Propane Burner Windscreen, CHEAP AND EASY!!

[finsfan]

I had a terrble time trying to brew last weekend because of the wind so I decided to build a windscreen. I heard someone mention using a 12in duct reducer but I could not find one that big at menards. What I did find though was this.

http://www.menards.com/main/heating.../16-single-joist-panning/p-1456956-c-6812.htm

I figured I could make it work somehow. When I got it home I realized I lucked out and how easy this was going to be. It was too small to wrap around the burner in one piece, so I cut it in half long wise, and trimmed it down. Each end will now just slid into the other, because of the folded locking side. All I did after that was take the screws out from the burner that connected the base, fit my pieces, and put the screw back in through the sheet metal.

I havent tested it out yet as I just finished it, but it looks like it will be fine from others who have posted about doing this here. All in all it cost me only the price of the metal panning; $7! I have the 210,000 btu bayou burner if you are looking to do this, it fits perfect!

 

[nickw85]

Nice! Good pictures.

 

[Doed]

I have this exact burner and have been thinking about doing something along these lines for a wind screen. I would be really interested in what happens when you use this.

 

[finsfan]

I have this exact burner and have been thinking about doing something along these lines for a wind screen. I would be really interested in what happens when you use this.

I have heard of others doing this and they had no complaints. It was not with this burner tho so I hope it doesnt melt it right off. I will update this sunday when I brew again. The worst that could happen is i wasted $7 and 30 minutes of work, which im perfectly fine with. If it does work tho, easiest DIY ever!

 

[homebrew57]

I did this exact same thing on my banjo burner but I bought a similar flat piece of duct steel from Lowes. I brewed with mine for the first time two weekends ago and the coating on the steel catches fire a little bit and burns off. Just keep an eye on it and should work great.

 

[finsfan]

I did this exact same thing on my banjo burner but I bought a similar flat piece of duct steel from Lowes. I brewed with mine for the first time two weekends ago and the coating on the steel catches fire a little bit and burns off. Just keep an eye on it and should work great.

Heck, even the burner will burn its own paint off. As long as it doesnt melt all over my burner im ok with that Thanks for the comments! I really hope this solves my burner problems I has last weekend. My brew day was extended by more than an hour because of the wind

 

[Ramitt]

I had thought about trying something like that, but was concerned about melting. May have to do it.

 

[Chupidacabra]

This looks awesome! Don't have that burner but I do have that problem. Guess I'm going to lowes tomorrow.

 

[pondochris]

Galvanized duct metal is coated in zinc. Zinc melts at about 900 ̊F and vaporizes at about 1650 ̊F It is non-toxic so the fumes won't hurt but I imagine once the zinc burns off the steel underneath would rust pretty quickly. Steel melts at approximately 2,750 ̊F but I doubt the burner gets that hot.

Source

 

[Black Island Brewer]

I came up with a similar solution on those 10" banjo burners: galvanized steel buckets with the bottoms cut off. I burned off the galvanize out doors, and now I can use it in my garage without killing myself! The only problem I've had is these burners are WAY more than I need, and with the windscreen and the chines of the keggles, I get way too much heat up the sides of my keggles - blistered a sight glass before I realized it, so now all the valves, thermometers and sight glasses are shielded.

 

[pondochris]

I came up with a similar solution on those 10" banjo burners: galvanized steel buckets with the bottoms cut off. I burned off the galvanize out doors, and now I can use it in my garage without killing myself! The only problem I've had is these burners are WAY more than I need, and with the windscreen and the chines of the keggles, I get way too much heat up the sides of my keggles - blistered a sight glass before I realized it, so now all the valves, thermometers and sight glasses are shielded.

Did the steel rust at all?

 

[Black Island Brewer]

Did the steel rust at all?

Hasn't yet, but it's only a few months old. I suspect it will, since it now has no galvanize on it.

 

[rajun50]

Be sure not to breathe in the fumes too much while the galvanization is burning off. You will feel like you have the flu... not a good experience.

 

[Black Island Brewer]

And while zinc poisoning is not fatal, it's not exactly fun...

From source above:

When zinc vapor mixes with the oxygen in the air, it reacts instantly to become zinc oxide. This is the same white powder that you see on some noses at the beach and the slopes. Zinc oxide is non-toxic and non carcinogenic. Extensive research into the effects of zinc oxide fumes has been done, and although breathing those fumes will cause welders to think that they have the flu in a bad way, there are no long-term health effects. Zinc oxide that is inhaled is simply absorbed and eliminated by the body without complications or chronic effects. Current research2 on zinc oxide fumes is concentrated in establishing the mechanism by which zinc oxide causes "metal fume fever," how its effects are self-limiting and why zinc oxide fume effects ameliorate after the first day of exposure even though the welder may continue to be exposed to zinc during subsequent days ("Monday-morning fever"). Other research3 is being done using zinc oxide fumes together with various drugs which results in a synergetic effect for treatment of cancer and AIDS. Another area of research is use of zinc compounds as the active ingredients in throat lozengers that are recognized as significantly effective in reducing the duration and intensity of the common cold.
Typical “metal fume fever” begins about 4 hours after exposure, and full recovery occurs within 48 hours. The symptoms include fever, chills, thirst, headache and nausea. All of these symptoms, pain and suffering, as well as lost work (and play)
time, can be avoided entirely by simply not inhaling the zinc oxide fumes. This can easily be done using any of the methods described later.

