Bucket Of Death

[stuchambers]

Hey guys,
I have just completed my bucket of death.

I used the element from a $9 kettle found at kmart,
a 25L water container from bunnings around $15
some other bits and pieces from jaycar forget the correct amount but it was probably around $15 at the most.

Here are some pics




I also ran a trail from tap water 22*C to boil it took 65min here is a graph

Next stop all grain

Cheers Stu

 

[shadders]

Sorry for being slow but what's it for? Presume you're going to have something hot in there... Is the plastic food grade safe at high temps?

 

[warra48]

Nice work, but 65 minutes seems a little long for my patience.

Why not fit a second element, and see if you can cut the time down to a significant extent?

 

[hsb]

It'll be a hot liquor tank shadders - for heating strike water.
an hour is around what it takes for me to hit boiling too (in a keg), it is a (minor) irritation to wait so long but my house electrical circuits say no to more ampage, as for stuchambers..

no idea on the plastic question - this plastic style HLT is pretty common in the UK so I'd guess it is OK. nice work stu.

 

[stuchambers]

It is to be used as an electric kettle to boil wort.
The plastic is HDPE and the barrel is sold as water container.
The 65 min was from the cold tap to boil, my water comes out of the hot tap at 55 and mashing temps are 65 up to 78 mash out
this ramping should only take 25 min from my graph. however i might add a camping mat to help insulate it all.

Cheers Stu

 

[Bribie G]

Be careful about it going a bit soft and maybe the tap popping out. I had a Bruheat in the UK and I know from experience that they are a higher density, harder plastic than our fermenters (if you google bruheat you will see that the plastic is a bit different looking). However if you are careful and keep kids and small pets away it should make a functional HLT. Wouldn't want to use it as a boiler though.

 

[gap]

I have used a plastic pail type fermentor as my HLT for about 10 years.
I have added a bulkhead fitting and a proper ball valve tap to mine.
The bucket does not go soft at high temperatures (boiling) and I have not had any bad incidents with it.
The bucket is about 5 mm thick plastic so quite strong. I would not like to use a modern fermentor
as they look quite flimsy compared to the bucket.

Regards

Graeme

 

[QldKev]

start with water from your HWS, it will save a lot of time.

QldKev

 

[Sammus]

Insulate it, get a $5 camping mat or two from the reject shop (or equivalent), and wrap it tightly around and cover it with duct tape. It'll make it heaps heaps heaps more efficient. Howd it go at high temps? soften up at all? I'd be tempted to fit a ball valve to it for fear of the standard tap popping out, but thats without actually ever seeing or using one. Worth thinking about at least...

 

[ramu_gupta]

The ball valve is a good suggestion. I have done it in my BoD - makes it easy to control the flow of hot water.
Also have mine on a timer attached to a temp controller so that strike water is ready when I'm about to mash in.
Insulation is the next step - thanks for the idea Sammus.

 

[stuchambers]

Hey all,
Thanks for your thoughts and queries.
The plastic does go a lot softer during the boil however I don't intend on moving it whilst hot so I not sure if that will be much of a problem.
I think I will insult it to increase its efficiency and adding a proper ball valve is on the list too.

Apart from looking pretty is there much of a difference in using stainless or brass?

I think i'm ready to try a BIAB however I might have trouble pulling the bag out the smaller neck of the drum.
I could wait till I find a suitable cheap esky to turning to a mash tun.

Cheers Stu

 

[shadders]

Hey all,
Thanks for your thoughts and queries.
The plastic does go a lot softer during the boil however I don't intend on moving it whilst hot so I not sure if that will be much of a problem.
I think I will insult it to increase its efficiency and adding a proper ball valve is on the list too.

Apart from looking pretty is there much of a difference in using stainless or brass?

I think i'm ready to try a BIAB however I might have trouble pulling the bag out the smaller neck of the drum.
I could wait till I find a suitable cheap esky to turning to a mash tun.

Cheers Stu

If you're willing to go the ball valve with a decent bulkhead then why not look at converting to a handy pail? Same capacity, about $12 at bunnings... Bigger open top (for BIAB), still HDPE but much thicker. As I HLT I could live with it but as a boiler it scares the crap of me on so many levels...

If you decide to upgrade later to a stainless vessel it's then just a matter of getting the right size holes and transferring all fittings.

 

[seemax]

Personally I'd have no issue using it as a HLT , but a kettle ... no thanks.

Even a NC cube gets quite soft when filled, I wouldn't like to have 25+ Litres of wort boiling in it for an hour.

 

[Gavo]

I had one of these when I started AG, only reason I upgraded was I needed more capacity. Used to get a little softer as it heated, no problems witht the stock tap. Good work and welcome to AG.

Gavo

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

BOD=SAFE Scary As **** Eh

 

[gone_fishing_]

Why do I get the feeling that Stuchambers will shortly be making a trip to his local emergency rooms.

Hope you dont have any kids around?
gf

 

[big_dazza27]

my water comes out of the hot tap at 55

The water from your hot water tap can contain all types of contaminants including lead from either the hot water system itself or soldering of copper pipes. Over time hot water systems can become full of sludge and sediment also that i wouldn't want to risk getting into any of my brews.