should never really have to go past medium...once you do reach a boil, it only takes about 25% power to maintain. I never had to go past 1/4-1/3 on the needle valve before the flames started licking the sides of the keg!
 
It's very quiet, especially compared to my old propane turkey fryer. Last brew, I fired the latter up to heat my sparge water and was shocked by the volume difference. I expect any low-pressure NG burner is going to be substantially quieter than the typical propane rig.
 
I have the hurricane, and it works awesome on 5G batches. Probably 3 AG batches per LP tank. Who has used it on 10G batches? I'm looking to do some bigger batches, but the diameter of the Hurricane stand is only 15.5", and kegs are about 16". It doesn't seem like a keggle would be very stable on the stand.
 
I have the hurricane, and it works awesome on 5G batches. Probably 3 AG batches per LP tank. Who has used it on 10G batches? I'm looking to do some bigger batches, but the diameter of the Hurricane stand is only 15.5", and kegs are about 16". It doesn't seem like a keggle would be very stable on the stand.

I was wondering about the same thing with a keggle on a Kick a Banjo. The four posts just don't seem spaced right for a keg to sit on it securely.
 
I am in the process of making a Brutus 10 and I would like to go the natural gas route since I brew in the garage and have NG out there for the maib in the hous. Does anyone have experience with the 9" jets hurners or does it make more sense to go the banjo route with the NG adprter? I live about 15 mile from NB so picking up is no big deal.
 
Reviving a dead thread, I suppose, but the banjo can't be converted to NG. The hurricane can, though; they're different burners. Check the Northern Brewer page on burners: NORTHERN BREWER: Burners

It specifically says that the Bayou Classic cast iron burner (the KAB, just not labeled that way on NB's site) runs on propane only and cannot be converted to natural gas. The hurricane, just below that, can run on NG (but you need to call for details). It's not available right now; I wonder if they sold out to brewers trying to move outdoors this summer.

I'm planning to get a KAB as soon as I can, so I can move outside for the summer. No more cleaning the stove, and I'll be able to brew AG without worrying about using too much water; my stove isn't powerful enough to reduce 6+ gal to 5.5 gal.
 
The Hurricane burner is simple to modify for NG. They sell a NG orifice which is basically all you need. I drilled my manifold holes out with a slightly larger bit just to ensure they were all clear. Some were not so I guess this was a worthwhile endeavor.

This burner really cooks on NG. I can't imagine ever needing more heat in my HB future. It throttles well, always maintains a solid blue flame, and is quiet. The jump to NG has been one of my best moves in becoming a home brew fanatic.

You do want to make sure you use at least a 1/2 feed line. I use a simple rubber hose which just pushes on a outlet hose barb on my valved gas feed. I'm only connected during brewing and always present during burning so safety concerns are not an issue.
 
Reviving a dead thread, I suppose, but the banjo can't be converted to NG. The hurricane can, though; they're different burners. Check the Northern Brewer page on burners: NORTHERN BREWER: Burners

It specifically says that the Bayou Classic cast iron burner (the KAB, just not labeled that way on NB's site) runs on propane only and cannot be converted to natural gas. The hurricane, just below that, can run on NG (but you need to call for details).

I'm not convinced that's completely true. Up until very recently, the Northern catalog also stated that the Hurricane couldn't be converted to run on NG. Meanwhile, I've been doing it for about a year, just by installing a different orifice.

I also think the banjo is very likely the same exact casting as the Hurricane...if there is a difference, it's in the size of the hole where the orifice assembly threads in. There may not be an "out of the box" way to run it on NG, but it's certainly possible, by merely adjusting the orifice.

Hey, if anybody who has a banjo could tell us the diameter and thread count of the intake (where the hose assembly screws in,) that would be very helpful! Anyone?
 
It throttles well, always maintains a solid blue flame, and is quiet. The jump to NG has been one of my best moves in becoming a home brew fanatic.

+1000!

I'm so happy that I no longer need to put those filthy tanks in my car and drive them down to u-haul twice a month for refills. And no picking up a tank and wondering if I have enough gas to finish a batch, one less impediment to spontaneous brew-days. I've even switched to a NG grill, and will probably convert my propane smoker as well.
 
I'd been planning to go with the Kick a Banjo burner, but it seems like nobody can turn it up past medium without the flames licking up the sides of the pot.

The hurricane, though... It sounds like it's generally just as powerful when compared to the range of the KAB that you can actually use, plus you can run it with either propane or natural gas.

