Boiler??

[snail59]

Is it wise or addviseable to use a youngs type fermenting bucket to convert into a cheap boiler????????.

 

[jamesb]

People have done, i wouldn't. The plastic is too thin to be safe.

 

[Mephistopholes]

Depends how thick the plastic is i guess.

The last thing you want though is brewday to turn into hospital day if that sucker splits. Imagine 5 gallons of boiling sticky wort all over you.



:hmm:

 

[Moley]

The Young's u-brew bucket I've got seems quite flimsy and floppy at normal room temperature.

Recycling triangle on the base says 5, PP (PolyPropylene).

My 30 litre brewing bucket is far more substantial. I can't tell you what it says on the base, it's currently full, but I'm guessing it's HDPE.

Young's 6 gallon fermenters are also more substantial.
Recycling triangle says 2, HDPE (High Density PolyEthylene).

Personal opinion:
5, PP :nono:
2, HDPE :thumb:

 

[snail59]

Thanks guys will keep my bucket for fermenting. :thumb:

 

[Mephistopholes]

I bought one of those ritchies premade boilers. and it says 5 pp underneath. bruheat or brupak boiler cant remember which.

i've had 4 brewdays with it and already there is some definate wear and tear in the plastic. it must have been government tested or something but it does seem very flimsy for its purpose.

A stronger plastic is definately safer.

 

[Aleman]

The last thing you want though is brewday to turn into hospital day if that sucker splits. Imagine 5 gallons of boiling sticky wort all over you.

Been there, Done That, Got the T Shirt

 

[Halite]

I converted a Youngs 33l fermenter into a boiler with two elements and a tap and it works great. The plastic certainly heats up a lot but it is thick enough to keep its rigidity (code on the bottom says 5 PP)

 

[AdrianTrace]

I would point out that the melting point of PP is higher than that of HDPE.

PP has a melting point of 130-170*C depending on quality.

PE melting point is 95-130*C depending on density. HDPE can withstand continuous temperatures of 110*C, brief periods of 120*C, but not autoclaving (high pressure 120*C steam sterilisation). Although boiling water shouldn't reach this temperature, the chance that the area round the elements reaches this and causes a disaster is not one I am willing to take, so for me HDPE is not an option for a boiler :nono: Maybe for a HLT

I am looking for a 10 gallon PP bucket of reasonable thickness to convert into a boiler, preferably cheaper than those sold by my LHBS

 

[Moley]

Thanks for that A.T. :thumb:
That should set a few minds at ease.

I'm still sticking with aluminium on gas though.

 

[Mephistopholes]

Well i'm gonna stick with my plastic bucket. but wear wellys for every brewday now. :lol:

 

[rickthebrew]

Mick - I bought a 60 litre bucket from here (just under 30quid delivered)

http://www.the-home-brew-shop.co.uk/aca ... ckets.html

15 brews and no problems at all - the workbench is weaker so I sit it on some wood on the bench when brewing!

two tesco kettles and a 15mm tank coupler and a ball valve tap and your away! You`ll need to make a hop strainer from a piece of 15mm copper pipe - but you`ll have some left over from your mash tun

see you on the dark side

 

[snail59]

Ive found these on flea bay was thinking of useing one.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/25-ltr-Plastic-Bu ... 3efe971356

 

[rickthebrew]

That looks quite simular - you might struggle to fit a 5gallon / 23litre brew in though :hmm: With evaporation + deadspace + loss to hops + safe distance from top of bucket to consider, they are a bargin though and you could build a HLT with one that size for the mash liquor :thumb:

Once you taste your first AG brew you`ll wish your bucket and mash tun were bigger whatever size you start with :lol:

 

[snail59]

Was thinking of geting 2. Make them into 2 boilers linked together at the tap so only need to put 15lts in each. Run that into an Asda coolbox mash tun then split the wort in half for the boil and run into an FV. Does that sound feasable??.

 

[rickthebrew]

Yeah that would work fine - you`d just have to split your wort into two like you said. Say you did a brew with 100grams of hops and then just split this and put half in each it would be fine, the advantage is you could do one mash and split your wort and do two different hopping schedules which would give you two different brews :party:

However :? its more to clean after and would you put two elements in each bucket? If so costs more to run - of course its all down to what you think would work best for yourself - again i`d go for the bigger style bucket but thats just me and i drink far to much beer :lol:

What size is the asda cool box?
:drink:

 

[snail59]

The coolbox is 24lts same as the one MD used in his cheap AG brewery post.

Now ive found these and there not to far away so might go for a big one

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWAX:IT

 

[rickthebrew]

the bigger the better :lol: the coolbox will be spot on :thumb:

 

[snail59]

Ok so I think ive found my recpeticle for my boiler now Im thinking of these for the elements

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWAX:IT

And if there OK will a couple of these be up to the job to power them.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWAX:IT

 

[rick_huggins]

Mick - I bought a 60 litre bucket from here (just under 30quid delivered)

How much....?

If you bulk buy 5 from Victoria packaging they work out £13 each (minimum order of 5)