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Post #2 made 14 years ago
by BobBrews
zap_1961,

Here is your chance to shine. If you can keep from blowing yourself up somehow try it! I can't think of any reason not to try. Be the first to do it or the last? Trying and failing is not bad. Failing to try is. Let us know how it works?
tap 1 Raspberry wine
tap 2 Bourbon Barrel Porter
tap 3 Czech Pilsner
tap 4 Triple IPA 11% ABV
Pipeline: Mulled Cider 10% ABV

http://cheesestradamus.com/ Brewers challenge!
    • SVA Brewer With Over 100 Brews From United States of America

Post #4 made 14 years ago
by Lylo
I think BB maybe has visions of you taking out your cordless drill and changing the orifice size! :argh: This is worth thinking out.I am sure there are lots of residential type propane water heaters out there.probably if you knew how to rcognize them the landfills are pobably full of them!I know that alot of them are tossed because of faulty/corroded tanks rather than anything to do with the burners. :think:
AWOL

Post #5 made 14 years ago
by joshua
Good Day.....I found the Water hater gas/propane flame units are made of a cheap alunimun sheet metal, they are less than 75,000 btu. The secret is, the many tubes to pass the heat thru the water. (it might be a good Idea for our kettles). I tryed to use one of these on 5 gallons of water.....My gas stove heated the water faster. I suggest a turkey fryer "banjo" propane heater. This time of year they are very available.
Honest Officer, I swear to Drunk, I am Not God.
    • SVA Brewer With Over 100 Brews From United States of America

Post #6 made 14 years ago
by zap_1961
OK, I understand everyone concerns. I think I saved one from my own hot water heater several years back, I will see if I can find it. It was cast iron, and about 10 inch circle burner (much like a turkey fryer). Our tanks here in the US are just large tall cylinders w/o any holes going through. These are just the heaters for household use at the spigots, not the heaters for heating water to run through radiators for heat. Those have the holes through them and the flames are pretty low/small and would not work very well. I also would not have to re-jet the burner if I plum in natural gas from the house and skip the propane tank altogether.

Post #7 made 14 years ago
by joshua
Good Day Zap, Natural gas is a good flame. But, N.G. is mostly made of methane(C2H6), whereas propane (L.P.G.) is a mix of Propane(C3H8) and Butane(C4H10). So if you have a choice of L.P.G or N.G. Propane has 1.5-1.75 more BTU per gallon than Natural gas. Water heaters are made for efficiency, Turkey fryers are made for speed, So if you brew inside in warm places and have time, natural gas is the way to go. Propane would be the choice for outside anytime of year!
I live in Tennessee, Maybe not in the U.S. but ALL gas water heaters have at least ONE large tube, so the Heat can rise thru the water, Electric water heater don't any since the heat comes from coils inside.
I have thought about cutting an electric water heater in half, and using it as a brew kettle, but the tanks are made of plain soft steel. Sorry to ramble.
Honest Officer, I swear to Drunk, I am Not God.
    • SVA Brewer With Over 100 Brews From United States of America

Post #8 made 14 years ago
by zap_1961
Joshua, you are correct about the single tube up the center. It's main purpose (IMO) is to exhaust the CO2 and residue heat up and out to a safe place. But it will indeed have an affect on heating the water. I saw the mention of "many" tubes and just wanted to clarify that I was talking about hot water heater for faucet use and not a how water heater for heating..... Some would say if I just set the pot out in the sun during our summer months there would be not need for an external heat source of any kind......;{) Keeping it cool for fermenting is bigger problem here.

Stick with scrounging a Keg, much better than a hot water heater tank..... don't forget to drill a few vent holes in the bottom lip/ring of the keg.
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