Square boiler with conical bottom tap

[matth]

As the title suggests I'm having a boiler built so I'm thinking is a square boiler a problem? Is it just that cleaning is a bit of a chore or is ther something else to do with boiling dynamics or circulation that make circular more popular?

I want a mesh lining inside for a hop strainer and so I can just pull it out and empty it, if I have a slightly conical bottom draining valve (sounds a bit wrong) will the hops act as a filter for the cold break etc? Tbh I'm not actually that bothered about that but I'd be interested to know.

I want it to be fairly tall so that I can efficiently do smaller batches.

Cheers

 

[PD]

quote
boiling dynamics or circulation

Ya got me there, but there must be a reason most kettles dont have corners !

Cleaning into the right angles will be problematic also, but hey its a boiler, nasties get burned....

 

[matth]

Sorry about boiling dynamics etc, but there's always someone who comes in with something ultra scientific. Just want a good boiler with a good boiling roll - my 15 ltr plastic bucket works a treat but is too small.

 

[PD]

get yourself a standard stainless steel pot the biggest you can afford, add a couple of elements. Voila !

You can brew anything my son.....

 

[matth]

I'm having one made for free - by my father in-law (who i'm living with while i look for a new house - so i'm consious of not taking up too much space), that said he knows he'll get free beer when done! I think around 100 ltr to cope with around 80 ltr brew length max but thin enough to do a 23 ltr batch should i wish. Also big enough not to want a bigger one in the not too distant future. Quite like the idea of having a 0.5 bbl.

Once i have found a house with a shed or similar then i'll get him to produce the rest HLT, MT, etc to match.

What kind of element do you recommend - i use a single tesco element at the mo in my 15 litre bucket - which has been great but should i be looking at an immersion heater type thing - or some form of bendy element that can be shaped (i have no idea what these are - its something he had used on a heating vessel for another company that makes perfumes and he thought were good) or just more kettle elements - 2?

I quite like the idea of being able to choose the amount of power so i suppose kettle element sare a good choice - but also more cleaning?

now i'm just confusing myself so ill shut up

 

[PD]

http://www.thehomebrewcompany.co.uk/spa ... -1096.html

these are the " standard " type kettle elements to use. Although you can go cheaper and use tesco kettle elements.
However get a metal locking ring to fix the elements in place, the supplied plastic rings are useless.

http://www.bearingboys.co.uk/KM8_LDK_Be ... _Nut-960-p

2 elements to a 100 litre pot is more than ample for rolling boils.

 

[matth]

great, tthanks.

Now i'm sorry if this sounds daft, but the tesco ones seem to be rated at 2.2kw - and the ones linked at 2kw, wouldn't the tesco ones be more powerful or is there some sort of efficiency or reliability thing going on. sorry electrics is a bit of a weak point for me.

 

[hairybiker]

I've used both types, and can't say I have noticed any difference.
The ones with a nut are slightly easier to get a good seal on, dependant on the thickness of your vessel, but a simple silicon seal does the job on the Tesco ones (or the Asda ones in my case, as I haven't seen a cheap kettle in T's for over a year now).

 

[matth]

Great thanks, i have used the tesco one in my present boiler for nearly 2 years and that has a home made silicon seal on that made from a baking tray and never had any problems, but with 2 running would the extra .2kw make any difference, trip a switch, blow my inlaws garage up?
It is properly wired with its own fuse box etc - his brother is an electrician.
should i put each element in to its own plug socket - ie not make a control box with a switch to turn each element off that then plugs into one socket?

Don't worry i will run this past an electician, just dont want to go to him with a stupid plan that ill never hear the end of.

 

[hairybiker]

If you want to run 2 elements then it will need a proper mains loop not a spur to it, something like a 30A feed (you need 20A+ for the 2 elements + what ever else is on)
You will need to feed from 2 sockets thats a taken, but the feed needs checked. My shed is on a 15A spur so no brewing in it. (I use the kitchen about 6' from the mains fuse box)

 

[matth]

cheers, current garage (in-laws) i think has a mains loop of its own, and obviously i'll get one put in the shed or garage wherever i end up getting a new house - thats not a problem. i'll keep all that separate then i know what is running (other than boiler just fridges and lights)
one last daft question; once upto heat would a 70 to 80 ltr boil carry on a rolling boil with just one 2kw (or2.2) element?

Cheers

 

[thedrayman]

matth, Yes once you reach the boil temperature switch off one element, and you'll keep a 'rolling' boil. Works for me every time with up-to 90L.

 

[Fil]

Square or square with rounded corners, is the pattern followed by some of the old enameled burcos, and with a skilled metal worker on the job, funneling a bottom to a circular conical shape would be easier with a rounded corner square, than dealing with sharp 90 degree corners..

 

[hairybiker]

As long as you have some insulation on your boiler then a single element will be fine.

 

[matth]

Brilliant Cheers guys :thumb:

Edging towards round with conical and insulation then!