 

[finsfan]

thanks for all the info on zinc oxide! I will make sure to not hover over my burner on Sunday when i brew. Heres to hoping for the best

 

[MikeInMKE]

I had a terrble time trying to brew last weekend because of the wind so I decided to build a windscreen. I heard someone mention using a 12in duct reducer but I could not find one that big at menards. What I did find though was this.

http://www.menards.com/main/heating.../16-single-joist-panning/p-1456956-c-6812.htm

I figured I could make it work somehow. When I got it home I realized I lucked out and how easy this was going to be. It was too small to wrap around the burner in one piece, so I cut it in half long wise, and trimmed it down. Each end will now just slid into the other, because of the folded locking side. All I did after that was take the screws out from the burner that connected the base, fit my pieces, and put the screw back in through the sheet metal.

I havent tested it out yet as I just finished it, but it looks like it will be fine from others who have posted about doing this here. All in all it cost me only the price of the metal panning; $7! I have the 210,000 btu bayou burner if you are looking to do this, it fits perfect!

From the Menards link you supplied:
"Actual Finish: Galvanized-Each"

Heating galvanized metals is most definitely NOT recommended: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal_fume_fever

 

[finsfan]

From the Menards link you supplied:
"Actual Finish: Galvanized-Each"

Heating galvanized metals is most definitely NOT recommended: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal_fume_fever

as stated in post 14, inhaling zinc oxide can cause this "fever" which resides in 48 hours and is non-toxic or harmful. Im not going to be brewing indoors and wont be hovering over the burner (or really be outside most of the time) so I dont think Ill be at risk. The worst that could happen is I miss work monday because of this "fever"

 

[TheZymurgist]

This is exactly what I've been planning for my burner.

Also, I wanted to get the burner closer to the keggle, so I ended up taking the burner out, turning the base upside-down, and resting the burner on top of the built-in windscreen with the screws. Cuts the distance almost in half, which cut way down on the amount of propane I was using. Once I get the new windscreen installed, should work like a charm!

OP, what did you use to cut the metal sheeting?

 

[finsfan]

This is exactly what I've been planning for my burner.

Also, I wanted to get the burner closer to the keggle, so I ended up taking the burner out, turning the base upside-down, and resting the burner on top of the built-in windscreen with the screws. Cuts the distance almost in half, which cut way down on the amount of propane I was using. Once I get the new windscreen installed, should work like a charm!

OP, what did you use to cut the metal sheeting?

Just some tin snips, they worked great! Yeah I wish the burner was closer to where my keggle sits but Im hoping this will help a lot without having to do much modification

 

[TheZymurgist]

Just some tin snips, they worked great! Yeah I wish the burner was closer to where my keggle sits but Im hoping this will help a lot without having to do much modification

Try turning the stand over. All you have to do is unscrew the burner, put the screws back in, and set it on the built-in windscreen. Works like a champ!

 

[finsfan]

Try turning the stand over. All you have to do is unscrew the burner, put the screws back in, and set it on the built-in windscreen. Works like a champ!

dang I may have to do that, thanks for the advice!

 

[Hordeum]

If you do inhale a lot of the fumes from the galvanization, drink some milk...old welders trick

 

[durff]

We did the same thing on our bg14, brewed on it for a year and never had a problem.

 

[finsfan]

We did the same thing on our bg14, brewed on it for a year and never had a problem.

this is good news! Was it the same type of duct material?

 

[Black Island Brewer]

Try turning the stand over. All you have to do is unscrew the burner, put the screws back in, and set it on the built-in windscreen. Works like a champ!

I'm wondering what kind of brewpot you use. I use the galvanized buckets to give me more distance between the burner and the bottom of my keggle, to avoid hot spots that could burn/caramelize the wort. (Had that happen with a barleywine and have been leery ever since). Do you have a pot with a thicker bottom?

 

[durff]

this is good news! Was it the same type of duct material?

Yeah, just your normal sheet of ducting. Ours was a larger piece that we cut down to fit. But it did it's job with no problems. The only reason we stopped using it was because we upgraded our setup. But I would imagine it would have last another few years.

 

[user 163849]

If you do inhale a lot of the fumes from the galvanization, drink some milk...old welders trick

I believe this to be true. At least every time I end up welding any galvanized metal I will take a quick "milk break" and have not suffered any ill effects from the fumes.

I made a wind screen similar to yours but I used 16 gauge sheet metal as that is what I had on hand. The metal which you used should work just fine and if it does eventually burn/corrode through it can easily be replaced (the 16 gauge was not not nearly as easy to form).

 

[finsfan]

Im not sick yet so I think Im ok. The windscreen worked wonders today! MY brewday took almost an hour and half less time than last week, solely because of this windscreen

 

[TheZymurgist]

I'm wondering what kind of brewpot you use. I use the galvanized buckets to give me more distance between the burner and the bottom of my keggle, to avoid hot spots that could burn/caramelize the wort. (Had that happen with a barleywine and have been leery ever since). Do you have a pot with a thicker bottom?

I'm using a keggle also. But I don't have a windscreen yet, so I needed to cut the distance in order to make up for the loss of efficiency from the wind. Once I install a windscreen, I'll keep an eye on it just in case it gets too hot.