To insulate or not to insulate, that is the question.

[AHammer16]

I finished making my 15.5 gal keggle and i was wondering, should i put insulation around it? I've seen some of you guys all grain 3 tiers and they are insulated so i was wondering if my boil keggle for extract brewing should be insulated. I would think it would help alot w/ heat loss because the keggle is a huge heat sink. If you would what material do you use?

And now for another related question. The keggle has a weldless fitting and valve on the bottom along w/ a sanke keg adapter and a bazooka T screen. When i drilled the hole for the fitting i decided to center it between the handles so i could tip the keggle to get the last bit out, but when i did that i relized that there is a small cut out on the bottom rim rigfht under where the fitting is now coming out. Do you guys think the heat coming through that cut out will hurt the fitting or the o-ring that is there?

 

[Brewiz]

I finished making my 15.5 gal keggle and i was wondering, should i put insulation around it? I've seen some of you guys all grain 3 tiers and they are insulated so i was wondering if my boil keggle for extract brewing should be insulated. I would think it would help alot w/ heat loss because the keggle is a huge heat sink. If you would what material do you use?

And now for another related question. The keggle has a weldless fitting and valve on the bottom along w/ a sanke keg adapter and a bazooka T screen. When i drilled the hole for the fitting i decided to center it between the handles so i could tip the keggle to get the last bit out, but when i did that i relized that there is a small cut out on the bottom rim rigfht under where the fitting is now coming out. Do you guys think the heat coming through that cut out will hurt the fitting or the o-ring that is there?

I wouldn't worry about insulating the boil kettle, there is no real need to. Just insulate the HLT and MT, you can get a hot water heater blanket from Lowes or HD and use it for both using hi-temp duct tape. I also had a problem with those drain holes and I sealed the ones that were causing problems with JB Weld.

 

[Westminster Brew]

Thanks to everyone who has read and replied to my inquire about using the dishwasher; bottle cleaner here we come !

 

[AHammer16]

Thanks to everyone who has read and replied to my inquire about using the dishwasher; bottle cleaner here we come !

Where did that come from?

 

[DeRoux's Broux]

no need to insulate the boil kettle. i don't even insulate my HLT. just add a little fire to it every once in awhile to hold it around 170-172. just the mash tun.

 

[parasonic]

Sorry to open back up a somewhat old thread...

...but a hot water heater blanket is the way to go?

 

[AHammer16]

Yeah that is what i was thinking about using. but the others convinced me that is was a non-issue.