SSBrewtech Booch tank mod to eKettle

[David Coy]

Can't look at this without thinking it would make a great electric kettle. I'd love the bottom drain and it would be trivial to set up a tangental whirlpool fitting and side drain with the triclover accessories ports.

https://www.ssbrewtech.com/products...WXYWjKWYEL4H4xpyTFhnlkKmc8AS0ihxoCqZ0QAvD_BwE

 

[matt_m]

Configuration wise hell yeah. In practice it probably has some things to think about. The ports look like the ones on the conicals which are more like 1" TCs--smaller pipe with the 1.5" size flange. Might be limiting for dip tubes and definitely problematic for elements. Though at a second look the side one might be bigger and maybe could be your element port. You could use a Blichmann Boil Coil as well. I suspect the walls are also thinner, more like a Chronical than typical kettle wall thickness. And last, looks like you'd need a different lid, might not be able to use a standard kettle lid looking at specs on the half barrel Booch tank vs a 15 gallon kettle. Those clips would work to hold a loose-fitting Spike steam hat in place but the half barrel is 15.7" diameter while Spike lists the minimum diameter as 15.7 so it could be a tight or oh-so-close-to-working fit depending on tolerances.

 

[Bobby_M]

The pictures really lack the kind of detail that I'd need to make a full assessment. I can't tell if the bottom drain is centered or offset to the edge. If it's not centered in the cone, it's not idea for CIP since you'll have to muscle-dump it. If it is centered, I'd still end up putting some kind of racking arm in one of the side ports to dial in the post whirlpool clean wort drain. There's no problem with the lid. I'd probably install my steam slayer in a newly added upper TC port or put it into the lid with an elbow. As mentioned, you'd want to vet that at least one of those side TC ports is full 1-3/8" bore for an element.

The long story shorter, you can get a very functional TC ported half barrel kettle for less money almost anywhere else unless the bottom drain is the killer app for you and it is as functional as you think it is.

Edit: found this:

The drain is centered enough to fully drain for CIP so you'd definitely need another racking port. I don't know if the hole in the lid is a standard TC size but if it is, you'd need a cap to make it steam slayer friendly.

The right side TC port is large enough for an element. The two front ones are not but they can still support a diptube/racking arm.

The half barrel is actually a 20 gallon capacity.

The one major design flaw is that the bottom drain tube should have dropped lower to make more room for the butterfly valve handle. You can see in the video how you have to jam your knuckles to grab the handle and it doesn't appear that rotation would fix that because the handle will hit the tank or table in the closed position. Unfortunately I have to say this is typical SSbrewtech. It's like it all gets drawn in CAD somewhere in a carpeted office and no one actually brews on the stuff to see if there's a better way.

 

[aquenne]

The right side TC port is large enough for an element. The two front ones are not but they can still support a diptube/racking arm.

Hey Bobby,

Just wondering how you confirmed this? Im on a mission for bottom drain and fully agree w/ basically everything you've noted, dip tube and whirlpool ports can be added into front ports.

I was also looking at the 20Gal SS Brewtech brite tank for bottom drain BK conversion but looks like the 1.5" TC are not full size and wouldnt take an element.


EDIT: I see SS Brewtech recommends heating element as an accessory - also its 2" TC.
https://ssbrewtech.zendesk.com/hc/e...accessories-are-available-for-the-Booch-Tank-
I pulled the trigger on the 20Gal Booch tank so i'll come back to this thread once it arrives.

 

[Bobby_M]

Hey Bobby,

Just wondering how you confirmed this? Im on a mission for bottom drain and fully agree w/ basically everything you've noted, dip tube and whirlpool ports can be added into front ports.

In the video, I could easily see that the right hand port was a standard 2" TC port with the normal 2" OD tubing welded to the kettle. This element would fit:
https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/element5500_ripple_tc2.htm

 

[aquenne]

I pulled the trigger on the 20Gal Booch tank so i'll come back to this thread once it arrives.

Happy with the purchase. No surprises, just waiting on a TC extension for steam condenser.

The bottom drain is well positioned and drains fully. Will be good for CIP.

 

[sicktght311]

Wish they didn't discontinue this as i was going to pull the trigger as well to use as my boil kettle.

 

[aquenne]

Wish they didn't discontinue this as i was going to pull the trigger as well to use as my boil kettle.

I picked it up thru a Canadian distributor, but with that said, I wasn't aware it was discontinued? It seems it was just recently removed from their SS brewtech website, as I could have sworn it was there few days back.

Its almost identical to their 20Gal BME Brite tank - though the major difference is the Booch tank has the 2inch TC fitting to allow for an element, and the fitting on the Brite tank is 1 inch TC and not large enough for an element.

 

[sicktght311]

I picked it up thru a Canadian distributor, but with that said, I wasn't aware it was discontinued? It seems it was just recently removed from their SS brewtech website, as I could have sworn it was there few days back.

Its almost identical to their 20Gal BME Brite tank - though the major difference is the Booch tank has the 2inch TC fitting to allow for an element, and the fitting on the Brite tank is 1 inch TC and not large enough for an element.

They still sell them through a couple canadian sites, but at over $800 for the 10 gallon version, i'll pass. They were only $350 i believe when SS was selling them. SS removed them from active purchase on the site about 6-8 months ago i believe. Quietly swept them under the rug and at the same time they disappeared from sale in the US