Gas vs Electric Boiler

[periolus]

Hello!

I am torn between gas powered and electric boiler basically. This will be my first AG setup and I need answers to the following!

1. What type of burner and regulator would I be likely to need for a 70L boiler (in terms of output and rate)
2. Is there an inconsistency in efficiency with gas? I have heard it is hard, for example, to use BeerTools or equivalent to use data accurately

3. Is it alright to use gas in a garage with the door open? I assume yes!
4. Does gas work out wildly more expensive than using 3kW elements instead?

Getting there!

 

[BigStoo]

1. What type of burner and regulator would I be likely to need for a 70L boiler (in terms of output and rate)

I use an 8kw burner running from a low pressure butane regulator for my 65 litre pot. It works fine. I understand some people are using a high pressure regulator with the same burner with good results.

2. Is there an inconsistency in efficiency with gas? I have heard it is hard, for example, to use BeerTools or equivalent to use data accurately

I don't know of any difference with efficiency. Once it's boiling, it's boiling - it doesn't make any difference what makes it boil.

3. Is it alright to use gas in a garage with the door open? I assume yes!

I would have thought so. I think the main reason they insist you use them outdoors is because there's no flame fail device. If the flame goes out the gas carries on flowing, which is obviously catastrophic in an enclosed environment.

4. Does gas work out wildly more expensive than using 3kW elements instead?

I've never bothered to work it out. A finger in the air estimate is that I use something like £1.50 worth of gas to boil for 90 minutes.

 

[Aleman]

Electric is much more efficient than using gas(as long as the vessel is insulated) as a lot of heat is wasted flowing up the side of the pot with a gas burner. Although I have a shroud fitted to my gas kettle and it has increased efficiency considerably . . .I am not far off the calculated water heating times whearas before I could only get about 30% of the burners rated value.

I use a 400mm paella burner from Hamilton Gas Products and a 50-150mBar regulator for my 150L kettle, adn it is proving to work well.

If you do go down the electric route I woudl suggest 2 £KW elements to help you heat the liquor/wort faster although you will only require 1 to maintain a rolling boil. Another thought you might want to consider is to use a 70L Thermobox as the insulation is so good on these that even a single 3KW element will be more than enough to heat your wort. . . .but the conversion can be a little bit trickier