Pimp My Boiler

Doglaner · Jan 4, 2016

Hello,

I've been a very good boy and Santa-in-laws have clubbed together to get me a 30l Burco Cygnet for Chrimbo. They know that they will benefit in time, of course.

I've also commandeered a cool box from the garage which has been surpassed by one which is bigger, has a chiller and plugs into the car. This is going to be used as a mash-tun. I know what I'm doing with that one, from another thread on here. Helps to have a client who runs a plumbing supplies company.

My question is whether I should pimp my boiler and add a different tap - I.e. A nice industrial looking ball valve affair, along with a bazooka filter thing, or can I keep the current tap and simply slot in a hop filter behind it? I don't want to upset any seals, etc, on the current as-supplied tap.

Oh, and I also got the bits to make a wort chiller.

Once all is complete, I'll post some piccies, if anyone is interested?

So, all in all a busy few evenings coming up, once I've got the other small bits and bobs I need and then I'll be ready to do my first 40pt all-grain brew. This will probably be an Amarillo SMaSH since the last, smaller, stove-top one was so good.

Night!

Dog.

VillageBrew · Jan 28, 2016

How did it go with the Cygnet hop filter? I've been pondering the same myself and was thinking of simply using a shower hose and the original back nut, but any advice from experience would be great.

Doglaner · Jan 28, 2016

Hello,

Just read your message after literally ordering a bazooka filter online, so unable to answer your query. Not until it arrives.

I've not brewed for a while due to other priorities (are there any? Really?) including making a mash tun (ah. I see.)

I've kept the original tap on the boiler for now, as the local plumbing supplies people reckon changing it may cause leaks, etc. I'll see how I get on, and will definitely get a few second opinions.

I'll let you know what happens on brew day. If anyone has fitted a new metal ball valve tap to a Burco Cygnet, or any other curved metal container, then please let me know how it went. Good AND bad, please.

Thanks!

Dog.

cheapbrew · Jan 29, 2016

one of these https://www.bes.co.uk/products/140.asp#7786

one of these https://www.bes.co.uk/products/100.asp#16835

one of these https://www.bes.co.uk/products/165a.asp#14558

not sure if you can get the adaptors in stainless steel, may be if you search you might find one, the 15mm compression part goes inside and you can fit a hop filter to it with an adaptor or section of copper pipe with holes in it and end blanked off.

Doglaner · Jan 30, 2016

Excellent.

Thanks for that, very useful.

I've ordered those, and in the meantime completed my wort chiller!

I've had a closer look at the inside of the boiler and in particular the inside tap fitting. My original concern re leakage was that the curve of the boiler would make it difficult to seal any replacement tap. As it happens, the manufacturers have thought of that already, cos they is more cleverer than wot I are, and there is a flat 'landing pad' around the hole which removes the curve completely.

Much excitement when I discovered that, and it is what prompted me to spend the cash on the tap, etc.

I'll post a thread once I've done it. Somewhat nervous though as I've not used it yet, and it was a present partially from my Mother-in-Law, and you know what she's like....!

Dog.

cheapbrew · Jan 30, 2016

I use BES quite a bit and fitted loads of taps in all sorts of drums for my biodiesel, and fitting a ball valve to a burco was my first ever, but I had to look up the stainless versions for you as I usually use the cheapo ones and after finding and copying/posting pics and links l forgot to say that Burco's have a flat for the tap mount!

Put some ptfe tape on the thread before you wind the tap onto it and the same for the hose tail thread.

Doglaner · Jan 31, 2016

Will do.

Thanks very much for all your help.

You've saved me a lot of time searching for the parts.

Dog.

BREWERS DROOP · Feb 6, 2016

Just fitted one of my taps today,very easy with the cutter.Got all my stuff from Superwhole Amazon

Doglaner · Feb 13, 2016

Well, much later than planned, due to chicken pox in the house and an impromptu weekend at the Inlaw's, the boiler is now pimped.

Got a kink in the hop filter to accommodate the chiller coil.

Test run of full system tonight.

Cqr · Feb 13, 2016

BREWERS DROOP said:
Just fitted one of my taps today,very easy with the cutter.Got all my stuff from Superwhole Amazon

That's one nice tap

cheapbrew · Feb 13, 2016

Have you tested it now?

Doglaner · Feb 14, 2016

VillageBrew said:
How did it go with the Cygnet hop filter? I've been pondering the same myself and was thinking of simply using a shower hose and the original back nut, but any advice from experience would be great.

In the end I went to the big orange DIY store and bought an adaptor for a couple of quid which I screwed onto the inside of the tank connector and then I could screw the bazooka straight into the other end. I hope you can see this in the last photo.

Replacing the tap on the boiler in the end was a doddle. I simply unscrewed the old o e and screwed on the new one. The most time consuming thing was thinking about it and sourcing the parts. Thanks to cheapbrew for help with that. The bits he suggested fitted without any drilling at all. Perfect.

So, on to brewing, now, when time allows!

Doglaner · Feb 14, 2016

cheapbrew said:
Have you tested it now?

Not yet. Kids threw the toys out of the pram last night nd I was home alone, so about to do it right now....

cheapbrew · Feb 14, 2016

Doglaner said:
In the end I went to the big orange DIY store and bought an adaptor for a couple of quid which I screwed onto the inside of the tank connector and then I could screw the bazooka straight into the other end. I hope you can see this in the last photo.

Replacing the tap on the boiler in the end was a doddle. I simply unscrewed the old o e and screwed on the new one. The most time consuming thing was thinking about it and sourcing the parts. Thanks to cheapbrew for help with that. The bits he suggested fitted without any drilling at all. Perfect.

So, on to brewing, now, when time allows!

My pleasure, glad to help. :thumb:....keep us posted.

pgl150 · Feb 14, 2016

Not sure if I missed it but how did you get over the fact that the hole isn't a full circle when you take the original tap off? Did you find a tank connector with flat sides?

Cheers

Paul

cheapbrew · Feb 14, 2016

Look at the pics I posted above, its not a tank connector its a straight adaptor and covers the hole.

Doglaner · Feb 14, 2016

pgl150 said:
Not sure if I missed it but how did you get over the fact that the hole isn't a full circle when you take the original tap off? Did you find a tank connector with flat sides?

Cheers

Paul

Paul, as cheapbrew says, it is not a tank connector, although that is what I also call it as I am a pensions expert, and not a plumber!

My first thought when I took the original tap off is not suitable for family viewing, as I saw an oddly shaped hole which had to have a cylindrical piece inserted into it. (We've all been there...). However, as soon as I offered up the 'thing that I call a tank connector and cheapbrew calls an adaptor' I realised it would fit. I also put a polythene washer from B&Q on either side, too, between the 'adaptor' and the tank.

I've tested the boiler now, filled to the max mark with cold water. The first time it leaked round the washers/hole, so I emptied it, tightened it all up a bit and it now holds water with no leaks.

Spent the rest of the day fixing bike punctures, tidying the garden up, extending the hose pipes on my homemade chiller coil and valentining, so no further testing was done.

Dog.

pgl150 · Feb 15, 2016

cheapbrew said:
Look at the pics I posted above, its not a tank connector its a straight adaptor and covers the hole.

It's the picture that's actually prompted the question as the 'adaptor' appears to have no flat sides as per the hole on the boiler. Is the adaptor thread therefore a smaller circle that fits in the hole on the boiler with the sealing being done both sides by the nuts and washers?

Just want to get my head round it before I buy anything that's all.

Cheers

cheapbrew · Feb 15, 2016

Yes it goes through the hole and the nuts and washers seal it.

Doglaner · Feb 15, 2016

pgl150 said:
It's the picture that's actually prompted the question as the 'adaptor' appears to have no flat sides as per the hole on the boiler. Is the adaptor thread therefore a smaller circle that fits in the hole on the boiler with the sealing being done both sides by the nuts and washers?

Just want to get my head round it before I buy anything that's all.

Cheers

That's exactly what happened. The narrowest part of the hole is just a smidgen larger than the threaded adapter. The washers I got were these :-

Pimp My Boiler

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