My New Ag Sysytem

[Back Yard Brewer]

As soon as you work it out, I will get the results from you . I am using the same gear on the stand which is too close. I have not had a chance to build my rig yet though.


Have a look here, this post was bumped earlier today.

After looking at Waynes exploding concrete demo I am wondering whether to much heat will be reflected of the SS sheet that my burner will be sitting on. A little concerned ATM. Also I may have to move my switch, I done a short burst trial and the switch box got a little warm.

 

[jel]

After looking at Waynes exploding concrete demo I am wondering whether to much heat will be reflected of the SS sheet that my burner will be sitting on. A little concerned ATM. Also I may have to move my switch, I done a short burst trial and the switch box got a little warm.

Andy,

Nice, very nice. You will have to hand out sunglasses to any-one that drops in for a look - that is some seriously shiny work there.

With regards to the height of the burner, I noticed you have used angles for support/connection. Could you not extend the legs of the angles and cut out a slot for the fixings? That way you could adjust the height to suit.

I wouldnt worry too much about the heat reflection from the s/s base. IIRC Zwickel has a similar setup and commented that the reflected heat reduced heating times etc. and was a good thing.
I would consider relocating the switches though ... or install some additional sheet to both sides of your frame to create a wall with an air-gap between your burner and your electrics.

cheers
jon

 

[Steve]

Well just spent most of the day trying to complete the system. Almost there. Have managed to set up the spiral for the Kettle and also knocked uo a Beerbelly inspired Sparge Arm MkII B) Still working / deciding what I will do about my element problem. Anyway here are the pics.

Jumping up n down, stamping feet....why cant I have one of them!? That looks great!
Cheers
Steve

 

[boingk]

Very, very nice looking setup you have there! My only comment would be for you to consider drilling a few holes into the burner's SS mounting plate - one largish one in the center and several smaller ones around the outside of the burner. This way you'll get killer air intake from below the burner, which will let the flame propogate in a more direct line towards the kettle. ie: More heat, more directly.

Cheers - boingk

 

[chappo1970]

BYB Awesome job mate! Green to the gills with envy. I want one just like that simple, sturdy and practical.

...drilling a few holes into the burner's SS mounting plate - one largish one in the center and several smaller ones around the outside of the burner. This way you'll get killer air intake from below the burner, which will let the flame propogate in a more direct line towards the kettle. ie: More heat, more directly.
Cheers - boingk

BoingK could you explain this further? Not trying to be smart either. I am planning my AG setup and like everyone who's heading down that slope, I am grasping at different bits and bobs to tweak the final plan. Like BYB I was planning to put a heat deflection plate under and to the rear of the gas ring. I get the idea of letting the flame breathe just not the principals behind it?

 

[boingk]

As you look down onto the burner mounted onto the plate, envision a few holes drilled around the outside perimeter of the burner, like moons (the holes) around a planet (the burner). Say... eight to twelve holes. Now, envision one larger hole in the metal visible through the middle of the ring formed by the burner itself.

These holes will allow for a better mix of air and fuel at the burner because there will be more air exposed to the burner. Additionally, the flame will be jetting upwards; it makes sense to have air coming up from underneath the burner to mix with the igniting fuel and allow for a cleaner and hotter burn. Lastly, the air coming up from underneath the burner will cause the flame to be drafted upwards towards the pot being heated.

In a nutshell, you want as much air as possible around the burner and the holes will help with this. If the air can be flowing in the same direction the flames will be then so much the better, and the holes will help with this too.

Cheers, hope that makes it a bit less muddy - boingk

 

[chappo1970]

Cheers BoingK I've got it. Thanks for taking the time to explain.

I reckon it's like the holes around the top of an oxy torch heating tip. They have a series holes around the top leading edge of the tip and generally the back of the shroud to the tip is open to allow for the same thing air to the flame.

 

[jel]

i was under the impression that with the italian spiral burners, the air needed was mixed with the gas well before the holes/outlets, at the 'handle' end.

i can not see how having holes in the support shelf would benefit? happy to proven wrong though ...

 

[Back Yard Brewer]

Andy,



With regards to the height of the burner, I noticed you have used angles for support/connection. Could you not extend the legs of the angles and cut out a slot for the fixings? That way you could adjust the height to suit.

I wouldnt worry too much about the heat reflection from the s/s base. IIRC Zwickel has a similar setup and commented that the reflected heat reduced heating times etc. and was a good thing.

I would consider relocating the switches though ... or install some additional sheet to both sides of your frame to create a wall with an air-gap between your burner and your electrics.

cheers
jon

May need to drop the burner down a little.

Yes hopefully the reflection will help but the idea of drilling a few holes here and there sounds like it has some merit. That is in regards to air intake.

Managed to find a piece of 3mm plate that I can tig to the frame and form a sheild. Hope that works. Don't fancy moving the switch and really where it is that is the best suited spot. But then again I could move it inside the box where the tempmate is.

