hopfool
Well-Known Member
Willy that heat concentrator sounds really interesting. Got any pictures?
Need Your Feedback on New Stand Mods
- Thread starter Yambor44
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OP
OP
Got some 1/2" solid square steel I am going to add a "grate" and test once more. That will add one inch of height tom the 2.25" burner clearance and one inch of clearance all the way around the pot for heat to escape. Will hopefully test tonight.
On a side note: any one with the Blichmanns experience the bottom "bowing" at all? Both pots I used so far seem to teeter front to back on the stand now. According to the level the stand doesn't have any gaps so I assume it's not the frame. Did the same when I added the steel pieces for the grate.
On a side note: any one with the Blichmanns experience the bottom "bowing" at all? Both pots I used so far seem to teeter front to back on the stand now. According to the level the stand doesn't have any gaps so I assume it's not the frame. Did the same when I added the steel pieces for the grate.
tomroeder
Well-Known Member
With what those pots cost, you ought to be able do hold anti-matter with no magnetic containment field, or a sun going super nova, and they should not warp like that....I would be on the phone in a New York minute.
OP
OP
I would but I need to verify it if I could somehow. I could swear I heard it go "boing" when I was just moving it around empty once. Kinda like the sound something makes when it re adjusts to its original shape??? My welder told me that any metal even though formed will try and seek it's original condition????
willynilly
Well-Known Member
Mine have not bowed, and seem quite solid. My guess is the heat is doing this.
Place a metal straight edge ruler on edge across the bottom. This way you can see if it is flat or has curved out. If it has curved, you can measure the amount of deflection. If it ends up being any more than something very minor, I'd get in touch with the company to see what they have to say.
IMHO.
OP
OP
Okay Pj and Willy and Tom, Thanks! Will check her out.
Meanwhile, here is a short video of when I reached the boil. It took slightly longer then last time at 58 minutes (same as first test) but my valve was only open 1/3 the way! Saved a ton of gas.
My question: Is this boil vigorous enough?
Meanwhile, here is a short video of when I reached the boil. It took slightly longer then last time at 58 minutes (same as first test) but my valve was only open 1/3 the way! Saved a ton of gas.
My question: Is this boil vigorous enough?
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tomroeder
Well-Known Member
It looks good to me....I was always told you want a semi-soft rolling boil, and it looks like that is what you have!
What I do, when I am heating sparge water, or heating wort to achieve boil, I leave my burners wide open until I get to boil, then I throttle it way back to keep a nice rolling boil like you have there. If I left it turned way down like when I am at heating up, it would take a long time to achieve boil...
What I do, when I am heating sparge water, or heating wort to achieve boil, I leave my burners wide open until I get to boil, then I throttle it way back to keep a nice rolling boil like you have there. If I left it turned way down like when I am at heating up, it would take a long time to achieve boil...
Lonnie Mac
Well-Known Member
That boil looks GREAT to me... Over the years, the term "vigorous boil" has really been taken out of context... So, closer with the burner to the pot, less gas, = good brewday! And remember, I know it may take just a tad longer than maybe you expected, but that's why we call it a "brew-DAY"
Looks like you are there...
EDIT: Maybe I missed it, but have you tried it without the new spacers? My burners are only 2" from the bottom of the pots... They work perfectly that way...
Lonnie Mac
Well-Known Member
Oh and P-J, you and I still need to have a talk about my gear motor my friend the electrical guru... You and I had spoke some years ago on the green board but I never got to it!
Thread hijack off...
Thread hijack off...
OP
OP
You can Hi-Jack all you want Lonnie (Lord knows I do it enough around here)!
Especially with PJ. He's a good friend. Matter of fact I shipped my Blichmann to him yesterday so he can install a HERMS in my HLT!! :fro:
I'd be glad to do that. We will figure it out - no problem.
OP
OP
Yes. See results above. Faster results with more gas and some frame discoloration at 2.25". This one was an inch higher than that and half the gas.
OP
OP
Final, final test.
Dropped burner to 4.5, slid pot forward to use frame as heat shield. FULL throttle.
10 Minutes 120*
15 Minutes 140*
20 Minutes 158*
25 Minutes 175*
30 Minutes 192*
35 Minutes 206*
37 Minutes 212* Boil
Dropped burner to 4.5, slid pot forward to use frame as heat shield. FULL throttle.
10 Minutes 120*
15 Minutes 140*
20 Minutes 158*
25 Minutes 175*
30 Minutes 192*
35 Minutes 206*
37 Minutes 212* Boil
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willynilly
Well-Known Member
How many gallons? 8?
hopfool
Well-Known Member
Not tryin' to sound like a S.A. but why wouldn't you put a solid lid on your pot to boil. 37 min. sounds kick ass but even better with the lid on.
willynilly
Well-Known Member
If it was in 8 gallons again, you got it up to 13,500 BTUs. I recall it was less prior to tinkering.
