its a crazy idea....

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bod

its a crazy idea....

Post by bod » Fri May 26, 2006 4:33 pm

just ripped out the old copper hot water tank from the factory, as we have a combi boiler now, and it got me thinking.... :)

its an indirect hot water tank, with a copper coil inside to heat the water passed through it, much the same as this picture.
Image

i recon if you cut the bottom off, flip the whole thing over, so the domed bit is at the bottom, you could turn it into a huge boiler!!!

1) its already got a built in chiller, you'd just connect a water supply to point number 4, an output to the sink/bucket at point number 3.
2) you could install a filter screen of some sort at the bottom(which was the top) so the connection where pipes 7 and 8 are attached, could be used to drain the boiler via a ball valve.
3) its got a handly hole for mounting your element in.... ;)
4) its designed to boiler stuff
5) its copper, which is great for heat transference.
6) i'm really bored just now and got a bit carried away with this idea.

obviously you'd want a new one, this ones absolutely knackered, but i recon it would be great! maybe something for JY to think about if his plastic boiler doesnt last the pace, but maybe a bit out of reg's league. :lol: ;)

eskimobob

Post by eskimobob » Fri May 26, 2006 5:16 pm

Nice idea, they come with a few inches of insulation on the outside now so that should help too. Might be a bit expensive though (http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro ... 6&id=10924) - I would guess the smithsofdean DIY jobs would work out cheaper...

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johnmac
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Post by johnmac » Fri May 26, 2006 6:31 pm

this is from UK Homebrew:

Hi All,
After laboriuosly converting an 11 gall keg with two kettle elements, homemade screen (2 billion 2mm holes) etc. Only today it dawned on me that a really cheap but extremely good almost ready-made boiler could so easilybe made from an old domestic pre-lagged indirect hot water cylinder. Bit embarrassed with my slow wits here as I am supposed to be a heating engineer :-(
Get a scrap one with a side fitted electric immersion element, cut it's top off and maybe crimp the rough metal edge around it's circumference. It has an inbuilt 22mm chiller coil (heat transfer-coil as was) and as a bonus it is pre-lagged with 28mm+ of polyurathene foam.
An old "direct" (without a coil) cylinder could make a great mash tun. Use cylinders with flat rather than concave bases though, concave bases may prove tricky to fit screens or manifolds around and perhaps leave too much liquor behind?
I cadged one from a customer today, it was left "marooned" in her loft.
I will let you know the outcome.
John H.

BlightyBrewer

Post by BlightyBrewer » Fri May 26, 2006 8:12 pm

Great ideas guys! Man, I love brewing, it brings out the inventor within, and the end result is not bad either. :beer

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Reg
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Post by Reg » Fri May 26, 2006 9:07 pm

It seems to be part of what this forum is all about... :D

bod

Post by bod » Sat May 27, 2006 9:25 am

not in glasgow we dont, but then, thats not your country is it? ;) :lol:

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