Propane burner question

[wfowlks]

So I just got a propane burner to start doing all-grain batches because I also bought a 20 gallon pot. And when I was bringing the water to a boil I thought that I was getting a lot of heat loss due to the design. I was thinking of putting aluminum foil around the 3 sides that didn't have the supply line coming in, to maybe contain the heat and focus it. However I wasn't sure if it would still work as intended.

So I was wondering if anyone else had done this and survived to tell the tale.

If wondering this is the burner I have:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009JXYQ4/ref=pe_175190_21431760_cs_sce_dp_1

 

[Bensiff]

They are horribly inefficient, not much way around the fact. About as much as you can do to help is get a wind screen which keeps the flame focused.

 

[wfowlks]

So I just wrapped aluminum foil around the legs and it did improve the boil time by about 20 min

 

[Genjin]

I like it! I'm am gonna try it for my next batch

 

[OHIOSTEVE]

I did that for a long time until I got the sculpture built...I have metal wind screens now, BUT they work so well that a regular pot setting on the burners ( I use a keggle) will smother the oxygen and make the flame TERRIBLE. You can also wrap your boil pot with a few layers of foil and that will REALLY speed up your boil times.

 

[wfowlks]

I was thinking of going to the fire house to see if they had any old fire suits they didn't want and make a wrapper for the pot because they can withstand temperatures of up to 500

 

[PilotsPheer]

Not to derail this thread but how many burn hours are you guys averaging out of a propane tank? I've only done two batches with the propane burner so far and I have a back-up tank...just wondering. Thanks

 

[wfowlks]

So far, its depended on how long the boil time was. But I've gotten 2-3 batches per #15 tank. They do sell a 30# tank at the place where I fill my tank and I've been debating getting it.

For my next few batches I am going to do the mash on the stove top, since I BIAB, my 20 gal pot covers 2 burners easily, and it holds the temperatures indoors with reflectix for more than 5 hours. Then just carry my pot outside and do the boil.

But I also use the same tank to grill with because I don't want to make the plunge into a 2nd tank, so it also depends on how much I grill as well.

 

[wfowlks]

Sooo, if you do this, you may want to protect the ground some how if you are not doing this on top of concrete. The deck that I was on, got a burn mark... where the back of the foil was, pix to follow...

 

[wfowlks]

The Burn marks... Its a plastic deck

 

[rifraf]

My friend recently melted the three legs of his propane burner one inch into his asphalt driveway.

When I get my burner I've got to figure out how to protect my patio or my wife will kill me

 

[wfowlks]

After doing some research, I am going to go to home depot and get a few bricks, enough to lay underneath my burner. I may even just make a small frame and mortar them all together in a little platform that I can easily move around. But the brick will be able to handle the heat, as well as protect what is under it.

@0.65 cents per brick, I think its pretty cost effective. Not to mention a lot of people will give you old ones for free.