enclosing my boiler ...with pics...

[artyb]

i brew using a biab method outside on a gas ring....

i have a large pot 70+ litres
and was getting quite a bit, of swirling wind around the boiler , :nah:

it takes a fair bit of heat to get a rolling boil so i thought i would partially enclose the ring and pot,
to bring the overall temp around it up a bit...

heres the pot sitting by the doors [its handy to have it indoors for the mash]
on a waterbutt stand and a slab,
the burner sits inside the steel shield [its upside down, here in the pics] the pot is on,

i decided to make a two sided enclosure from some scrap kitchen unit panels,[skip salvage]


i hinged them to make them easy to store and set up...
the rear is open to allow fresh air in.. :thumb:

these fit around the sides,

i then made a top to fit around the pot ..it actually sits on the handles...

this should keep some heat around the pot during the boil and it it gets too hot i can remove the top piece
although there is a 25mm gap under the top

i have some thin steel that i will place around at burner level if i consider there to be a problem
im quite pleased with this as it cost nowt and only took around 40 mins to construct.. :party:

i may make some ''feet'' to do away with the temp brick and timber :whistle:

 

[Baz Chaz]

Careful you don't melt the UPVC at the 'open' side :?

 

[calumscott]

Looks like it should work well - you've got enough of a gap around the rim of your pot to get a good "chimney" effect to draw air in to the burners from the bottom. :thumb:

 

[artyb]

Careful you don't melt the UPVC at the 'open' side :?

ah yes ...that may be a good point baz.... :thumb:

that might not go down to well... :rofl:

i have some steel sheet 6oo mm2that would fit in down there ...

i shall look at that on the next brew...

which may be this weekend....[im getting itchy fingers]... :hmm:

 

[Baz Chaz]

Would maybe make it a 3 sided jobby and just move it away from anything melty :thumb:

 

[LeithR]

Don't use steel, its a great conductor of heat. BC's suggestion to move it away is better then you can insert something like wood which is not such a good conductor of heat between the boiler and the window/door frame - I'd hate for you to endanger the happy home!! :thumb: :thumb:

 

[troutie]

It is an excellent way to shorten the bring to the boil time

here is mine knocked up last weekend from bits of aluminium I had kicking around

It does not matter how conductive the shield is as just keeping the hot gases around the boiler works wonders
knocked a shedload of time off getting the boil and then could turn the gas right down and still keep the rolling boil .

for the posh shield I did consider getting a galvanised dustbin from BnQ £19 and using that but this one works great so more dosh to spend on grain and hops :thumb:

 

[artyb]

might go 3 sided.... :hmm:

nice to know it makes a difference troutie...
i may have seen yours and been influenced by it :whistle:

 

[EskiBrew]

Good idea :thumb: