Qualtex Boiler

[oddjob5]

Hi all,

I am looking to begin brewing beer using malt extract to being with before moving on to grain.
Has anyone experience of using one of these for brewing?
http://www.appliancespareswarehouse.co.uk/stainless-steel-35-litre-water-urn-boiler-mis884.html

 

[ManseMasher]

Never used one, but don't be surprised if you have to make some alterations to the thermostat - plenty of threads on boilers like the one you linked to not being able to hold a rolling boil. Nice price though!

 

[malhal]

Got a 20L one of these today ��£45.99 from lmelectrical on ebay (Qualtex's ebay store). Thermostat slightly off, e.g. set at 75, temp was 83. Setting 100 gives rolling boil but probably best to set it to past 110 to be sure it stays on. Thus does not have a 97 degree cut-off like the modern Burco and Buffalo, it does have a single-use thermal fuse though.

The tap hole isn't recessed like on the Buffalo and Burco so it had me wondering if those boilers are double-skinned (i.e. I don't mean cold-touch double-walled) but I have never seen one in person so don't know. This one is single-skinned and very thin, moving the tap bends the metal. I'm not sure if it will hold the weight of a ball-valve without warping but will see.

The hole diameter is 15mm.

The internal diameter is 300mm.

The lid has a plastic fitting on the top of the boiler, thus opening is reduced diameter at 258mm, something to take into account if fitting a grain basket.

Will have more info later.