Wagner Steamer to Heat Mash in a cooler?

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FnSbrewing

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I've been wondering if anyone has tried using a wallpaper steamer like the WAGNER 705 to heat their mash in a cooler for stem mashes?

They are under $50, and can operate for over an hour at 1500 watts.

http://www.wagnerspraytech.com/portal/wagner_705_spray,43321,747.html

I'm wondering if this might be a better option compared to a converted pressure cooker for safety reasons? I have no idea how the steamer operates, this was just a thought. I really want to do step mashes and control mashout temps better in my cooler, just not sure I want to go the route of the modded pressure cooker.
 
The Wagner unit is a good idea but it is not a pressurized unit and would probably not apreciate the back pressure of the steam dispersion manifold in the cooler. While the steam injected mash systems have returned to popularity after being tried and discarded over a decade ago, the same basic problems still exist, localised overheating without vigorus stirring, repeatable temperature control, noisy condensation flash boiling (severe popping and banging) in manifolds. There is another method that requires recirculation of the wort and mixing steam into moving wort that avoids the direct injection problems.
 
Yes, I have seen someone try this before. But I can't find it anymore. If it turns up, I will let you know.

IIRC, the author had reasonable success, although I don't think the heating capacity of the steamer was really able to keep up. 1500 W is workable, but a larger heat supply would be better.
 
Thanks for the info ! - I'll probably keep searching for a cheap pressure cooker and go that route in the future.

As much as I like the idea of temp control in my cooler, I really don't want to add more equipmet - like to keep it K.I.S.S.

:mug:
 
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