Propane to Natural Gas Conversion: Best Investment I’ve Made!

[30Bones]

Only reason I didn't drill the stock orifice out was I wanted to regulate the flame with a valve and that's where the brewers hardware units shine for the $$

 

[Komocabo]

And you can always put on the original (propane) regulators on if you want to brew at a friend's house. It was well worth the ~$20 to get 2 of the conversion kits off the bat (I have a single tier, 2 burned set up). I figured that I would be the lucky one to screw up the stock orifices, then have to buy the conversion kit anyways (haha). Now I have the ability to use NG, or LP if I want. Cheers

 

[Brulosopher]

I do like having the ability to remove the converter valves and use the burners with propane.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[Goolsbymd]

I have been seriously thinking about doing this. My house uses NG for the stove and i brew in the detached garage using propane. There's a gas line under the house to the stove about 20' from where i brew. I might have someone come out and quote the install, ill bury the lines myself!

 

[Brulosopher]

I have been seriously thinking about doing this. My house uses NG for the stove and i brew in the detached garage using propane. There's a gas line under the house to the stove about 20' from where i brew. I might have someone come out and quote the install, ill bury the lines myself!

I bet it'll be cheaper than you might think, definitely worth it, either way

 

[satph]

Has anyone used the smaller BG12 burners on NG successfully for either 5 or 10 gallon batches?

Or do you need the larger BG14 sized like the OP used?

Thanks.

 

[Brulosopher]

I've only used the large ones.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[Komocabo]

I use the BG 14s. They are really easy to mount to a stand... just a thought

 

[Bermed]

My experience with working with heaters and water tanks, propane is more dangerous and ignitable at no pressure and dirtier than natural gas where as natural gas is normally ran at lower pressures 12 to 20 psi and has to be compressed to minimum of 5 to 20 pounds pressure to ignite depending on has service, my question is we would install propane tanks in a natural gas supply and it would but hotter because natural gas has smaller orfices cause it's cleaner and propane needs bigger orfices to not plug up so what type of burner do you have propane or natural gas, I would like to use propane Burners with natural gas supply to allow more gas to come out for a 90 gallon boil

I'm sorry but this statement is completely false.
I am a Red Seal Certified Journeyman Plumber and Gasfiitter. I no longer work in the field as I now teach the Plumbing and Gasfitting Apprenticeship program at a local college in the city.
Natural Gas has larger orifice as you need more natural gas to produce the same amount of Btu/h (british thermal units - unit of measurement used for the amount of energy that will be produced - 1 Btu will raise 1 lb of water 1ºF) propane would.

As an example, If you look in the National Gas and Propane Installation Code B149:

Natural Gas @ 7-14" WC (water column)
1/2" Pipe with a developed length of 10ft can supply a maximum of 227,000 Btu/h

Propane @ 11" WC
1/2" Pipe with total developed length of 10ft can supply a maximum of 386,000 Btu/h


As you can see, propane can provide you with more heat in the same amount of time. Therefore, the propane orifice would be smaller than the natural gas orifice if you were looking to produce the same of Btu/h.
Which is why to convert your propane applicance to natural gas is quite simple as all you need to do is drill your orifice a little bigger. There are charts for that as well.

 

[Dog House Brew]

Where would I find one of these charts. I bought 2 20 tip jet burners and drilled them with a 15 gauge drill bit. Worked great. Bought another cheap 23 tip burner and drilled it out with the same bit and I get a lot of suet. I know I'm not getting enough air. Not sure how to remedy the 3rd burner.

 

[Bermed]

Where would I find one of these charts. I bought 2 20 tip jet burners and drilled them with a 15 gauge drill bit. Worked great. Bought another cheap 23 tip burner and drilled it out with the same bit and I get a lot of suet. I know I'm not getting enough air. Not sure how to remedy the 3rd burner.

The soot is a result of incomplete combustion which sounds to me like you are not getting enough air actually.

What is the btu/t rating of your burner?

 

[Bermed]

Here is an orifice chart that you can reference for the right size of hole to drill.

View attachment Gas Orifice Capacity Chart.pdf

 

[rlmiller10]

My experience with working with heaters and water tanks, propane is more dangerous and ignitable at no pressure and dirtier than natural gas where as natural gas is normally ran at lower pressures 12 to 20 psi and has to be compressed to minimum of 5 to 20 pounds pressure to ignite depending on has service, my question is we would install propane tanks in a natural gas supply and it would but hotter because natural gas has smaller orfices cause it's cleaner and propane needs bigger orfices to not plug up so what type of burner do you have propane or natural gas, I would like to use propane Burners with natural gas supply to allow more gas to come out for a 90 gallon boil


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

NG uses larger orifaces because it has less energy per volume. It is also delivered at a much lower pressure (assuming household delivery). So larger orifaces to allow large amounts of low pressure gas to flow and burn.

 

[Dog House Brew]

The soot is a result of incomplete combustion which sounds to me like you are not getting enough air actually.

What is the btu/t rating of your burner?

200,000 btu with propane. So I guess like 140,000 now on NG?