BYB

 

[Zwickel]

i was under the impression that with the italian spiral burners, the air needed was mixed with the gas well before the holes/outlets, at the 'handle' end.

i can not see how having holes in the support shelf would benefit? happy to proven wrong though ...

thats the point.

drilling holes around the burner could be even contraproductive.
the ideal mixture of gas/air is set up at the burner itself and the gas/airflow provides a laminar flow of the heat around the kettle.
Holes around the burner would just lower the temp of the surrounding gas flow.

just my 2 cent

:icon_cheers:

 

[Back Yard Brewer]

Well after much discussion I have opted for the Mongolian 23 jet burner. Phoned John at G & G paid for it Monday arrived this morning (not express post either)

Must admit these things pump out some serious heat. Standard reg is all that can be used on these things. Managed to get a boil on 60ltrs in 50mins from 20c. My only worry is that my boil is not as vigorous as I had hoped. I want to step up to the 80ltr boil eventually. Pondering going the 32 jet ATM.

BYB

 

[kirem]

I have the 32 jet model and what a beast. I had it hooked up to a variable reg and sitting on a pedestal with a nut welded in the middle and a bolt mounted to the bottom of the kettle, by turning the pedestal it went up and down to get the flame licking the bottom of the kettle just right.

Makes a bit of noise, pumps some heat out and drains a gas bottle very quickly. It is one of the reasons I did away with gas and went all electric. It now happily boils up blue swimmers, rock lobster, murray cray, marron and yabbies.

My Brewery is now know as The Apostle Judas Iscariot Brewery

 

[Back Yard Brewer]

I have the 32 jet model and what a beast. I had it hooked up to a variable reg and sitting on a pedestal with a nut welded in the middle and a bolt mounted to the bottom of the kettle, by turning the pedestal it went up and down to get the flame licking the bottom of the kettle just right.

Makes a bit of noise, pumps some heat out and drains a gas bottle very quickly. It is one of the reasons I did away with gas and went all electric. It now happily boils up blue swimmers, rock lobster, murray cray, marron and yabbies.

My Brewery is now know as The Apostle Judas Iscariot Brewery

That is why I am reluctant to go bigger. The 32 jet being the gas guzzler it maybe. I tried running the 23jet with the variable reg but it did not like it. When you say it empties a cylinder quick, how quick? What were your boil sizes.

BYB

 

[kirem]

it was about a year ago now but maybe get 2-3 boils from a bottle (the standard bottle size) can't remember the bottle size.

42L boil

sorry it is a bit vague.

 

[Back Yard Brewer]

Finally brewed today and what a beast the 23jet mongolian is (ask Dr Smurto) I have some serious calibration work to do with beersmith after yesterdays brewing. Sart boil of 60ltrs and eneded up with 37ltrs into the fermenter Even allowing for 4ltrs of trub it was one f***ing hell of an evaporation rate. I am brewing tomorrow again so I have now bumped my evaporation rate up to 15% Since it is a 98 ltr SS stockpot I may keep the lid half on to try and reduce the evaporation rate. Once again the 23jet is a beast of a burner.

BYB

 

[hoohaaman]

I have an Italian spiral with a 60lt kettle,no matter how i tweak it,I looses 8.5-10 lts per hour.Depending on wind humidity etc.

They are great on gas,usually 6 /1 hour boils,sometimes up to 8 depending on shitty Bunnings fills.

BYB if your starting with 60lts and end up with 37lts after 1 hour, your evaporation rate is more like 35% not 15%.Oh and % per hour in beersmith is wobbly.


I loose 8-10 lts per hour no matter how full/empty the kettle is.Lid off

 

[kirem]

Finally brewed today and what a beast the 23jet mongolian is (ask Dr Smurto) I have some serious calibration work to do with beersmith after yesterdays brewing. Sart boil of 60ltrs and eneded up with 37ltrs into the fermenter Even allowing for 4ltrs of trub it was one f***ing hell of an evaporation rate. I am brewing tomorrow again so I have now bumped my evaporation rate up to 15% Since it is a 98 ltr SS stockpot I may keep the lid half on to try and reduce the evaporation rate. Once again the 23jet is a beast of a burner.

BYB

Had a similar thing happen. That is why I found the adjustable reg worked well. Once boiling, turn the reg down to keep a rolling boil, there is no need to boil the beejesus out of it. I suppose you could use the valve on the extension piece of the burner to do the same thing.

 

[KHB]

Had a similar thing happen. That is why I found the adjustable reg worked well. Once boiling, turn the reg down to keep a rolling boil, there is no need to boil the beejesus out of it. I suppose you could use the valve on the extension piece of the burner to do the same thing.

We actually tied restricting the flow off gas with the valve on the burner and that worked well.

KHB

 

[Screwtop]

BYB if your starting with 60lts and end up with 37lts after 1 hour, your evaporation rate is more like 35% not 15%.Oh and % per hour in beersmith is wobbly.


I loose 8-10 lts per hour no matter how full/empty the kettle is.

Forget Beersmith's silly % boil off, record how much you loose during your boil, then calculate how much you loose per hour in litres (this will be an average, due to atmospheric conditions, wind etc). When calculating your pre-boil amount in Beersmith for varying batch sizes (single or double batches) simply adjust the % in Beersmith to arrive at the loss in litres that you know you loose per hour in your kettle. Hope that makes sense :huh:

Once boiling, turn the reg down to keep a rolling boil, there is no need to boil the beejesus out of it.

I used to boil the crap out of my wort but have been reducing the heat to just give a rolling boil without any noticable effects (DMS) and find I get a more predictable boil off rate.

 

[Back Yard Brewer]

Had a similar thing happen. That is why I found the adjustable reg worked well.

I have an adjustable reg and for some reason even on its lowest setting I could not get it to work. Like there was to much gas flow. The jets just would not light properly.

BYB