Is that about right? The numbers on the burners make me wary about this, though... the hurricane is rated at 60 KBTU, but the KAB is rated at 210 KBTU... How long does it take to boil 6 gallons of water on the hurricane?
 
I'd been planning to go with the Kick a Banjo burner, but it seems like nobody can turn it up past medium without the flames licking up the sides of the pot.

The hurricane, though... It sounds like it's generally just as powerful when compared to the range of the KAB that you can actually use, plus you can run it with either propane or natural gas.

Is that about right? The numbers on the burners make me wary about this, though... the hurricane is rated at 60 KBTU, but the KAB is rated at 210 KBTU... How long does it take to boil 6 gallons of water on the hurricane?


You just change orifices to move between NG and propane. From memory it is about 25 minutes to boil 6 gal on my NG Hurricane in my 15 gal SS pot.
 
You just change orifices to move between NG and propane. From memory it is about 25 minutes to boil 6 gal on my NG Hurricane in my 15 gal SS pot.

I'm not familiar with gas terminology... When you say 'orifice,' is that like an adapter change for the interface between the burner and the gas line?
 
I was wondering about the same thing with a keggle on a Kick a Banjo. The four posts just don't seem spaced right for a keg to sit on it securely.

Modified mine like this:
3464826811_b925659dd2.jpg

The newer KAB4s posts are taller, so I cut them, lowered them and turned them around/rewelded them so the larger dia. keggles like pony kegs will be easier to set on it. Also I have a 65 gal square stainless tank I set on it.:rockin:

Edited: By the way I got mine at brewmasters warehouse, was cheapest I could find due to cheaper shipping.
 
I'm not familiar with gas terminology... When you say 'orifice,' is that like an adapter change for the interface between the burner and the gas line?

The gas orifice is basically referring to the fitting with the small hole typically located at the end of the gas line where it attaches to the burner. The optimum orifice size is dictated by the type of fuel used and the gas pressure. Natural gas requires a larger orifice than propane. That's about all I know regarding the gas orifices.
 
I'm not familiar with gas terminology... When you say 'orifice,' is that like an adapter change for the interface between the burner and the gas line?


The orifice is a brass (usually) restrictor that screws into the inlet of the burner. It's purpose is to limit the flow of gas to maintain the correct combustion ratio of air to fuel for proper operation of the burner.

Propane orifice jets are smaller because propane is delivered at higher pressures and propane has a different fuel air ratio requirement. Changing to NG requires a larger jet to accommodate the lower pressure of the typical home gas supply and the different fuel air ratio requirement for NG.

To change from one to the other simply requires you unscrew one and screw in the other one. A couple of minutes tops. The hose connections are obviously different since connections to a propane bottle and your house NG are different type of connections.
 
Modified mine like this:

The newer KAB4s posts are taller, so I cut them, lowered them and turned them around/rewelded them so the larger dia. keggles like pony kegs will be easier to set on it. Also I have a 65 gal square stainless tank I set on it.:rockin:

Edited: By the way I got mine at brewmasters warehouse, was cheapest I could find due to cheaper shipping.

I made the same mod in Feb. Works great now

solution.JPG


Keggle sit perfectly on it now

solution1.JPG
 
The orifice is a brass (usually) restrictor that screws into the inlet of the burner. It's purpose is to limit the flow of gas to maintain the correct combustion ratio of air to fuel for proper operation of the burner.

Propane orifice jets are smaller because propane is delivered at higher pressures and propane has a different fuel air ratio requirement. Changing to NG requires a larger jet to accommodate the lower pressure of the typical home gas supply and the different fuel air ratio requirement for NG.

To change from one to the other simply requires you unscrew one and screw in the other one. A couple of minutes tops. The hose connections are obviously different since connections to a propane bottle and your house NG are different type of connections.

Ahh, okay, thanks. That was very clear and helpful.

I may end up just going for the KAB anyway, though, since it's cheaper and I don't have an NG line running out from my house. If I ever get around to upgrading to a real rig I may change burners, since I'd likely be brewing more and therefore going through more propane.
 
I've got two of the Kick A's. They're great. The only issue with them was that when I got them in the post, they were both broken. The welds for the legs were very weak and they had come apart. Easy fix. I pulled out the welder and reattached the legs back on with better welds. I've found that I can get an extra batch out of my propane since I can turn them way down and still keep a good solid boil going.
And they are superdy quiet.
Heavy lil bitches, though.


Looking at the stand has me concerned that it just looks so flimsy... any thoughts?
 
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