Hot water suppy for the brewery HLT

[Springer]

One of many essential brewery needs is a good supply of hot water, at the required temperature, enter the HLT. Post shows progress to date to achieve this.
I started off with a domestic hot water cylinder and took the tin opener, well snips actually, to it.

Ever seen inside one of these, not many people have ?

The coil looks quite tasty and might make a nice cooler ?

I decided that I wanted the cylinder to drain dry after use so went for the option of turning it upside down, which meant it would need a good supporting stucture, enter the garden carpentry. The shaved off bits should spread the load ok I hope.

i consulted the time to heat / kw input and the forum calculated and decided that 3 kw would be too slow, hence the snips came out again . Your can see the new extra boss cut from another scrap cylinder.

This was brazed on as below.

And assembled. You can also the stiffening up, with the ring of ply on the top edge

Work to do, sight gauge, insulating with thermowrap, overflow, supply pipe, insulated lid, wiring, it all takes time .

'When finished If it all works !! i will post again, with heating up times.

 

[prolix]

been working hard there springer. Looking good

 

[Vossy1]

Getting there S

 

[evanvine]

Great recycling, going to take some amps though!

 

[Springer]

Great recycling, going to take some amps though!

I am luck enough to have a three phase supply in 6 mm to the workshop, onto which the Brewery annex is built,
The only problem with the power is paying for it, but its still cheaper than LPG :)
As you say E, its recycling, nice thought that my brewing/drinking is helping to save the planet, will assuming I've got to drink that is :?
These cylinders can be had for scrap money at lots of plumbers, as the trend is to take em out and fit combi boilers
S

 

[BlackAddler]

Have you managed to clean the insides yet?

I had a similar idea, some months back, but gave up because I couldn't get rid of the green, blue pink [and various shades inbetween] oxides/sulphates/whatever.

I used everything from a vinegar/salt mix to spirit of salts [acid!].

 

[Springer]

Not tried yet but It is tough, as I found out cleaning the joints on my HERM heat exchanger.

http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=5928

Someone on here will know the easy way of doing, I hope.

S

 

[evanvine]

If all that lot wont shift it then boiling/brewing wont!

 

[unclepumble]

have you tried coke!

Works on pennies

 

[tubthumper]

any of the descalers ment for central heating will work
mainly Hydrochloric acid
but go to any plumbing merchant and ask for fernox central heating descaler It the dogs .
If you use boiling water as as the diluter then it works really well but its not fast by any stretch of the imagination
I use to have to desacle water boilers for tea and coffee at work and could take most of the day to do one , but we had loads to do at same time, manually scrape as much off as you can then use acid
then rince out and use viniger solution to get it bright
cheapest place to get vinigar is chinese cash and carys wing wip in croydon is closes to me and was £8 for 5ltr
much cheaper than getting it in small bottles in a supermarket
also if you after a sight tube for it still look at my link in for sale thread I can make it any size you need it to be

DONT FORGET TO WEAR THE MASK AND GLOVES WHEN USING ACIDS ( they are really nasty

 

[BlackAddler]

have you tried coke!

Works on pennies

I think so. Various methods [especially the acid] did get most of the gunk/limescale off, and the copper turned a nice shade of pink.
But when I wash it off with water, or scrub it clean, the discolouring tends to comes back.

I've not got round to taking it to the scrapyard yet [copper sells for a decent price], so I might have another go. I spent a lot of hours on it last summer, though. I'm hoping that left long enough, maybe a nice layer of copper oxide will build up.

Originally, I'd planned for it to be a boiler, but it would be of better use as an HLT... 3Kw immersion heater with thermostat, etc. Not really man enough for a good rolling boil, though.

cheapest place to get vinigar is chinese cash and carys wing wip in croydon is closes to me and was £8 for 5ltr
much cheaper than getting it in small bottles in a supermarket

Is it super strong or something? Vinegar is available from Tesco at 13p per pint. [Sainsbury as well, I believe].

Absolutely right about using goggles and thick gloves when using strong acids.

 

[31bb3]

have you thought about caustic soda

 

[Vossy1]

Another vote for caustic soda here :thumb:

 

[BlackAddler]

have you thought about caustic soda

As far as I recall, I did try it.

 

[tubthumper]

viniger from chineese shop needs to be diluted 4 to 1 before safe to use on or in food
can burn your skin at that strength

 

[Springer]

Thanks for the replies all,
Some of you "up above" are already commenting on my other thread, but for those who haven't see it you may be interested in http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=5863&start=20 there's loads of stuff at the end on cleaning/sanitising :)
Springer