Boiler Suggestions

by **mr_gt** » Sat Apr 26, 2014 7:38 pm

I am looking at a boiler upgrade from my 50L keg. Can anyone recommend a relatively inexpensive option for say 150-250L?

by **Sam.** » Sat Apr 26, 2014 7:47 pm

Copper water heater is one option.

Stainless water tanks off vehicles, milk vats etc. good luck snagging one cheap tho :handgestures-thumbupleft:

by **Zak Griffin** » Sat Apr 26, 2014 9:46 pm

Not sure why you'd need a 250L boiler to make a few bottles for personal consumption...

2 kegs together is 100L, or find an old style 80L keg. Should do the average bloke quite well!

by **whiskeyshiner** » Sat Apr 26, 2014 10:06 pm

120l boiler

Heres one i built recently got the idea from an old macstill thread i found. Its stainless hot water system. Be careful with copper ones though remember someone mentioning asbetos insulation in another thread somewhere guess it would be the really old ones. Generally two kegs isnt quite 100l as a little gets lost one cutting each one and there fairly impractical due to how high they end up being. Good luck finding an 80l one very rare nowadays and one in good condition even harder :handgestures-thumbupleft:

by **bt1** » Sun Apr 27, 2014 6:57 am

I'd take a little care when looking at ex water heaters...they don't get discarded cos they work brilliantly.

The two I've recently checked had significant corrosion issues and the copper was bloody near paper thin...like you can dent it with a thumb.
bt1

by **P3T3rPan** » Sun Apr 27, 2014 7:20 am

Yeah I pull out 1 or 2 a month and replace them. As bt1 said it is usually cos they are stuffed. Paper thin from work hardening and pinholes where any flux has been.
Most of the problems are towards the bottom and the side seam. The newer ones often have flowed urethane as insulation making it VERY difficult to clean up. Never in 46 years seen one with asbestos insulation used in domestic. (Here in NZ).
I am talking about copper hwc s.
Don't see too many ss ones stuffed yet

by **mr_gt** » Sun Apr 27, 2014 7:43 am

Zak Griffin wrote:Not sure why you'd need a 250L boiler to make a few bottles for personal consumption...

Because I can :-)

by **bt1** » Sun Apr 27, 2014 8:42 am

+1 Zak,

Seems odd to me also... just consider for a mo...

keggomax still would be good for what.. say 2lt/hr at best.... that's around a 11 hour+ run for a 250lt boiler.... good luck with that on a CM type. :wtf:

bt1

by **backyard brewdog** » Sun Apr 27, 2014 10:54 am

It wasn't that long ago people were pulling those sort of runs on they're 2" rigs whenever they ran theyre rig. Everybody gotta start somewhere :handgestures-thumbupleft:

by **Kaneriley227** » Sun Apr 27, 2014 1:46 pm

whiskeyshiner wrote:120l boiler

. Generally two kegs isnt quite 100l as a little gets lost one cutting each one and there fairly impractical due to how high F13L VH-UKW Mount Wedge end up being. :

Ba ther not that high, mine is two kegs welded together and it only stands 950mm

He should weld 3 to get th rough 150L would only stand 1400mm high

Here's my two kegs.. viewtopic.php?f=7&t=5866

by **mr_gt** » Sun Apr 27, 2014 1:56 pm

Lol didn't say was going to use new boiler with current still setup. Looking at building myself a plated still :-) but want a boiler first.

by **Muppet** » Sun Apr 27, 2014 2:33 pm

If you are handy with welding just buy a stainless sheet or two and get it rolled up. If your not a fsd boiler would end up cheaper and neater. You could try find secondhand wine vats or SS 44 gallon drums just be carefull what has been in them.

by **Urrazeb** » Mon Apr 28, 2014 10:40 am

Zak Griffin wrote:Not sure why you'd need a 250L boiler to make a few bottles for personal consumption...

2 kegs together is 100L, or find an old style 80L keg. Should do the average bloke quite well!

bt1 wrote:+1 Zak,

bt1

I disagree fellas, some guys only have the chance to run a few times a year, and if they're prepared to sit there for 11+ hours then good on em, that's their choice.

Not everyone has the chance to run a wash as soon as it's finished.. some might just set up and run for a week solid and dismantle for storage for the rest of the year :handgestures-thumbupleft:

There are heaps of options out there for larger boilers, as mentioned. You just have to be on the ball and keep an eye out on gumtree etc, be prepared to get up and go at the drop of a hat because cheap ones don't last long.

by **bt1** » Mon Apr 28, 2014 7:59 pm

I think you've missed the point Urrazeb... which is fair considering it wasn't expressly mentioned.

250lt boilers are rarely in the realm of the hobby level...

11 hours just for the run... add to that another 3 - 4 hours heating time... consider the work practices, safety issues and attention span to keeping a constant eye on it....

I smell a commercial purpose ...easy to write a "no not me" but that's not altogether credible in my book.

bt1

by **Kimbo** » Tue Apr 29, 2014 11:07 am

bt1 wrote:
250lt boilers are rarely in the realm of the hobby level...

I agree with Urrazeb on this one, I personally know a couple of blokes who have large boilers and large stills and I can vouch that they dont sell a drop.
they do a once, maybe twice a year run ;-)

by **MacStill** » Tue Apr 29, 2014 5:41 pm

Will this do ?

20140429_142427.jpg

:teasing-neener:

by **Kimbo** » Tue Apr 29, 2014 6:21 pm

Now show them the BIG one :wtf:

by **Hava** » Tue Apr 29, 2014 6:27 pm

:scared-eek:

by **MacStill** » Tue Apr 29, 2014 8:47 pm

Hava wrote::scared-eek:

:teasing-neener:

by **Brendan** » Tue Apr 29, 2014 9:10 pm

I could fit all of my still and distilling accessories in that thing! :scared-eek:

Imagine the stripper you could chuck on that :D