Boiler surround

[Doublehoppy]

There was a comment on a different thread about wind disrupting the flame from a 3 ring burner.

I had all sorts of problems, so I had this knocked up out of galvanised steel. Last night my boiler brought 27 litres to a boil in about 30 minutes, so I'm now a happy chappy.

It's about 400mm high, and the only air vents are where I've cut it around the burner arm and ball valve.

It's very tight around the boiler, so virtually no heat will escape up the sides. The 2nd picture shows how the steel is folded back on itself to hold it together as it naturally wants to straighten itself.

[denimglen]

Very nice. I might need to look at making something, haven't given mine a test run yet.

I'm also thinking of grinding the shit out of those little up-right-stand-thingees on the burner so the bottom of the keggle sits closer to the heat.

I'll see how it goes, all going well test run tonight.

[Ged]

Denimglen..Hacksaw them..It takes about 10 seconds a leg..I had a burner that had one leg about 1 cm longer than the rest..Couldn't figure out why every keg I put on it sloped like it had drunk 10 skullbuggerys at the Hop..

Then cut down the offending item and it works a treat.

[denimglen]

Cheers mate, I'm a lazy bastard so might give the angle grinder a shot ;-) Got 15 legs to do haha.

[Steve Baker]

Wow, thats a sleeve and half. I was imagining something which sat completely below the kettle.

I also wonder if part of my problem was wind blowing up the air mix inlets and blowing out the flame, I might need another surround around the inlets too.

[Chris Banks]

This was my version havnt tried it in a gale though?

[denimglen]

How do you find the four ring with the keg mate? Take very long to bring to a boil?

Any modifications to kettle or burner? I was thinking I might need to cut down the stands on the burner to get it to sit closer.

Also how did you get it to sit on the burner, is the wind shield sitting on the ground holding the keg?

Thanks mate, just kinda want an idea on what to expect next brew day.

[Chris Banks]

To be honest ive just finished the keg and have yet to try a boil but
tested the burner melting some zinc metal in a pot in no time so should be fine!

I cut the bottom base/stand part of the keg right of and weld the shield/stand at the appropriate
height for the burner so the burner is unmodified.

Yeah the sheild supports the whole keg.

Tell ya one thing man some smoke come of that burner on first use with all that
green paint burning did not smell good at all!

No worrys its good to compare notes with everybody

[Ged]

I think we've all been through the "oh my god..I'm melting something" phase when first using the lovely green burners. Neighbour next door thought I'd set the house on fire and was leaning over the fence asking if we were okay...

Why on earth do they paint them ???

[Chris Banks]

Corosion prevention im thinking but you would think they would use somthing
that didnt toxify half the street the first time you used it lol!

[denimglen]

Yeah corrosion protection but looks like they use the crappiest, nastiest, cheapest shit they can find.

Spill some water on the burner while it's warm and you'll come back to it the next morning covered in rust...ooops.

On a side note, you know how they do the black burners and the green burners that look exactly the same but the green ones are cheaper? I was comparing a couple side by side in the shop. The green ones always have some minor defects, like a hole or two that's plugged up, some rough bits that have leaked out of the mold stuff like that. Otherwise the burners are exactly the same. I reckon they're coming out of the same factory, QCing them, paint the rougher ones green and the better ones black and then chuck a higher price on the black ones.

Random babble.

[Ged]

And another point..Where do you guys source the 4 ring burners? I've only ever seen the 3 ring versions ( bought one of them) but bunnings etc wouldn't order me in a 4...Only would order the stock that moved regularly.! i.e 2 rings and the odd 3

[Chris Banks]

I got mine from the bbq factory for about $80-90. bunnings did do a 4 ring but it was on a
massive square frame that looked pretty fragile for $220 or so (which incidently was black)