Modified windscreen for a Bayou Classic KAB6

[LandoLincoln]

Thanks for the inspiration, Brewitt! I got around to making a bigger windscreen for my KAB6 today.

Went to Menard's and bought two pieces of 8" drawband, which is used to connect 8" fireplace pipes together snugly. Or something like that. I dont know. It's 24 gauge. I'm pretty sure it's steel.

I ripped off the parts that allowed the piece to draw together.

After popping some holes in the pieces and having a grand old time with the tin snips and fighting with the heavy cast-iron burner...voila.

I used the bolts that connect the burner to the frame to hold up the windscreen as well.

I'm sure that this will help with cutting down on propane use and I might even be able to ditch the heat shields. Fingers crossed.

If you attempt this project, it might be a good idea to have a helper hold the burner while you try to line up the bolts to the holes. Or use a piece of wood under the burner to hold it up.

 

[kbindera]

This looks perfect. Any update on how it's working out?

 

[lordmorphous]

Subscribed to hear updates as well! Just got the KAB6 for father's day and brewed my first batch, a honey porter, on it Thursday. This thing is a beast of a burner! My first runnings were boiling before my sparge (batch) was done!. I have to pay attention to my boil off rate next time to re-calculate for beersmith. I think I boiled off close to 2.5 gallons in an hour, and I thought I had the thing turned down. Can't comment on propane usage other than I was using a tank that I had already done 2 or 3 brews on with my turkey fryer and I think I may be able to get one more out of it on the new burner.

 

[LandoLincoln]

Yes, it most certainly helps with the saving of propane. Instead of buying a new propane tank every 10 gallon brewday, I get one every third batch or so now.

Getting a slight discoloration on the metal near the top, similar to the old wind screen. It's not rusting out, though. It's harder to light the thing. It helps out a lot to have one of those lighters that have the flexible tip thing so you can snake it underneath. Or you could just drill a hole in the side for sticking your lighter through.

I haven't dared to try to use it without heat shields for my sight glass and valve.

This burner is a beast. I think I could easily boil off 2 gallons an hour if I had this thing set to max. I might swap out the regulator with a 20 psi regulator.

"Oh, but you could just dial the heat down some." Yeah, that's the thing. Since you're not operating at max pressure, you have to guesstimate how much heat you are sending to the pot. If you guess wrong, you're not going to hit your target volume, and that's a real pain in the ass sometimes, especially if you come in over volume. Under volume isn't too bad - you just add some distilled water to get where you need to be. But over volume, and then you have to boil longer, and that's going to throw off your hop schedule and/or IBU's of the beer.

 

[mjmac85]

Glad I found this. I was just about to build a windscreen for mine and this is a much better idea.

 

[lordmorphous]

This burner is a beast. I think I could easily boil off 2 gallons an hour if I had this thing set to max. I might swap out the regulator with a 20 psi regulator.

Try 3.2 gallons in one hour. That's what happened to me last brewday, and I did not have the thing turned up very high. You are correct, this thing is a beast!

 

[kbindera]

Just wanted to loop back on this thread. I installed my windscreen exactly as LandoLincoln suggested.
What a huge difference. The burner runs very quiet and I get three+ wort boils per tank. I typically do 90 minute boils.
Before this, I would about tap a full tank with one boil. I'd consider this mod a must for this burner (unless you like spending $ on propane and burning off leg hair).


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[TheZymurgist]

I just did something similar last weekend to mine, using metal flashing from Home Depot. The only difference is that I took the actual burner out, flipped the frame upside down, and use the four bolts to rest the burner on the frame's heat shield. My burner is now only about three or four inches away from the pot, and I'm getting at least one more 60 boil out of it.

 

[beernbourbon]

Just got my second KAB4, (the 6 was way too big for my stuff) and they have modified them, or maybe mine was just a happy accident. It appears they have reversed what they install as a windscreen, and there is only an inch between the top bars and the top of the windscreen, and it goes down under the burner itself. Seemed to work quite well the other day.
I know the 6 and 4 are quite different in support structure diameter, but not sure if there is much of a difference between them with reference to the windscreen.

 

[tschmitt]

Thank you LandoLincoln and Brewitt. I just completed mine and fabricated a small access door. I can now view/monitor the flame easily and have access to light burner then close if needed. View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1422233701.781573.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1422233721.987129.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1422233736.749173.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1422233757.213730.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1422233780.642507.jpg