At FULL throttle, what is the rate of gas usage?
At FULL throttle, what is the rate of gas usage?
OP
OP
No idea on the gas usage. It was 8 gallons. Never used a lid on the BK, ever. Also, I did not use the grate pieces either.
willynilly
Well-Known Member
your rig is cool man, testing is the fun part! glad to see you ae getting it buttoned up
OP
OP
Thanks man. Having a HERMS put in the HLT so it can serve double duty for keeping the mash temp and cooling the wort. If all goes well with it I'll probably sell my Thermometer.
Here is the preliminary fabrication of the HERMS coil.
This will be mounted inside the Blichmann BoilerMaker with fittings mounted through the kettle wall and Stay-Brite #8 soldered in place. QDs will be placed on the kettle fittings to allow for easy setup changes. The Herms coil is 25' of 1/2" copper fabricated with flare fittings to eliminate any catch points within the unit.
OP
OP
Wow! Looking good PJ! Thanks again for all of your help!
Yambor44,
Thanks for all the updates and info re: your burner setup. I've been contemplating natural gas burners myself.
One thing: you say that your house NG pressure is 2"? Is that a regional thing? 2" sounds really low. I saw a post in another thread where they said 3.5" was standard, which still seems too low. I always thought that standard household pressure was usually somewhere between 6" and 11". I know my water heater calls for a minimum inlet pressure of 5" with a manifold pressure of 4".
Either way, your results would indicate that connecting one of these burners directly to a line supplying 7"-8" WC is not the best way to go, and that some sort of pressure regulation is necessary.
Thanks again!
Chris
Thanks for all the updates and info re: your burner setup. I've been contemplating natural gas burners myself.
One thing: you say that your house NG pressure is 2"? Is that a regional thing? 2" sounds really low. I saw a post in another thread where they said 3.5" was standard, which still seems too low. I always thought that standard household pressure was usually somewhere between 6" and 11". I know my water heater calls for a minimum inlet pressure of 5" with a manifold pressure of 4".
Either way, your results would indicate that connecting one of these burners directly to a line supplying 7"-8" WC is not the best way to go, and that some sort of pressure regulation is necessary.
Thanks again!
Chris
OP
OP
Got the heat shields installed
OP
OP
Also finally nutted up and drilled the holes in the lids for the returns. As Lonnie does, I will be able to:
1) run the mash from the bottom of the MT out to the pump, to the HERMS, and back to the top of the MT.
2) when I am done with the mash and want to transfer my first runnings and or fly sparge, I just remove the lid from the MT with hose attached and place it onto the boil kettle.
3) When I get ready to chill my wort, I pump from the BK to the HLT/HERMS filled with ice water and back to the BK. At the same time I use the 2nd pump to pull ice water from the bottom of the HLT/HERMS vessel and back to the top to keep the ice water moving. WHO NEEDS A THERMINATOR?? (seriously, who needs one? Mine will be for sale soon)
1) run the mash from the bottom of the MT out to the pump, to the HERMS, and back to the top of the MT.
2) when I am done with the mash and want to transfer my first runnings and or fly sparge, I just remove the lid from the MT with hose attached and place it onto the boil kettle.
3) When I get ready to chill my wort, I pump from the BK to the HLT/HERMS filled with ice water and back to the BK. At the same time I use the 2nd pump to pull ice water from the bottom of the HLT/HERMS vessel and back to the top to keep the ice water moving. WHO NEEDS A THERMINATOR?? (seriously, who needs one? Mine will be for sale soon)
OP
OP
P-J sent me some pictures of the completed HERMS in the HLT 10 gallon Blichmann. It is en-route and should be here tomorrow!!! I need to brew something fierce! I'm drinking beer that was made 1-2 months ago. I usually have a pipeline going and it doesn't hit the tap for at least 3 months from brew date.
Silver solder
Silver solder
OP
OP
Thanks! I made some other changes. Removed the brass and added some stainless camlocks.
You can see the old on the left and the new on the right.
The new fitting on the ball valve up front, the old in the background
New on the right lid, old on the left. Much cleaner looking.
The new fittings with the hoses.
You can see the old on the left and the new on the right.
The new fitting on the ball valve up front, the old in the background
New on the right lid, old on the left. Much cleaner looking.
The new fittings with the hoses.
klyph
Well-Known Member
Nice, send me your old brass ones
